Sonata World Series ll News Report
Sonata World Series II began last night at Brixham Yacht Club.
The coveted Sonata World Series trophy is fought every season by all top Sonata crews in Torbay.
The boats are ultra fast, sensitive, skiff-like 22 foot racer/cruisers. No mod cons, stripped out for pure yacht racing. Hand picked crews and the best skippers.
Collision Regulations only apply in racing. No boat is allowed to spend more that £500,000 during each series – including crews expenses.
Torbay was a caldron of foam and spume tonight with 56mm/ minute winds whipping up the normally placid seas into scenes that defy description…...
My pad got so wet that all this is from memory.
You seldom see the word “fannytastic” in a yachting bulletin but tonight, dear reader, saw the very best yachting action I have seen in any ocean of the world. Many of you were watching Eastenders while the Sonata World Series fleet were making history.
Blue Breaker, with an uncanny (almost Mornington Crescentile) knack decided to start near the red flag closest to the first mark which was F. They then lead the fleet to Z flag and started beating back to Brixham with THE WHOLE FLEET following in their wake – what a pity that all the boats should have gone round C not Z. Never the less this was just the start.
Apiano had problems with sail selection when discovering their Genoa was not on board ( an essential sail to make the boat move fast). Mike cycled half way to Hill head to grab a spare sail and hurtled back to Brixham harbour. Apiano! started behind and finished behind – which is the nature of yacht racing. Despite this the crew gained 30% on the winners during the race and learned to carry all sails onboard.
Chris Coote on Simply Alto maintained hot pursuit and clawed their way to 3rd place on the night.
Later Tom Savage was interviewed in the clubhouse and, with Corinthian modesty, said “I have only my crew to thank” “ I take a back seat these days” “ the floor boards help” he told me cryptically.
S Linley-Shaw denied rumours of a rift within the sport, the club, the RYA, racing rules, the new courses, Sailing Instructions or the crew. “The course on paper differs from the course on water” he pointed out Confuciusequley .
Chris Coote declined to be interviewed ( this is not quite true as I could not find him – maybe he is still on his boat checking rig tensions) but if he had been available I know he would have talked about ‘learning curves’ etc….
As usual only the first 3 places are published,
1st Blues Breaker
2nd apiano!
3rd Simply Alto.
Your sonata Correspondent at Brixham Yacht Club.SL-S
Return to Sonata page click here