'Optimum Time' - Phantom South East Traveller Series 

 

The Optimum Time Phantom South East Traveller Series concluded recently with the final event at Broadwater SC. Back in 2020 the class decided to split the rather large Southern region into smaller South East and South West sections. However Covid-19 meant that all Open events in 2020 were cancelled, so 2021 was the first season for the new South East Series.

Unfortunately Covid travelling restrictions were still in place at Easter 2021 which forced the cancellation of the first event at Shoreham SC. Restrictions were eased in May which meant that the event at Downs SC became the Open Meeting of the series. Conditions were extremely mixed with the wind dropping to nothing during the first race on Saturday afternoon, swiftly followed by torrential rain. With all of the competitors drifting backwards on the tide towards Dover the Race Officer had no choice but to abandon and arrange for the fleet to be towed home. Sunday morning dawned with a Southerly F5 and a rising forecast. It was just possible to get 2 quick races in before the conditions became too extreme. Local sailor Chris Shelton took the honours, followed by Nick Mason from Island Barn SC in second place and Clive Morley from Minnis Bay SC in third.

June saw the fleet travel further east for the first ever Phantom event at the picturesque Broadstairs SC. A F2 Northerly on Saturday produced very close racing between the 9 strong fleet. Sunday morning dawned without a breath, but after a short postponement the breeze started to build and the fleet ventured afloat. Again the racing was very close with places changing throughout the fleet as the wind gradually built during the day. At the end it was John Wayling from Northampton SC in first place, followed by Chris Shelton (Downs SC) second and Tim Denby (Broadstairs SC) third.

Following a summer break, the fleet re-convened at Lee-on-the-Solent SC at the beginning of September. Held jointly with the club’s annual Regatta, it was another light wind weekend for the Phantom sailors. Nick Orman had the best day on Saturday afternoon with 2 firsts and a second, and all of the sailors enjoyed a Regatta dinner in the club’s brand new clubhouse overlooking the Solent. With similar conditions on the Sunday, this time it was Chris Shelton with the best speed closely follow by Leigh Riddell. Further down the fleet the racing was again close with a number of different helms achieving top 3 finishes. At the prizegiving (again in the new clubhouse) it was Chris Shelton in first place, Nigel King (Lymington Town SC) in second and Martin Watts (Netley SC) third.

The fifth event of the series was to have been at Felpham SC at the beginning of October. However with gale force winds and heavy rain forecast for the weekend the decision was rightly made to cancel the event in advance to avoid people from travelling needlessly.

The final event of the series was held at Broadwater SC later in October. The only inland venue of the series attracted the best entry of 17 boats, with sailors traveling from Kent, Suffolk and Hampshire to join the strong local fleet. Once again the sailors arrived to no wind and a short postponement. However the wind slowly built and the Race Officer managed to get in 4 races during the day. Being inland, the racing was even closer than at the coastal venues with plenty of place changes during all of the races. However local knowledge obviously paid off with Leigh Riddell (Broadwater SC) taking first overall with an impressive 3 wins out of 4 races. In second place was Bob Portway from Royal Harwich YC with Nigel King from Lymington Town SC third.

Overall the series attracted 30 different sailors, some of whom travelled considerable distances to compete. A big thank you to all of the clubs who hosted the events and also to Optimum Time who donated watches as prizes for the overall results. Consistency of attendance certainly paid off with the sailors who attended most events being at the top of the overall series results. Overall it was Chris Shelton (Downs SC) first, Dave Patrick (Broadwater SC) second and Paddy Denby (Broadstairs SC) third.

 

Phantom South East Area Series 2021       Event        
      Shoreham Downs Broadstairs Lee-on-Solent Felpham Broadwater Total Discards Points Position
 Helm Sail No. Club 1 2 3 4 5 6        
                         
Chris Shelton 1473/1491 Downs SC   1 2 1   6 10 6 4 1
Dave Patrick 1318 Broadwater SC N 7 4 5 N 9 25 9 16 2
Paddy Denby 1245 Broadstairs SC O 5 6 31 O 7 49 31 18 3
Tim Denby 1430 Broadstairs SC T 9 3 31 T 8 51 31 20 4
Gordon Kingston-Minnis 1465 Lee on Solent SC   31 8 9   17 65 31 34 5
Nigel King 1391 Lymington Towns SC S 31 31 2 S 3 67 31 36 6
John "Titch" Wayling 1385 Northampton SC A 6 1 31 A 31 69 31 38 7
Leigh Riddell 1392 Broadwater SC I 31 31 7 I 1 70 31 39 8
Tony Cook 1364 Downs SC L 8 5 31 L 31 75 31 44 9
Stewart Jarvis 1441 Broadstairs SC E 10 7 31 E 31 79 31 48 10
Thomas Field 1193 Broadstairs SC D 11 9 31 D 31 82 31 51 11
Bob Portway 1334 Royal Harwich YC   31 31 31   2 95 31 64 12
Nick Mason 1386 Island Barn SC   2 31 31   31 95 31 64 13
Martin Watts 1481 Netley SC   31 31 3   31 96 31 65 14
Clive Morley 1420 Minnis Bay SC   3 31 31   31 96 31 65 15
Jeremy Deacon 1377 Broadwater SC   31 31 31   4 97 31 66 16
Ed Child 1340 Lee on Solent SC   31 31 4   31 97 31 66 17
Mike Webster 1440 Northampton SC   4 31 31   31 97 31 66 18
T. Platt 1130 Broadwater SC   31 31 31   5 98 31 67 19
Ian Stone 1280 Maidenhead SC   31 31 6   31 99 31 68 20
Chris Yelland 1275 Hayling Island SC   31 31 8   31 101 31 70 21
Graham Dale-Jones 1461 Creeksea SC   31 31 31   10 103 31 72 22
Henry Ayres 1466 Lymington   31 31 10   31 103 31 72 23
Steve Popple 1460 Sussex YC   31 31 31   11 104 31 73 24
Mark Robinson 1333     31 31 11   31 104 31 73 25
S. Swinchatt 1318 Broadwater SC   31 31 31   12 105 31 74 26
B. Deacon 1243 Broadwater SC   31 31 31   13 106 31 75 27
Mark Spruce 1342 Lee on Solent SC   31 31 31   14 107 31 76 28
Yossi Galico 1224 Stewartby Water SC   31 31 31   15 108 31 77 29
B. Yates 1389     31 31 31   16 109 31 78 30
                         
Entries =     30           Races Sailed =  4   Races Counted =  3