Harper heads the Evening fleet

Dell Quay

The fifth race in the Dell Quay SC Evening series took place in challenging winds from the north east, attracting only seven entries, many of whom were forced to retire as conditions proved just too much.

The large mass of weed in the vicinity of the Hook racing mark meant race officer Steven Holcroft decided to put in an extra inflatable mark to draw boats away from this area.

This race proved a busy one for the safety boat crew who had to perform a few rescues.

The first casualty was John Purdy (Solo), who had to deal with his boom separating from the goose neck. The safety boat got him back into the race but he decided to retire.

Second casualty was Max Manning (Laser Radial), who discovered he had a faulty outhaul. He also retired.

The next casualty was Nikki Buchanan (Solo), who capsized in a strong gust and was unable to right her boat. The safety boat crew assisted her recovery.

The remaining three boats completed the race with Sue Manning first in her Laser 4.7, Mark Harper (Solo) second and James Pound (Laser) third.

Harper leads the series, with Steven Holcroft (Solo) second and Carol Andrews (Solo) third.