N12's at Salcombe Yacht Club 1st-3rd May 1999
20 National Twelve's entered the Salcombe Open Meeting over the May Bank Holiday, sponsored by local estate agents Petit and Marchant. Whilst the local area basked in superb early Summer sun, a sea fog rolled in just on the start of the Saturday race and after a delay of 90 minutes racing was postponed until Sunday on safety grounds.
Sunday's first race saw the fleet beating to no Saltstone, followed by a loop in the main estuary on an ebb tide which lead to some very interesting short tacking against the tide off the Portlemouth beach. Tom Stewart made good use of the speed of his new Feeling Foolish design to win from Antony Gifford again in a Foolish with Jon Ibbotson showing well in his new Final Chapter design.
Race two was sailed straight after, using a short loop from Crossways to Millbay that was won by Ibbotson from Stewart with Chris Mayhew third in his Chapter.
For race 3,with the tide on flooding, the fleet was sent back on a beat to Saltstone and then to Wolf Rock in the mouth of the Estuary followed by a loop in the river. Gifford won this race from Ibbotson with Stewart in third.
Race 4, Monday morning again saw the predominantly light winds of the weekend continue, with a course up to Saltstone and then to Black Rock and a loop from Crossways to Millbay. New contenders showed in this race in the form of John Thornton (Final Chapter), who showed initially with local hero Keri Harris in a borrowed Feeling Foolish pushing him. However with the results of this race determining the overall result Gifford and Stewart went into overdrive. With Gifford leading at the final mark they spilt tacks onto either side of the Estuary, Stewart taking the more favourable Salcombe side did everything he could but Gifford got to the line first by about a boat length. Jon Brown sailing Stewart's 'old' boat finished third.
1st N3431 Zippy (Feeling Foolish) Antony Gifford and Jo Brown Aldeburgh SC
2nd N3446 Baxy's Toy (Feeling Foolish) Tom Stewart and Liz Ross Royal Harwich YC
3rd N3445 (Final Chapter) Jon and Charlotte Ibbotson Royal Harwich YC
4th N3426 Purple Pants (Feeling Foolish) John Brown and Jane Jones Royal Harwich YC
5th N3437 Worth its Weight (Final Chapter) Chris Mayhew and Helen Hilditch Royal Harwich YC
6th N3435 'fraid not! (Feeling Foolish) Keri Harris and Andrew Gibbons Salcombe YC