Sunday, March 13, 2011

COMET 11

Boat: COMET 11

Builder: Comar Yachts

Designer: Jean Marie Finot (Groupe Finot)

More: COMET 11 Specifications

News:

National 12 Championships at Royal Torbay Yacht Club Overall


Author: John Meadowcroft

Photos ©: Tom Hayhoe


Tom Stewart and Elisabeth Ross won their second National Twelve Championships in succession, beating class newcomer Stuart Hudson, crewed by Jane Stamp into second place in a hard fought regatta hosted by the Royal Torbay Yacht Club.

In the process Stewart and Ross also won their third consecutive Sir William Burton Cup race, the prestigious champagne race of the week. This was actually the fourth time that Stewart had won the Burton Cup, equalling the record of Will Henderson.

As has been the case over the last 3 years the results were dominated by the Michael Jackson designed ‘Final Chapter’, which took 2,4,5, & 10 overall and the Bim Daser designed ‘Feeling Foolish’ in 1,3,7,8,9, with only the veteran Robert Peebles ‘Baggy Trousers’ design splitting these in 6th place. Showing the wide variety of rigs in use, the first 4 boats also sported different mast sections from different manufacturers, with 3 different sailmakers in the top 10, but Pinnell & Bax dominating with 7 seven suits including the top four overall. An example of how the class has successfully embraced new technology was the presence of 17 carbon rigs in the top 20.
There were fresh winds throughout the week until the final race, which provided the entry of 52 with some fantastic racing, on courses expertly set by the Royal Torbay race team.

The first points race for the Marlow Ropes Salver was held in a fresh Force 4, gusting 5. A left shift towards the top of the first beat saw Hudson and Stamp, in a Final Chapter, lead at Mark 1, closely followed by Paul Pelling and Ian Simkins and then Jon and Charlotte Ibbotson. Hudson and Stamp held on despite being closely challenged by different boats through the duration of the race, notably Stewart and Ross who were only thwarted by a broken mast. Steve Sallis and Jenny James nearly took the leaders on the final lap but it was Hudson and Stamp who got the winners gun.
The first of the two races scheduled for Monday was the Centenary Trophy. There was a full on breeze blowing from Paignton. Stuart Hudson and Jane Stamp made best use of the shifts and rounded the windward mark first, closely followed by Will and Mandy Henderson and then the Ibbotsons. By the gybe mark, Hudson & Stamp led with the Woods second and Stewart and Ross in third. On the second lap the leading three boats broke clear of the pack with the Woods gaining the upper hand at the end of the beat, with Stewart & Ross edging out Hudson & Stamp at the windward mark. They finished in that order with Stewart & Ross pushing the Woods to the line.

Bruce and Claire Johnson, pathfinders for race 3, set off into a 15 degree header, favouring the early starters. First out of the gate were the Ibbotsons, who proceeded to lead the fleet for most of the race. Also taking the early shift were the Hendersons, and Nigel and Hannah Playford, and this group had built up a comfortable lead over the rest of the fleet by the windward mark.
Down the reaches and up the early part of the second beat a leading pack consisting of the Ibbotsons, comfortably ahead, followed by Hudson and Stamp, the Woods and Stewart and Ross established itself. The Ibbotsons maintained their lead down the run and up the next beat with the chasing pack constantly changing places. This pack, concentrating on boat to boat tactics rather than the fleet, allowed the Johnsons back into the hunt on the second set of reaches.


The Ibbotsons rounded the final leeward mark reasonably ahead of Hudson and Stamp, closely followed by the Woods, Stewart and Ross then the Johnsons. The wind proceeded to die and go rather shifty. Hudson and Stamp edged to the left and took the shift to win the Port of Plymouth Cup from the Ibbotsons, then the Woods, Stewart and Ross and the Johnsons.

Tuesday’s predicted Force 5-6 once again failed to materialise leaving the fleet enjoying fresh to fun conditions in the marathon four-round, 1.5mile leg, traditional Burton Cup course for the Sir William Burton Cup.

Early leaders the Hendersons were quickly overhauled by the Johnsons who by the first leeward mark held a significant advantage over Stewart and Ross. The Johnsons gambled on a shift on the left hand side of the second beat and lost out to Stewart and Ross who took the lead and held it to the finish.

The Johnsons were able to maintain second place despite a strong challenge from the ever-threatening Woods. Championship leaders Hudson and Stamp collected a fourth place with Pelling and Simkins in fifth, and 1996 winners Ian Gore and Lesley Iles sixth.

Wednesday morning was back to the two race day format. The first for the Paul Cooke Trophy was sailed in a moderate westerly shifty breeze, just enough to keep the fleet on its toes. The first race of the day was won by the super-fast Stewart and Ross, while the second race for the Borough of Weymouth Cup was won by championship leaders Hudson and Stamp. However, with the ever-threatening Robin and Ben Wood snapping at their heels, in the shifty second race, it wasn't all plain sailing. With two races to go, Hudson and Stamp still held a slender 1.25 lead over Stewart and Ross.

Thursday's race started in a solid force 4 - 5 with a 2 foot chop. The key players started early but Stewart & Ross gained from a mid line start and a 10 degree lift to round the windward mark first, with the Hendersons in close pursuit and the Woods third. Hudson & Stamp took third position when the Woods took a brief swim. Stewart & Ross went on to extend their lead and take the gun. Hudson and Stamp failed to get a gun, having been adjudged to have exited the gate prematurely.
Friday dawned unseasonally wet and windless. However the wind filled and the sky cleared for the start of the final day's racing. After a brief postponement the fleet started in a gentle force 2. Soon after the start a starboard shift favoured later starters, in particular Chris Mayhew & Helen Hilditch who rounded the first mark a clear 100m in the lead. They were followed by a close pack of Pelling & Simkins, the Ibbotsons and Fran Gifford & Richard Bailey. Following the previous days results Hudson and Stamp required to win the race with Stewart and Ross worse than third. At the first mark, both were buried in the back 2/3rds of the fleet.

Hudson slowly crawled up the fleet making good use of the little wind there was to finish 11th, 3 places ahead of Stewart but not enough to win the week. Mayhew & Hilditch comfortably held their huge lead for the third & final lap to take the gun from Pelling and Simkins and Gifford and Bailey.

Overall Results:



More Information:

  • YachtsandYachting.com National 12 Page
  • National 12 Class Association
  • Royal Torbay Yacht Club

See also: COMET 1050 for sale