The Geek
Having recently returned from the Dragon Worlds in Germany, it was only a short recovery before the Town Cup. Dave Kemp and Ian Langston previously owned Tony and Mike's old ΒΌ tonner Harmony, and last year bought The Geek. I was asked if I wanted to join their team, and as my previous ride, Mr.Bojangles had been sold, Mike Hand-Bowman and I joined up.
The Geek is a one-off Stuart 30, and baby sister to Ding Dong and we had a highly successful first season, coming second in Sail East Class 1, Town Cup and Ramsgate Gold Cup overall.
So the morning of our second attempt at the Town Cup dawned. We motored up to the RCYC to get a full set of racing instructions, and then on to the starting area around the old Pile House. Having arrived with the other yachts, we courteously said our hellos to the Committee boat, and then motored off to a quiet corner to decide what we were going to do. Having received the course, and looked around at what we were up against, our plan was to start near the pin end on starboard and hopefully clear air, and then keep out of trouble as we short tacked our way out of the river. This decision was based on the fact that our ride is the smallest boat in the fleet, and also has a short rig, although we are very fast and accelerate well against the bigger boats.
As the time counted down, a big gap opened up right by the buoy, we pulled the trigger and our little lady jumped forward. We are off, accelerating in the light winds up to full speed and only being crossed by Pelorus helmed by Kim Allen who started in clear air at the other end of the line.
To our surprise, both boats found themselves in clear air, and by not making any attempt to cover each other, slowly pulled out a safe lead. We kept looking behind to see the big boats start to rumble up on us, but we were sailing into the sea breeze, and it meant they were struggling to gain. Pelorus made a small but significant gain on us as we exited the river, but we were hanging on, and we knew our ace would be the downwind legs.
After going around and around for several hours, the fleet finally set kites for the long run home. By then the tide had turned against us and we settled in for a long run in. Pelorus and ourselves could have been tied together for the whole race, as we were never separated by much, but we felt we gained slightly on the run up the river. At this time I was getting a bit nervous, as we had been caught by two or three bigger boats, and was worried about keeping our air clear. Pelorus was just that bit ahead still, so we jumped on the quarter wave of any big passing boats, and made the most of it.
Now what you have to remember is that handicap racing after 5-6 hours becomes very difficult to work out where you are. We knew we were thereabouts, but every time we timed ourselves on fixed points against Pelorus the outcome was different. To be honest, things were really only settled for the Town Cup in the last little bit between Rice and Coles and the RCYC. The wind favourably headed, which we had been praying for, and The Geek flies when she is reaching. We rolled up behind Pelorus and there was nothing they could do. We had won, but only by 5 seconds on corrected time. A few years ago Tony Allen told me when I won my first Squib Nationals that first is first, and second is nowhere, and the look on the guys on Pelorus was exactly that.
The racing was close, fair and exiting, and thanks to the competitors and organising staff for putting on this great event. See you next year!
Paul Manning
