Phantom Eastern Series Finale at Hickling Broad Sailing Club

End-of-season Phantom bash at Hickling Broad © Paul Jarvis / JJ-Boats

End-of-season Phantom bash at Hickling Broad © Paul Jarvis / JJ-Boats

End-of-season Phantom bash at Hickling Broad © Paul Jarvis / JJ-Boats

The annual end-of-season Phantom bash took place over the 13th/14th October weekend. Seventeen boats competed over six races, with prizes supported by JJ-Boats (established builder of high quality Phantoms, and recently newly appointed Javelin Class Builder). Spouses and friendships, which are 'hallmarks' of this Class, made for a happy social atmosphere in the Waterside hostelry on both Friday and Saturday evenings.

Typical of Broads sailing, wind-shifts were aplenty, and some large variations in strength also. Race 1 on Saturday forenoon was led away by Jez Taylor (1259), making a very welcome return to the fleet. The first light-wind run saw Ben Falat (1359) dive low, stay clear of a calm patch behind a willow coppice and then proceed to pull out a huge lead, while in the main pack there was much inter-boat banter with calls of "What wind?"; Tyler Harmsworth (1340) lit up a cigarette to help not just calm the nerves, but also identify any zephyrs. Falat's lead turned out to be too big, as later when he became becalmed the pack rushed up on a reach and home Club James Jarvey (1403) overtook, with Matthew House (1355) snapping at any error by these front two.

Races 2 and 3 ran back-to-back in the afternoon, and were set as triangle-sausage within the wider body of the Broad. Sailing quite bizarrely, on the first reach Falat lying 4th and seeing the pack bearing down from behind with new wind, gybed off to port for a hundred metres, came back and having sailed a hugely longer distance took the lead; thus the nature of this race, Falat and Jarvey exchanged the lead, and when conditions became very one-sided it wisely needed shortening by the Race Officer; early leader Harmsworth was ready to pounce, and on a closing tight fetch to the last buoy, with Jarvey in full control of Falat, Harmsworth took this final opportunity to sail lower and faster to just take 2nd place. Again House in 4th was stating his overall intentions, accompanied by Chris Roberts (1395) and Taylor.

The last race of the day (3) saw a slight increase in breeze and Class secretary 'Titch' Wayling shot off the port end of the line to eventually clear the fleet with a huge lead. Falat and Roberts set off in fruitless pursuit overtaking an early show by Doug Conway (1288); at the last off-wind mark, with Titch already finished, Falat was pressurised into such a poor rounding that Roberts, Jarvey and House came through as well.

Overnight it was apparent that Jarvey had established an overall lead that would be hard to beat. A gang of five second-rung would probably be fighting for crumbs.

Sunday forenoon promised better wind-strength, but big shifts were still there. This turned out to be Harmsworth's day with 3 bullets, while others behind him criss-crossed into each other's way.

Race 4 again saw Titch build on his Saturday win, with a second, and Jarvey consolidate his overall position with a third. Falat was again consistent in fourth, but his Race-5 became a comedy-of-dodgems, with him submitting to a 2-turn penalty, last-place until a favourable run and 6th finish that was not actually going to help his cause.

Meanwhile there were some changes near the front of race 5; Daren Pike (1299) put his Broads sailing experience to best effect, driving apparently effortlessly to a well-deserved second, and Roberts weazeling his way towards the front end.

By race 6 the wind had built to a gusty force 4. Harmsworth was in his element, but after a nondescript start Falat came charging through to nibble-away at the leader, comfortably ahead of House and Jarvey who though struggling a little in the stronger conditions, had a 5-place cushion overall for taking the meeting. Just as Harmsworth felt the need to effect covering tacks, 1359's kicker parted and Falat was forced to sail the rest of the race with a seriously de-tensioned mainsail; he held-on during the next downwind hoping for a shortened course, but by the end of the next beat House had passed, then yet another lap, Jarvey passed as well and the overall placings were settled.

Huge thanks to Hickling Broad Sailing Club for a warm welcome, slick organisation given difficult conditions, and a delicious galley!

The prizegiving concluded with confirmation of the Eastern Region Travellers Trophy winner in James Jarvey, and raffle of a JJ-Boats rudder. Raffle winner, for second year in succession Falat; therefore the last-year raffle-prize was re-drawn and taken by the fleet host at Hickling, Simon Fielden (1269).

Overall Results: