27 July Summer Series Race 7
Richard S set a first leg to No 5 from a Tektona start line, which was the same as the first mark last Sunday, but with a different angled start line ! The wind was NNE 0- 8 mph and veering round, some laps it was a struggle to get round No 6 at one end of the lake and then a struggle to get round No 3 at t’other end of the lake. It was like sailing in a very very slow moving cyclone!
We had another interesting starting tactic this week when James motored down the start line on port tack shouting “starboard”. It seemed to work as no-one hit him and he got away well!
At the end of the first lap Newton & Roz (Laser 2000) came through in 1st, followed by Ian (Supernova), Peter (Enterprise), Karen and David C (Lasers), then Nev & Mike (Leader) and James P and John W (Lasers). There was then a bit of gap to Chris A (Solo) and Dave L and Mike A (Lasers), then there was another gap to Sally & Stuart (Leader) and Dave I (Laser).
Further back there was yet another group led by Mike C (Solo) closely followed by Eddie (Laser), Hadey (4.7) and Chris M (Laser). The fleet seemed to be dispersed into discrete groups apart from Paul D (Radial) and John C (Topaz) who were enjoying the scenery at the back of the fleet. To be fair Paul has only just taken up the game and John C has had enquiries from several nautical museums about his boat !
On the second lap the six leading boats were still together in pretty well the same order, but James P had slipped down to 13th, Dave L moved up to 7th and Dave I moved up two places to 11th.
By the third lap Ian had nudged in front of Peter pushing Newton & Roz down to 3rd. The rest of the fleet were holding station apart from Sally & Stuart, Eddie and John C who had enough of the vagaries of the wind (never go to sea on baked beans!) and expired.
The fourth and last lap saw an inspired Peter zip through to take 1st place followed by Ian in 2nd and Newton & Roz in 3rd place. A little way back, alarm and despondency struck the following group of Nev & Mike, Dave L, David C and Karen, as they drifted toward No 3 looking back to see Chris A and Mike A roaring down on them. Obviously Chris and Mike were hoping that they would go straight through the pack and be first round the mark, but alas as they hit the back of the group they too came to rest! In the ensuing raft around the mark Karen and Mike infringed and had to do penalty turns, which make you dizzy but don’t make you laugh (unlike comic turns). Nev & Mike came best out of this melee and finished 4th with Dave L 5th,David C 6th and Karen 7th, but alas for the Lasers, the Solos of Chris A and Mike C were close enough to snatch 5th and 6th places on handicap.
It is likely that on handicap Karen will be in 9th place, which is quite momentous as her previous lowest placing this year was 5th , it’s just a pity that we have discards !