13 August Gillette Series 17
Another reasonable SW wind about 10-12 mph but it did go up and down a bit during the race and managed to catch a few people out. Dave I helped by Paul R had set a reasonably weed free course using No 2 buoy in its new position and adding X.
At the end of the first lap it was that man IC (Supernova) in 1st position again closely followed by on-form Curtis (Laser) and these two stayed in front for the whole of the race. In fact they were the only two boats which did not change position ! Throughout the rest of the fleet there were some really close battles with places changing all the time. Behind Curtis there was a really tight group headed by Julian (Solo) then Nev & Mike (Leader), Newton and Karen in Lasers and Steve S in another Solo. Chris A (Solo) was originally with this group but got over excited and rammed Steve up the rear going round No 3, then doing his penalty turns he collided with a Laser and had to do another set of turns, after that he did not know whether he was coming or going! Slightly further back Dave L and Dave P were battling it out in Lasers chased by Paul H in his Supernova. Hugh & Hadey came next in a Sport 14 and had a little gap over the next group, in which Mike A (Lightning), Paula (Radial),Sally & Stuart (Leader), Sylvia (Radial) and Chris A (Giddy) were really close together and traded places throughout the race. Peter S (Byte) was on his own, but behind him there was another great battle between the three Laser IIs of Alistair & Grace, Paul & Jane B and Dean & Nick J mixing it with Chris & Carol in their Sport 14 and Holly in her Topper.
By the end of the second lap Karen had moved up to 3rd place and Dave L to 4th place, positions which they retained to the end of the race. Behind them it was tight all the way through the fleet.
By lap three Holly and Dean & Nick had disappeared. Holly may have been finished early, but not sure why Dean & Nick stopped. They may have come to grief, had gear failure or simply could not stand the excitement of sailing in a Laser II fleet! Julian took a dip near No 5 and then had a difference of opinion with Nev & Mike about water (come on boys there’s plenty to go round), anyway he decided to call it a night (amongst other things). Paul H had got to the front of the midfield battle but then ditched it just before No 7 letting Paula and Sylvia through, who were having their own battle and had zoomed past the boats ahead of them on a freshening wind.
At the end of the fourth and last lap Newton had held on to the 5th place he established on the third lap with Steve S in 6th and Dave P in 7th. Paul H came back to take the lead in the midfield battle but only just and it was very close between all the other finishers with Peter S having closed the gap to join in. Paula just pipped Sylvia in the battle of the Radials and Hugh & Hadey were still rattling away at the finish and beyond it !
Alistair & Grace took the honours in the Laser II/Sport 14 tussle just ahead of Chris & Carol with Paul & Jane bringing up the rear.
The final positions were 1st Ian C, 2nd Curtis, 3rd Karen, although it is likely that Steve S was close enough to pinch that 3rd spot on handicap