1st March Frostbite 15
There was a strong West wind about 20-25 mph with even stronger gusts, so not surprisingly there were only 11 starters this morning. Dave L and team set a beat down to 4 then across to 2, back up to 3 then a run down to a gybe at 5 a fast run/reach down to another gybe at 8 up to yet another gybe at 6 down to 7 and back through the start line.
Young William actually rigged his Topper but when it blew over before even getting on the water he wisely decided not to go out. Mike A (Laser) started the fun off by capsizing just before the start gun and in his haste to get up and get started pulled it over for a double capsize. He then drifted into the bushes and by the time he got free and crossed the start line the leaders were rounding No 3 at the other end of the lake !
On the first lap there were numerous capsizes and Mark C (RS 200) called it a day after three dips.
James P (Laser) capsized after gybing round 6, shot out of the boat and disappeared beneath the surface. Newton & Ellen who rounded just behind him were suddenly alarmed when James reappeared immediately in front of them and they had to take emergency avoiding action!
Jon C (Laser) came back through the start in 1st position with David C (Laser) 2nd and Newton & Ellen (Laser 2000) 3rd. Adrian (Laser) was next through, followed by Paul (Aero), who had also been swimming. Then Hadey in her 4.7 came through in 6th place, some four minutes ahead of Mike who was just ahead of Steve P (Laser).
On the second lap David C double capsized and in the process his main sheet came out of the blocks and by the time he had sorted his rigging out Jon had lapped him!
So at the end of the second lap Adrian had moved up to 2nd position behind Jon with Newton & Ellen still 3rd and Paul 4th. Hadey had moved up one place to 5th with a re-rigged David 6th and Mike and Steve still 7th and 8th.
The three leaders retained their positions to the end of the race and in fact were the only boats to complete four laps. The rest of the fleet were finished after completing three laps.
At the end of the third and last lap for some, the only change in position was that David had managed to catch and pass Hadey.
Mike A having had an eventful start to the race decided to finish in the same fashion. After gybing round 5 he death-rolled and lost his rudder, got going again and gybed round 8 whereupon he was T-boned by Newton & Ellen and rolled over losing his rudder again! It turns out the black tube protruding from the front of the Laser 2000 is not spinnaker pole but actually a battering ram !
The final positions on the water were 1st Jon; 2nd Adrian; 3rd Newton & Ellen; 4th Paul. On handicap Newton & Ellen will take 2nd pushing Adrian down to 3rd, but Hadey who sailed a good race will take 4th place from Paul.
However Paul was a clear leader in the capsize league with about 9, Steve was credited with 5, Mike 4 including a double, Hadey 4, Mark 3, David a double with complications, James 2 plus a dive.
Newton & Ellen did not actually capsize but had two boatfuls and a ramming !
Adrian was an unknown quantity and Jon was the only one who definitely did not to capsize. Jon claimed that he had not capsized because when it got gusty he hung about near the buoy line and then pressed on when the gust had passed. As he finished some 6 minutes ahead of the next boat he obviously did not do enough loitering on the buoy line !