21st May Spring series Races
The wind was S veering SSW and about 8-10 mph and Mike A set the first mark as X about halfway between 4 and 5, but further into the middle of the lake) then 2, 4, 9, 5, 8, 6, 7 and back through the start (he could not find the numbers 1and 3 in the box!)
Pursuit
There were 19 starters and the race lasted only about a lap and half due to Mike’s giant slalom course.
In the lead at the end of the only completed lap were Newton & Ellen (RS200) followed by Sylvia (Laser), Dave & Ann (Leader), Hugh (Laser – already back from Uni for the Summer) then his old man Curtis (Radial) and Ralph (Laser). At the finish gun Newton & Ellen still led with Sylvia 2nd, but Richard S (Laser) had moved up to 3rd with Hugh still 4th. Karen (Laser) was now 5th with Dave & Ann down to 6th. The other movers up the order were James (Laser) up to 8th and Gareth (Laser) up to 11th. Chris A (Solo) retired as his boat was making water after a collision with another boat, let’s hope the damage is not too bad. Julian B and family out in a Mirror were going well and still led approaching the end of the first lap, but then went straight on at 5 instead of coming down to 8. They realised the mistake and turned but then found themselves coming into 8 on port with a stream of boats coming down on starboard with no way through them, so they also decided to retire and enjoy a leisurely sail.
Final Placings were –
1st Newton & Ellen; 2nd Sylvia; 3rd Richard S; 4th Hugh; 5th Karen; 6th Dave & Ann
Handicap
There were 16 starters for the second race, with the loss of the Mirror, Radial and Solo, and Karen got a cracking start, but the boats crossing the line last were unfortunate as the wind died right away and they could only wallow on the line watching the rest of the fleet stream down the lake.
Karen led by a long way at the end of the first lap with Sylvia coming through in 2nd place a minute and a half behind her. Richard S was 3rd just ahead of Peter R who was going well single handed in his Enterprise. The next bunch of boats were very close to one another and led by Ralph (Laser) followed by Hugh, then Ellen & Newton (who had done well to make up ground after being one of the late becalmed starters). Virtually crossing the line at the same time were James, Dave & Ann, Gareth, Dean & Nick (Vago), Alistair S (Laser) and Adrian (single handed Vago). Bringing up the rear were Chris H (Comet), Hadey (4.7 – not usually this far back) and Rick (Laser – having trouble with his tiller). Chris H retired at the end of this lap.
By the end of the second lap Richard S had moved up to 2nd and Ellen & Newton were up to 3rd.
James had moved up two places to 5th and Dave & Ann had gained two places to move up to 7th and Rick and Hadey both gained a place. Everyone else either maintained station or lost ground (or should that be lost water, although in my experience most boats gain water during the course of the race especially old wooden ones!
At the end of the third and last lap the leading four boats crossed the line in the same order with Karen still well ahead. Peter R had regained two places to move up to 5th and Ralph made up three places to move to 6th. Further down the fleet Alistair S, Hadey and Adrian all gained a place.
The final places on the water were –
1st Karen; 2nd Richard S; 3rd Ellen & Newton; 4th Sylvia; 5th Peter R; 6th Ralph
On handicap the first three should retain their positions, but Peter should move up to 4th with Dave & Ann up to 5th and Hadey up to 6th.
Considering their good performance it was a little ungallant of Dave to dump Ann in the water when they came into the jetty !
Thanks to Mike A and the OOD Team of David F, John H and Brian M.