Author: jollysailor

Sunday afternoon 11th June saw the first Junior Regatta of the year, it was sailed in very warm conditions but at least there was a gentle breeze! With a few missing due to injury, illness and overrunning cricket matches, 10 children took to the water in two fleets – Oppies and Toppers. 

Toppers started each race first and sailed several laps of a triangular course, with the Oppies starting two minutes later and sailing a slightly shorter triangular course with a shorter beat and a few less laps.

Fleur sailed extremely well to win all four Topper races! 

The Oppie fleet was a little more mixed. Race 1 saw all the Oppies quite close together initially before Milo took the lead and kept it to the end, Alex was ahead of Molly at the end of the first lap but she managed to overtake him before the end of the race, they were closely followed by Harry. 

Race 2 saw Milo racing ahead and opening a big lead, Molly was in 2nd place at the end of the first two laps but Oliver was slowly creeping up the fleet 4th at the end of the first lap, 3rd and the end of the second and 2nd by the end of the race with Molly finishing 3rd, closely followed by Alex. These four had sailed so well they lapped the rest of the fleet!

Race 3 saw Milo starting at a different end of the line to everyone else and just sailing away from the whole fleet! Everyone else was consistent with Oliver maintaining 2nd place throughout the race and likewise Alex in 3rd. Molly was usurped by younger brother Fergus, who despite only starting to sail this year took 4th place leaving her to take 5th.

Concentration was beginning to go, all the children were now very warm, and the course was changed slightly due to the wind shifting so Race 4 saw a few more position changes. This time Molly was the one to sail away from the rest of the fleet, keeping her 1st place to the end of the race. Fraser finished the 1st lap in 2nd place followed by Alex, but on the final lap Alex followed by Milo both managed to get past Fraser.

Karen presented the Junior Topper trophy to Fleur, with Rohan in 2nd place. The Junior Optimist Trophy was presented to Milo, with Molly in 2nd place and Alex in 3rd.

Huge thanks to Jess and Richard in the Committee boat running the races, and to Karen and Paul who were coaching where it was needed.

The Whitsun Pennant took place on bank holiday Monday 29^th May with some challenging conditions for the competing boats.  After three short races Darren was clearly the winner with three boats, Ralph, Mike T and Chris K, tying for second place. The RYA rules were applied providing the following                                                                                       finishing positions. 

1^st Darren (Radial)

2^nd Mike T (Laser)

3^rd Chris K (Radial)

The Spring Series came to a close on 21^st May after 12 closely contested races.  The results were as follows:-

SPRING PURSUIT –           1^st Chris H (Comet)

                                                2^nd Newton & Sam (RS 200)

                                                3^rd Karen (Comet)

SPRING HANDICAP          1st Chris H (Comet)

                                                2^nd Newton & Sam (RS 200)

                                                3^rd Aileen (Comet)

18 different classes of boat took part in this series with 8 Lasers, 4 Radials, 4 Comets, 2 RS200s, 2 Mirrors, 2 Toppers a Leader, Rooster, Aero7, Blaze, RS300, Morbic, 470, British Moth, Miracle, Solo, 4.7, and an Avon Scow.

Wednesday Evening Racing Commodore’s Cup

The 8 race series of the Commodores Cup came to an end on Wednesday 7^th June. 

Congratulations go to

1^st Emily (Laser Radial)

2^nd Newton & Sam (RS 200)

3^rd Chris H (Comet)

Sunday 5^th March saw the start of the Spring Series with the usual format of a pursuit race followed by a handicap race.

After two races, Steve Sharp-Blaze and Newton & Sam-RS200 are level on points in the Pursuit series  with  Chris H-Comet in third place.

In the Handicap series Steve was first across the finishing line in both races, but on corrected time the leader is Chris H with Newton & Sam in second place and Steve in third place.

It was good to see Paul Waterman back on the water in his Morbic after his recent health problems.

This series finished at the end of February with just five races sailed due to the vagaries of the weather and there were 24 competitors over the series.

The Pursuit series was won by Chris Kilshaw-Radial with Chris Hilson-Comet in second place and Darren Ballard-Laser in third.

The Handicap series was won by Newton Anthony & Sam Shears-RS200 with Chris Kilshaw in second and Chris Hilson third.

Aileen Moore was the only person to sail all five races, so well done to her.

Frostbite Series

There have now been four races with a steady increase in numbers. Last Sunday 19^th February there were 17 competitors.

The Pursuit race was won by Steve Sharp in his Blaze with Richard Stanley- Laser in second place and James Primrose Laser in third. Overall, Chris Hilson-Comet is leading the series with Chris Kilshaw Radial in second place and Darren Ballard Laser in third place.

The Handicap race was won by Richard Stanley with Newton Anthony & Sam Shears in the RS200 coming in second and Mark in an Aero 7 in third place. This series is led by Newton & Sam with Chris and Darren lying second and third.

Unfortunately, racing is cancelled again this Sunday as the lake is frozen solid, apart from a small area by the buoy line around 5.

SOOD Karen attempted to break the ice near the slipway on Friday and could not even make a crack, so there is absolutely no chance of it melting by Sunday morning. 

Sorry about this but Happy Christmas everyone. 

The forecast was for a SSW wind of 11 mph, but this was only occasionally correct and by the end of the race there was very little wind! Karen prudently set a nice figure of eight short course using B (on the way to 5), A (on the way to 8), 6, 7 and back through the start line.

There were 15 starters and at the end of the first lap Rhys/Laser was leading from Mark/Laser and Newton & Sam/RS200. About two minutes later Ron/Miracle and Steve/Solo came into view and they were a minute ahead of Emily/Radial and Mike A/Lightning. Next along in 8^th place was Jamie H/Laser followed by Alessandro & Matt/470. Nearly two minutes later Will P/Radial crossed the line and he was two minutes ahead of Hattie/Laser, Then another two minutes later Jess & Milo in a Feva came through and they were followed by Phoebe/Topper, Jorge & Theo/Marlin and Andrew & Molly/Mirror.

The positions on the water became quite confusing as the light faded as some only completed one lap, some two laps and others three laps.

It was evident that Newton & Sam had taken the lead by the end of the second lap with Rhys and Mark in 2^nd and 3^rd places. Ron was still in 4^th place, but Emily was up to 5^th ahead of Steve and Mike A.  Jamie H retired from 8^th place through lack of wind and Will P passed Alessandro & Matt.  Hattie, Jess & Milo, Phoebe and Jorge & Theo and Andrew & Molly received the hooter at the end of their second laps, but some of the leaders had actually finished their third laps by this time.

On the third lap Mark had passed Newton & Sam and finished about a minute ahead of them. It was getting quite difficult to see some of the marks in the gloom and Karen and Aileen must have been on the carrots to see the boats crossing the line. Alessandro & Matt retired somewhere on this last lap, but it was easier to spot them because of their magnificent display of lights.

The finishing order on the water was –

1^st Mark; 2^nd Newton & Sam; 3^rd Rhys; 4^th Ron; 5^th Mike A; 6^th Emily; 7^th Steve; 8^th Will P

On corrected time Ron moved up to 2^nd place, but the order of everyone else remains the same.

Alessandro & Matt and Jorge & Theo were stand outs in the contest for the best lit boat (well done lads). A close decision which just went to Alessandro & Matt.

Thanks to SOOD Karen and the race team of Aileen Moore, Leo Coppens, Nigel Lacey and Stuart Cook.

After the race had finished there was a torrential downpour, but fortunately everyone apart from Alessandro & Matt had managed to pack their gear away!

With a SSE wind about 11 mph Ron used a clubhouse bank start with a course of 2, 9, 3, 4, A (between 6 and 7) then 6 and through the start line.

Pursuit Race

There were 16 starters this morning and with the light wind and longish course it was more or less a one lap race before the 35 minutes elapsed. Jamie MF/Laser retired as his outhaul came loose and Chris K/Radial also retired (reason unknown), although there were a number of capsizes.

The final order was – 1^st Newton/Solo; 2^nd Chris H/Comet; 3^rd Mike T/Comet; 4^th Darren/Laser; 5^th Mark/Laser; 6^th Richard/4.7.

Handicap Race

Ron shortened the course to 2, 9, 5, 6, S.

There was some excitement just before the start when the fleet became very agitated, waving of arms and slapping of hulls. It turned out that a Blaze which was not racing had capsized near 4 and the mast had gone under the buoy line making it impossible for the helm to right the boat. The start sequence was already underway, but the SBs managed to extricate the Blaze before the fleet reached the capsize site!

First back across the line was Newton/Solo just ahead of Darren/Laser, James/Laser, Chris H/Comet, Jamie H/Laser, Mike T/Comet, Mark/Laser and Adrian/Rooster with all of these within one minute of each other. The just 30 seconds later Rick/Laser crossed in 9^th place just ahead of Jamie MF/Laser and Richard/4.7. Then it was over six minutes before the Sadler family flotilla came through with Becky/Pico leading Will and Frances in their Toppers. Frances received the finish hooter and Theo/Solo and Alessandro & Matt/470 retired on this lap.

On the second lap Darren took the lead with Newton in 2^nd place and Mark was up four places to 3^rd. Adrian was up two places to 6^th, Richard had passed Jamie MF and Will was just ahead of Becky and these three received the gun at the end of the lap.

At the end of the last lap Darren crossed the line in 1^st place with Mark passing Newton to take 2^nd place. James retained 4^th place, but Adrian gained another place to cross in 5^th with Chris H gaining two places to finish in 6^th place pushing Jamie H down to 7^th.   Mike T was steady in 8^th place with Rick and Richard finishing in 9^th and 10^th places.

After finishing Richard gave a very nice demonstration of a dry capsize (didn’t know he could still get his leg over so quickly!)

On corrected time the order becomes – 1^st Darren/Laser; 2^nd Chris H/Comet; 3^rd Newton/Solo; 4^th Mark/Laser; 5^th Mike T/Comet; 6^th James/Laser

Thanks to SOOD Ron Vass and the race team of Aileen Moore (still sitting out whilst her bottom is being reshaped), Ken Pope, Mike Arnott and Nigel Jenkins.