by Adam Hilton
Midweek Mug 2
Force 4 gusting 6 was the forecast and the forecasters had it right. Black gusts and white streaks came down the waters of the Lake from the Northwest. But the assembled sailors had had enough of going to the Lake only to go home again without sailing and so three Bosuns went out; there were the two regulars – the Dabbs/Spiller boat and the Heasman/Perret boat. The third consisted of Geoff Floyd and Robin Spiller crewing with Adam Hilton at the helm.
Home 2 was the first buoy; West White the next. Dabbs/Spiller passed the first buoy first. Heasman/Perrett came next but some way to leeward of the buoy; Roger tacked and set off towards the Cornwall bank, calling starboard to the up-coming Hilton/Floyd/Spiller boat as he and they neared the buoy. The three-up boat, like the leading Bosun, stayed on port tack and went about later to approach West White on starboard. The Heasman/Perrett passed under its stern, but on the next tack Roger Heasman had got his Bosun half a length ahead. Adam Hilton failed to take avoiding action and struck the other Bosun amidships. It capsized; both boats retired.
The Dabbs/Spiller boat continued and completed the three laps, if not perhaps serenely (it was observed granny-tacking to avoid the gybe at Pinkie) but certainly triumphantly.
- John Dabbs and Linda Spiller (Bosun)
Retired: Adam Hilton, Robin Spiller and Geoff Floyd (Bosun), Roger Heasman and Dave Perrett (Bosun)
Grateful thanks were given to Ian Chatterton who ran the race.