16th August 2015 gallery images

Heading to the first mark at Dam Green, very, very slowly…..

Just the smallest of ripples on the almost mirror-smooth water

Wonderfully crisp close-up of Annie Quartermain helming Roger’s RS200

The top of the lake was covered with goose feathers drifting on the calm water (and sadly, everywhere also had lots of blue-green algae that had appeared in the space of a day….)

Start of the afternoon’s Gosling Shield, Ladies Cup and Junior Helm: if anything, even less wind

As idle as a painted ship, Upon a painted ocean

23rd August 2015 gallery images

Start of the midday Tamar Memorial Trophy race: Bob Sampson and Jane Anderson get away first, with Robin Spiller’s Streaker making a good start to leeward on the way to an impressive third place

The whole fleet of 16 boats in view as they head for Pinky on a close reach

A tightly-bunched fleet at the start of the afternoon’s Cup Race, this time making for the Home 2 buoy before starting the tactical beat to West Red

As the photo indicates, some pretty choppy water for helms to contend with at times: as so often with a (mainly) westerly wind, the breeze was really quite brisk across the middle of the lake between West and Inlet, whilst there were rather more placid conditions at both the top and bottom of the lake

Bob on the plane, heron on the wing – a stunning photo that captures a special moment: unlike albatrosses, herons clearly aren’t birds of ill omen for mariners, as Bob went on to complete a double of first places

Adam Hilton’s distinctive yellow-hulled Solo in the foreground, hotly pursued by a disparate group of dinghy classes – all competing via the (sometimes abstruse) alchemy of Portsmouth Yardstick handicap racing

James Pollard right on the heels of Jane Anderson as they harden up round Dam Green

A crisp close-up of Roger Heasman and Jane Chadney heading in opposite directions

26th August 2015 gallery images

Three boats start the race (just enough to make it quorate); the well-defined edge of the windy part of the lake can just be seen as a distant line of foam in the background, behind the Topper sail

Hardening up past Middle for a beat to West Red, with Adam Hilton’s Bosun (three up and on Otter sails) to windward of Nathan Pollard’s Topper during the second lap

The agility of youth: Nathan demonstrating just how quickly it’s possible to recover from a capsize

Nathan up on the plane on the run back from West Red to Home 1

30th August 2015 gallery images

A tight group of four, seconds after the horn for Race 8 in the Tamar Memorial Trophy series, in a wind that at the last minute had swung through over 90 degrees to give almost a running start

All clear ahead? Toby Tobias, peering under the boom, with Geoff Floyd as crew

Despite fears of a windless drift that dissuaded some potential sailors from venturing out, after a couple of short laps the wind had built to quite a substantial south-easterly; John Dabbs is looking comfortable heading downwind in the Gull, whilst Alan Comber in the Enterprise appears to be trying for an overtaking manoeuvre to windward of Robin Spiller’s Streaker

Nicky Buckett and Brian Pollard in club boat the ‘Rob Eason’, on their way to a rare win on handicap for a Bosun dinghy at Upper Tamar

Start of the afternoon Cup Race 5; Jane Anderson makes one of her trademark good starts in her Laser Radial, though almost out of sight behind her, Roger Heasman has got a flyer to windward in his Streaker

Although the telephoto compresses distances, this bunch is still pretty tightly packed as they beat away from the start in a wind that had swung round to a wobbly north-easterly

Definitely enjoying their racing; Toby Tobias in the Bosun again, this time with Cilla Gilbert taking over as crew for the afternoon race

James Pollard going overboard in his efforts to get the pink gennaker flying, as Rachel Pomeroy brings Roger’s RS200 ghosting down the lake

2nd September 2015 gallery images

Linda Spiller leads the fleet away on a far-side start, with eventual winner Jane Chadney in second place in her Laser 4.7

Roger Heasman’s Streaker just ahead of Robin Spiller

John Dabbs, with crew Cilla Gilbert, going well in the reefed Gull, before a broken centreboard unfortunately meant retirement and a slow return downwind to the pontoon under jib alone

The Tamar heron gets into the shot again, upstaging Nathan Pollard and Adam Hilton as they beat into a rather stronger than forecast northerly

24th June 2018 gallery images

A slow motion start towards Dam Red into what had been a roughly south-easterly breeze, which gradually died away. In the left of shot, Robin Spiller and Jane Anderson followed a promising zephyr that took them towards the Watersports Centre – and then died. Jane managed to regain the fleet, but Robin was left stranded. Near to Home 1, Linda Spiller headed towards the Devon Bank, a stategy that eventually paid off

As is so often on a light winds race day, the front of the fleet managed to keep going – and here can br seen in the distance, having rounded both Zebra and West White – and are well on their way towards Pinky – whilst in the foreground, the wind had completely died and left much of the fleet completely stranded

Plenty of time for a chat: alan Comber in the Enterprise exchanges a few words with Roger Heasman halming the bosun – whilst John Dabbs looks forward for any signs of movement on the water

Much more wind for the afternoon race, when a sea breeze made it a much less frustrating time for helms and crews: here, the fleet starts on the long beat to the first mark at Pinky

Two of our newer helms at the club: in the foreground Cilla takes the tiller in Brian’s bosun, whilst in the background, Sally Wills has got to windward in the ‘Rob Eason’

The fleet heading upwind on starboard tack, forcing helms to have to carefully judge their moment when needing to head back across the lake on port

Excellent close-up of Jane Anderson and Nathan Pollard side-by-side in their Lasers

To the surprise of many (including the OOD), the sea breeze got suffieintly powerful (particularly across the middle of the lake) that boats were planing or, ashere, Robin Spiller is having to hike out as he beats upwind in his Streaker

13th June 2018 Midweek Mug 2 race report

Midweek Mug 2

The sailing clubâ€™s day began with a morning working party replacing the fendering on the pontoon. After a substantial amount of talk, some drilling and a pause for lunch, a new sleek section of black fender could be seen attached to the pontoon. More soon.

By 3.45pm the day had become cooler, greyer and windier. Robin Spiller, sitting in as OOD for Linda, set an excellent course which revelled in the lack of fisherfolk; Inlet Red! Far Cornwall! The wind was coming from points around the North East and so a familiar and comfortable start from this side of line 1 was possible and the straight passage to Inlet was less then close hauled. Annie Quartermain, in her first race of the season, slipped her Laser Radial over the line first, followed by the Commodoreâ€™s Solo, the Vice-Commodoreâ€™s Radial, the Treasurerâ€™s Solo, John Dabbsâ€™ Gull and the Wills/Heasman Bosun. By Inlet Linda Spiller had got away and was never headed. Adam Hilton was past but close to Annie Quartermain. All found the wind at Inlet Red hard to cope with on each lap. It blew harder as the buoy was rounded and then swerved as the helms tried to fill their sails for the beat to West White. Annieâ€™s boat was flipped over and Geof Floyd appeared to have a moment of sailing backwards before also capsizing. The wind continued to strengthen with its usual gusting, backing and vacuums. Boats capable of planing planed. Linda gradually increased her lead, achieving a couple of minutes at the end. The handicap reduced this to a handful of seconds but a victory nonetheless.

Results:

1.Â Â Â Â Â Â Linda Spiller (Laser Radial)

2.Â Â Â Â Â Â Adam Hilton (Solo)

3.Â Â Â Â Â Â Sally Wills and Roger Heasman (Bosun)

4.Â Â Â Â Â Â John Dabbs(Gull)

Retired: Geof Floyd (Solo), Annie Quartermain (Laser Radial)

Many thanks to Robin Spiller who ran the race single-handed.

6th June 2018 Midweek Mug race report

Midweek Mug 1

A glorious sunny day, a light but really quite steady breeze, six boats; what more could UTLSC ask of the first day of the seasonâ€™s Wednesday racing? Well, the OOD (John Dabbs) might have wanted the breeze to have stayed in the east, on the basis of which he had designed the course, rather than moving well to the north, which made for a reaching start rather than the intended beat. And Linda Spiller might have liked the pin in her tiller to stay pinned rather than finding herself rudderless on the lee shore beyond Dam Red. And Steve Axford might have liked a little more time to get on the water so that he knew the course and didnâ€™t (when leading) have to circle West White until the following boat turned up and told him which the next buoy was.

The Streaker of Robin Spiller was first over the start line or perhaps it was the Solo of Adam Hilton, but it was the full sail Laser of Steve Axford which demanded water at Dam Red and rounded that first buoy in first place with the Solo following, the Streaker next and the Bosun after that with Sally Wills at the helm and her mentor Roger Heasman barking the orders. The first lap ended with Adam Hilton holding a six second lead over Steve Axford and it wasnâ€™t until after Inlet on lap 2 that Steveâ€™s dominance was finally established. He finished the race a minute and a half ahead. Adam and Robin continued to skirmish with the Streaker a boat length ahead at Inlet on lap 2 and again at Pinkie only for the extra square footage of the Soloâ€™s sail to pull it ahead each time. The Bosun and Geoff Floydâ€™s Solo were rarely far apart with Geoff twenty seconds ahead at the end of lap 1 but Sally thirty seconds ahead at the finish of lap 2. Eventually Linda Spillerâ€™s determined fight back got her past the Floyd Solo. The handicaps punished Steve for not knowing the course.

Results:

1.Â Â Â Â Â Â Adam Hilton (Solo)

2.Â Â Â Â Â Â Sally Wills and Roger Heasman (Bosun)

3.Â Â Â Â Â Â Robin Spiller (Streaker)

4.Â Â Â Â Â Â Steve Axford (Laser Full)

5.Â Â Â Â Â Â Geoff Floyd (Solo)

6.Â Â Â Â Â Â Linda Spiller (Laser Full)

Many thanks to John Dabbs who ran the race, to Steve Axford who (in the absence of both the computer and John Duncalf) calculated the handicapped results and to Roger Heasman who put the safety boat to bed and closed everything up afterwards.

3rd June 2018 gallery images

Steve Axford gets away well at the start of the midday race on a short first beat to Dam Green, with James Pollard just behind, hidden behind Steve’s sail

John Dabbs and Sally Wills get to grips with the club Kestrel as they head downwind next to Linda Spiller in the Laser

Adam Hilton keeping a close eye on what’s going on ahead as he and Sue Murray seek to get the most out of the the fluky south-easterly breeze

Nathan Pollard starting to get up on the plane as he manages to find sufficient breeze to really get moving

James Pollard looks to be taking some of Steve Axford’s wind as they search for speed on the downwind leg

Jane Anderson gets away at the head of a group of boats searching for space very tight inshore on Start Line 2

Unusually, Home 1 was used as they mark for the first beat, with Sue Murray bearing away downwind as Jane Anderson heads back towards the Cornwall bank

The Wayfarer of Mike and Viki Herbert-Coulson are away clear iin the afternoon race, pursued by a trio of Lasers

3rd June 2018 race report

AM: Cup Race 4

James Pollard and Steve Axford in full-sailed Lasers were first to cross the start line on their way to Dam Green buoy where James took the inside line. Robin Spiller (Streaker) followed and then most of the rest of the fleet arrived at once, some on port tack, some on starboard. The result was a bunch of boats sandwiched between the buoy on the inside and the Wayfarer on the out. Several helms were severely delayed. The Wayfarer was fourth after the longish run to Middle with Viki Herbert-Coulson getting good use out of the spinnaker but by Pinkie the charging double-hander had got past two Lasers and a Streaker and took a lead that was never relinquished and extended to some four minutes over Steve Axford after the four laps. For the most part the light south easterly winds held up and were powering the boats to fifteen minute laps but helms needed to be thoroughly alert to shifts in direction if they were to make the most of their tacking. Third at the finish was James Pollard with Jane Andersonâ€™s Laser Radial fourth and Nathan Pollard fifth. John Dabbs and Sally Wills had got the clubâ€™s Kestrel past Robin Spiller to finish sixth. There was an unfortunate mistake at race command and the official results with handicaps applied could not be produced.

PM: Ladies, Junior, Gosling Gents Cups 3

In an attempt to avoid the congestion of the previous race the start was moved to Line 2 with Home 1 as the first buoy to round. With the winds still blowing from the east a number of helms saw an advantage in starting from right under the end of the pontoon in order to make the buoy in one starboard tack. Unfortunately there were again too many boats in too little water; casualties included Steve Axford with a serious delay and Adam Hilton stuck on the lee shore! The Wayfarer was only just leading at the end of lap 1, Jane Anderson, Nathan Pollard and Sue Murray were only a few seconds behind after an eleven minute lap of the now shorter course. Sue Murray got herself up to second on the second lap and stayed there. She was only a minute behind the Wayfarer after four laps. And Steve Axford was hauling himself up from last to as high as fifth, only to have the Dabbs/Wills Kestrel overtake him on the last lap.

Results:

1. Mike and Viki Herbert-Coulson (Wayfarer)

2. Paul Whybrow (Solo)

3. Sue Murray (Laser Radial)

4. Jane Anderson (Laser Radial)

5. Robin Spiller (Streaker)

6. Adam Hilton (Solo)

7. Nathan Pollard (Laser Full)

8. Steve Axford (Laser Full)

9. Linda Spiller (Laser Radial)

10. John Dabbs and Sally Wills (Kestrel)

Retired: Brian Pollard and Cilla Gilbert (Bosun)

Grateful thanks were given to Roger Heasman, Pavol Rovensky and James Pollard for running the races and to Mandy Pollard for her photographs.