AM: Cup Race 2

With the promise of sunshine unfulfilled, 11 boats set off for the first race in drizzle with 2 keen starters sadly over the line as the gun went.  Sailors found it difficult to fetch the first mark (West White) in one tack in the gusty conditions, but the 2 Lasers of Bob Sampson and Nathan Pollard had clear wind and were able to make it in one.  Bob took the early lead followed by Nathan and then the Herbert-Coulsons in their new Wayfarer purchase.  The positions didn’t change much in the 2nd lap, however there were three capsizes in the gusts – the two Janes and also John Dabbs (all recovered safely).  Nicky Buckett and Sally Wills were having a great race in their Bosun and were not far from Bob in the final calculations, but it was Bob’s day and he took line honours as the lake became shrouded in fog, and also took first place on handicap.

Results:

1. Bob Sampson (Laser)

2  Nicky Buckett and Sally Wills (Bosun)

3. Nathan Pollard (Laser)

4.Mike and Vicky Herbert-Coulson (Wayfarer)

5. Vicki Duncalf (Topper)

6. Brian Pollard and Cilla Gilbert (Bosun)

7. Jane Chadney (Laser Radial)

8. Geoff Floyd  (Solo)

9. Jane Anderson (Laser Radial).

John Buckett (Otter) and John Dabbs (Gull) both retired.

PM: Ladies Cup, Gents Trophy and Gosling Shield

Numbers were reduced to 7 participants for this combined series of races in misty drizzly conditions and still very gusty.  This time it was the Wayfarer who took the lead followed by the Lasers of Bob, Nathan and Jane Anderson, and the change of course made sailors take note of wind directions and dull patches.  With the spinnaker up, Vicki and Mike extended their lead but unfortunately missed out a buoy at the end of the first lap.  Nathan took up the leader’s position with Jane and Bob fighting it out behind.  Further back, Vicki Duncalf in her Topper was having a flyer of a race as was Geoff Floyd.  Bob made an error on the 2nd lap, missing a mark and then returning to round it which allowed Jane Anderson to slip into his position.  Brian and Cilla in their Bosun were also having a good race on Brian’s Birthday and enjoying the afternoon’s racing.

Results:

Gosling Shield:

1. Jane Anderson (Laser Radial)

2. Vicki Duncalf (Topper)

3. Nathan Pollard (Laser)

4. Bob Sampson (Laser)

5. Brian Pollard and Cilla Gilbert (Bosun)

6. Geoff Floyd (Solo).

Mike and Vicki Herbert-Coulson (Wayfarer) retired.

Ladies Cup:

1.  Jane Anderson

2. Vicki Duncalf

Gents Trophy:

1. Nathan Pollard

2 Bob Sampson

3. Brian Pollard

4. Geoff Floyd

Many thanks to Sue Murray for OOD duties and writing this report.

AM: Cup 1

It was a day of moderate south easterly winds, not too many gusts (although Toby Tobias looked pretty courageous sailing the Bosun by himself, with lots of hull on display from time to time) and it attracted eleven boats onto the water. Jane Chadney (Laser 4.7) crossed the start line first but couldn’t capitalise and it was Nathan Pollard (Laser Radial) who got round Dam Green at the front of the fleet with Paul Anderson (Laser Full) following and Vicki Duncalf (Topper) next. Nathan stayed at the front, but didn’t get far enough ahead to beat the Laser 4.7s on handicap, particularly when Jane Anderson (Laser 4.7) made up a lot of ground on lap 3. Similarly, Paul Anderson who was third at the end of the race, got demoted to sixth. The Toppers  did well, Vicki Duncalf’s finishing tenth on the water but brought up to fifth on corrected time. The club Kestrel, a fast if awkward bird, had a rare outing, finishing lap one as high as fifth.

Results:

1.       Jane Anderson (Laser 4.7)
2.       Jane Chadney (Laser 4.7)
3.       Sue Murray (Laser 4.7)
4.       Nathan Pollard (Laser Radial)
5.       Vicki Duncalf (Topper)
6.       John Duncalf (Topper)
7.       Paul Anderson (Laser Full)
8.       Toby Tobias (Bosun)
9.       Adam Hilton and John Dabbs (Kestrel)
10.   Roger Heasman and Sally Wills (RS 200)
11.   Brian Pollard and Cilla Gilbert (Tasar)

PM: Tamar Memorial Trophy 1

The outstanding performance was from the Bosun of Roger Heasman and Sally Wills which came within 13 seconds of winning on handicap. They had started well, taking starboard tack to get to Dam Green which, with the wind having shifted a little, was advantageous and got them round the buoy in third place behind James Pollard (Laser Full) and Jane Anderson (who had taken a port tack start). Again the bigger sailed Lasers (the Pollard brothers) couldn’t really compete with the small sailed ones despite James leading from start to finish. Vicki Duncalf had her Topper turn turtle and spent an unpleasantly long time in the water as she and Steph Colwill (back in the safety boat for the holiday weekend) tried to right it.

Results

1.       Jane Anderson (Laser 4.7)
2.       Roger Heasman and Sally Wills (Bosun)
3.       Jane Chadney (Laser 4.7)
4.       Nathan Pollard (Laser Radial)
5.        James Pollard (Laser Full)
6.       Linda Spiller (Laser 4.7)
7.       Robin Spiller (Streaker)
8.       Brian Pollard and Cilla Gilbert (Tasar)

Vicki Duncalf (Topper), Toby Tobias and John Duncalf (Bosun) rtd

Grateful thanks were given to John and Nicky Buckett who ran the race and to Mandy Pollard for photographs.

Early PM: Barnwell 6

The Lakes Trust was hosting one of its massive fishing competitions- every car park and the camping field full – and racing was therefore only scheduled to start at 1.30 pm. Everybody (five single handers and three double) was on the water in bright sunshine and a diminishing breeze but there was trouble with the safety boat. Paul Anderson and Jane Chadney could be seen struggling to get the engine going. In the end it was nearly three o’clock before an effective fuel line was transferred from the Lake’s wheely boat and the race could start. The club Wayfarer was first over the start line. It was being tried out by Adam Hilton and John Dabbs who found it fast and comfortable, quite capable of keeping up with Bob Sampson’s Laser Full. They were followed over the line by Brian Pollard and Cilla Gilbert in a Club Bosun, by James Pollard (Laser), Bob Sampson (Laser) and Jane Anderson who, in the stronger winds of the morning, had chosen her Topper. James Pollard, in the beat past Zebra and up to Inlet, established a lead which never looked in doubt. Bob Sampson also rounded Inlet ahead of the Wayfarer but that lead was threatened for a while. The two boats were very close as they rounded Dam Green at the end of lap 1 and it was only on lap 3 that Bob got a couple of minutes ahead. Behind came Nathan Pollard in a Laser Radial in front of his father Brian, the Topper of Jane Anderson, whom the handicap promoted to winner, Toby Tobias and Sally Wills (Bosun) and Geoff Floyd (Solo). It was one of those races with a lap chart showing the boats in the same order every lap. That doesn’t mean they weren’t competing!

Results:

1.       Jane Anderson (Topper)

2.       James Pollard (Laser)

3.       Brian Pollard and Cilla Gilbert (Bosun)

4.       Bob Sampson (Laser)

5.       Adam Hilton and John Dabbs (Wayfarer)

6.       Toby Tobias and Sally Wills (Bosun)

7.       Nathan Pollard (Laser Radial)

8.       Geoff Floyd (Solo)

Grateful thanks were given to Robin Spiller who ran the race and especially to Paul Anderson and Jane Chadney for their struggles with the safety boat.

There was no time left to run the programmed Barnwell 7.