Midweek Tankard – Spare

Sue kindly stood in as OOD, and set a short course to suit the gentle southerly breeze. The five crews were just beginning to launch their boats when it became apparent that the wind had started to fill in from the west. It was too late to change the race course, so the start commenced on a very broad reach.

John was first across the line, closely followed by Ian (sailing single-handed in his Enterprise), and they held these positions as they rounded Dam Green. It was then a pleasant beat to Home 2 buoy, where Bob took the lead, the only helm to manage this with a single tack. This race section significantly spread out the field.

Sue had set the race course to test the sail, trim and balance of the helms and this was certainly achieved in the gentle and constantly-varying wind speed and direction.

On the second lap, John found a lucky breeze and started catch up some ground on the leading boats, whilst Louise was struggling to find a favourable wind speed and direction.

With the wind dropping down to a very gentle breeze, Sue shortened the race to just three laps.

1. Dave Perrett
2. Bob Sampson
3. John Dabbs with Leila Farmer as crew
4. Ian Chatterton
5. Louise Witchell with Colin Witchell as crew

Thanks go to Sue Murray as OOD

Midweek Tankard 12

It was a nice sunny day with very light winds which came from many directions but generally from somewhere between east and north. It looked like a start from the near side towards Dam Green would be something like a beat. It wasn’t. It was a run and few skippers were able to control the speed of their boats to arrive at the start at the correct time. Some turned back, some were too early. However the start was allowed to stand and Sue Murray rounded Dam Green first.

The race split into a lead group with Bob Sampson’s Laser Full in the lead Sue’s Radial in second, Linda Spiller’s Radial in third and Dave Perrett’s Solo in fourth. This stayed the same until Dave overtook Linda on the fourth lap after more than an hour’s racing.

A second group consisted of Roger Heasman’s Bosun with the remaining three Solos. The Bosun began at the front with Adam Hilton at the back but, after many low speed thrills, by the third lap this had been reversed. Then Adam got bored and retired leaving Robin Spiller leading Geoff Floyd and Roger’s Bosun. The handicaps gave Roger back the lead of the group.

1. Sue Murray (Laser Radial)
2. Bob Sampson (Laser Full)
3. Linda Spiller (Laser Radial)
4. Dave Perrett (Solo)
5. Roger Heasman and Dave (Bosun)
6. Robin Spiller (Solo)
7. Geoff Floyd (Solo)
8. Louise and Colin Witchell (Bosun))

Retired: Adam Hilton (Solo)

Thanks were given to race officer Leila Farmer.

Tamar 5

Nathan Pollard in his Laser crossed the line first, followed to leeward by Brian Pollard’s Bosun with Bob Sampson’s Laser under his transom. It wasn’t until Inlet that the Laser was able to get out of the big Bosun’s dirty wind and race away. Thus on lap 1 Nathan Pollard was able to forge a good lead. The other Lasers followed, first Bob Sampson, then the two Radials of Jane Anderson and Linda Spiller. The Pollard/Hilton Bosun stayed ahead of its Heasman/Perrett sister throughout.

1. Nathan Pollard (Laser Full)
2. Jane Anderson (Laser Radial)
3. Bob Sampson (Laser Full)
4. Linda Spiller (Laser Radial)
5. Brian Pollard and Adam Hilton (Bosun)
6. Roger Heasman and Dave Perrett (Bosun)

Barnwell 5

Vicki Duncalf exited race control and got into her Topper, entering a race which was powered by a thoroughly erratic bunch of west to north-west winds, gusty enough to up-end Bob Sampson’s Laser before the race even started. Jane Anderson crossed the line first with Vicki Duncalf second. She was still well up the order when she clipped the over-taking Bosun of Brian Pollard and had to do penalties. Jane Anderson tussled with Dave Perrett now in his Solo before establishing a lead. Bob Sampson had a lot of water to make up after his troubled start but overtook his competitors one by one, only temporarily set back by another capsize as he went past Dave Perrett. John Dabbs’ Bosun passed Brian Pollard’s on lap 1 and stayed ahead.

1. Jane Anderson (Laser Radial)
2. John Dabbs and Linda Spiller (Bosun)
3. Bob Sampson (Laser Full)
4. Brian Pollard and Adam Hilton (Bosun)
5. Dave Perrett (Solo)
6. Vicki Duncalf (Topper)

Retired: Robin Spiller (Solo)

Thanks were given to race officers Nathan Pollard and Vicki Duncalf and to photographer Mandy Pollard.

Sailboat 3

Jane Anderson (Topper) got away first but Nathan Pollard’s Laser 4.7 powered past well before they reached West, the buoy marking the end of the first leg. The north-westerly winds were decidedly brisk and all skippers except Brian Pollard, secure in his Bosun, had chosen small boats or small sails. The Lake was lined with anglers making course setting a difficult art. Bob Sampson’s Laser 4.7 was sailing away from the line at the start but he managed to get it up to second before the end of the first lap. Brian Pollard and Jane Anderson were unable to decide who should lead, swapping places from time to time and finishing two seconds apart.

1. Nathan Pollard (Laser 4.7)
2. Jane Anderson (Topper))
3. Bob Sampson (Laser 4.7)
4. Vicki Duncalf (Topper)
5. Brian Pollard and Dave Perrett (Bosun)

Cup 4

Two more Bosuns were added to the fleet; John Dabbs’ (with Linda Spiller) spent the race in fourth place but Roger Heasman’s (with Fiona Darey) got tangled up on the pontoon and did not start. It was Vicki Duncalf’s Topper that started first this time but as before, the extra speed of the Lasers, even with only 4.7 square metres of sail, took them past, Bob Sampson leading until late in the first lap when Nathan Pollard overtook. Brian Pollard’s Bosun again diced with a Topper but this time it was Vicki Duncalf’s which crossed the finish line all of four seconds ahead.

1. Nathan Pollard (Laser 4.7)
2. Jane Anderson (Topper)
3. Bob Sampson (Laser 4.7)
4. Vicki Duncalf (Topper)
5. John Dabbs and Linda Spiller (Bosun)
6. Brian Pollard and Dave Perrett (Bosun)

DNS: Roger Heasman and Fiona Darey (Bosun)

Thanks were given to race officer Adam Hilton and to photographer Mandy Pollard.

Midweek Tankard 9

Our Wednesday race fleet was supplemented by several enthusiastic young sailors, introduced to us by through their parents and friends. In all, nine boats took to the water in a very useful north-ish wind, force 3-4 and under cloudy but dry conditions.

The start line favoured a port tack start, but Sue and Ethan chose to start on starboard in the hope that this may challenge the other starters. This tactic paid off, as they (Sue, then Ethan) led the other boats across the start line and on to pass Zebra to port en route to West. John/Leila, Ian, Dave, Louise/Colin, Joseph and Rob soon followed. Milo was stalled back from the start line so made a delayed start. John and Dave were together at the first mark (Zebra), but from then on, Dave gradually pulled away for the rest of the race, with Ian, sailing single-handed, closely following John for the rest of the race.

On Lap 2, Ethan managed to overtake Sue, and Joseph managed to pass Rob. But not for long – Rob regained his position in the long run back from Far to Dam Green. Linda, as OOD, shortened the race to 3 laps as the race had spread out the boats into two groups: the leading 2 boats in the Dam Green area whilst four of them were at the far end of the lake. Of these four, Joseph finally got past Louise until he lost this lead of this second fleet to Louise.

Ethan was first to cross the finish line, followed closely by Sue then Dave. It took a further 15 minutes for the rest of the fleet to finish. Sympathies went to Ian, who capsized on gybing round Dam Green just before the final beat to the finish. Although he managed a dry capsize, he was unable to sail his water-logged boat and retired.

1. Sue Murray (Laser 4.7)
2. John Dabbs/Leila Farmer (Bosun)
3. Dave Perrett (Solo)
4. Ethan Walker Laser (Radial)
5. Joseph Nicholson (Topper)
6. Milo Steer (Topper)
7. Louise/Colin Witchell (Bosun)
8. Robin Spiller (Solo)

Retired: Ian Chatterton

Thanks go to Linda for her work as our OOD.

Midweek Tankard 6

In a really light wind but at least dry conditions, six boats ventured onto the lake to test their light-wind sailing techniques. First across the start line was Bob, followed closely by Sue then Roger. Positions had changed by the time the fleet reached the West mark, with Sue now in the lead, followed by Adam and Dave. The race course took the fleet up to Pinkie, but that was where the wind reduced to a whisper. There was a bit of a tussle between Dave and Adam as they both tried to round Dam Green, and Bob, sailing single-handed in a Club Bosun, took advantage of this by passing them both, only to be subsequently overtaken by Adam. Roger, also sailing single-handed in his Bosun, finally gave up the attempt to keep moving and retired.

1. Sue Murray
2. Bob Sampson
3. Adam Hilton
4. Dave Perrett
5. Leila Farmer

Thanks go to Graham Joyce as OOD

Midweek Tankard 5

The first four races of the 2024 Wednesday race series for the Midweek Tankard were all cancelled due to the persistence of uninviting sailing weather, so it was a real pleasure to launch our boats into a gentle northerly breeze. Six boats took to the water for this 2-lap race with Bob, closely followed by Linda, finishing in a little under one hour.

1. Bob Sampson
2. Linda Spiller
3. Sue Murray
4. Dave Perrett
5. Leila Farmer with John Dabbs as crew
6. Roger Heasman with Megan as crew

Thanks go to Colin & Louise Witchell as OOD.

Midweek Tankard 8

Only 3 boats ventured out into today’s Force 3-4 NW wind under overcast skies. Anticipating a challenging sail, John had tucked a reef into his Bosun’s mainsail and Dave’s Solo showed up with a smaller sail. John’s Bosun got away first with the Leila as his crew, closely followed by Dave in his Solo. Louise, with Colin as her crew, and small sails followed in their Bosun. Soon after starting, Dave managed to point higher than John and began to pull ahead on the first beat to Inlet. Meanwhile, Louise and Colin were gamely sailing their own race in third position. On the long run downwind from Pinky to Dam Green, the Solo’s performance downwind enabled Dave to eke out further distance between him and John on the first lap. All boats held on to their race positions for the remaining two laps, although John managed to find a better wind on the last lap and stabalized the distance to Dave.

1. John Dabbs/Leila Farmer (Bosun)
2. Dave Perrett (Solo)
3. Louise/Colin Witchell (Bosun)

Thanks go to Roger for his work as our OOD.

Barnwell 2

Liam Routley in a Laser Radial had an excellent start in his first race. He was followed by Brian Pollard’s Bosun with Liam’s sister Natasha crewing. But as the fleet beat up to Middle buoy Dave Perrett’s high-pointing Solo opened up a good lead followed by the Bosun and Adam Hilton’s slow-starting Solo. On the long run back from the top of the Lake Adam Hilton’s Solo took over the lead and on lap 2 the Solos extended their lead. Robin Spiller, who struggled with a wayward traveller on his new Solo, over took the Bosun but went the wrong side of Pinkie buoy and had to retire.

1. Adam Hilton (Solo)
2. Dave Perrett (Solo)
3. Liam Routley (Laser Full)
4. Brian Pollard and Natasha Routley (Bosun)

Retired: Robin Spiller (Solo), Liam Routley (Laser Radial)

Tamar 4

Vicki Duncalf’s Topper and Linda Spiller’s Laser Radial joined the fleet in a freshening, if still erratic breeze. The Topper crossed the line first but the two Solos were again quickest on the beat to Middle with Dave Perrett’s leading the pair and extending the gap until a capsize ended Adam Hilton’s race on lap 3. Liam Routley led the two Radials on lap 1 but after a stealing each other’s wind on the run back down the Lake he was overtaken by Linda Spiller. She then established a comfortable lead over him but never reached the Solos ahead. Vicki Duncalf finished a handsome third and the handicap promoted her to second.

1. Dave Perrett (Solo)
2. Vicki Duncalf (Topper)
3. Linda Spiller (Laser Radial)
4. Brian Pollard and Natasha Routley (Bosun)
5. Liam Routley (Laser Radial)

Retired: Adam Hilton (Solo)

Thanks were given to race officers Vicki Duncalf and Nathan Pollard.

Barnwell 4

The morning racing commenced in very challenging conditions with strong gusts marching down the lake in the Northwesterly winds.  At the start gun Vicki Duncalf was first over line but by the first mark of the course she was overtaken by Nathan Pollard in his full rig Laser.  By West, Dave Perrett (Solo), having started last, was up to 3rd place and he kept that position to the finish.  Vicki in her Topper had an unfortunate capsize before Dam Green at the end of lap 2 in what was rather challenging conditions, but she managed to smartly right her boat and continue the race.

1. Jane Anderson (Topper)
2. Nathan Pollard (Laser)
3. Dave Perrett (Solo)
4. Vicki Duncalf (Topper)
5. Brian Pollard and Natasha Routley (Bosun)

Cup 3

With the winds seemingly more of a challenge than in the morning, again Vicki was first over the start line, and by the first mark Nathan had yet again overtaken her to take the lead – this time in his smaller Radial sail.  He was then followed by Brian in his yellow Bosun with new crew Natasha Routley; the 2 Toppers of Vicki and Jane bringing up the rear.  At Inlet Jane managed to nip in and overtake Brian and Natasha to put herself in 2nd place.  This order continued for the rest of the race when we were all rather grateful to come ashore for a lay-down after a rather energetic day’s racing!!

1. Jane Anderson (Topper)
2. Nathan Pollard (Laser Radial)
3. Vicki Duncalf (Topper),
4. Brian Pollard and Natasha Routley (Bosun)

Thanks to Geoff Floyd for running the races, Jane Anderson for writing the race report and Mandy Pollard for taking the photos.