by Adam Hilton

Louise Witchell

Commodore 5

A beautiful day and the promise of a shore-side barbeque after the racing brought sailing and non-sailing members to Tamar Lake. Nine boats took to the water for the noon race. The very light winds meant that all five of the Lasers’ helms except Paul Anderson, who chose a Radial, had full sized sails. There were two Solos, Dave Perrett’s flying a shiny black Kevlar sail for the first time. Robin Spiller was out in his Streaker and Steve Smith was helming Roger Heasman’s Bosun.

The Solo of Adam Hilton crossed the start line in the lead but before the first buoy, Dam Green, Sue Murray and Jane Anderson in Lasers had slipped by. Robin Spiller was next around the buoy and then the Smith/Heasman Bosun, pushing Nathan Pollard wide. But on the gentle sail to Inlet Nathan Pollard disposed of the Bosun and the Spiller Streaker. At Pinkie he went by the Solo and by the end of what turned out to be a slow two lap race, he was past Sue Murray’s Laser and in second place. Robin Spiller and Adam Hilton had a pass and repass race with Dave Perrett joining them at the end.

1. Jane Anderson (Laser Full)
2. Nathan Pollard (Laser Full)
3. Dave Perrett (Solo)
4. Adam Hilton (Solo)
5. Robin Spiller (Streaker)
6. Sue Murray (Laser Full)
7. Linda Spiller (Laser Full)
8. Steven Smith and Roger Heasman (Bosun)

Disqualified: Paul Anderson (Laser Radial)

Spalding 5

There were now three Bosuns in the fleet: John Dabbs’ with Penny Abbott as crew, Louise Witchell helming hers with Linda Spiller and Roger Heasman now at the helm of his with Steve Smith in charge of the jib sheets.

Jane Anderson continued to demonstrate her light wind mastery, again finishing first, in front, this time, of Sue Murray with Nathan Pollard (who managed, on this day of very light winds, to capsize!) in third. The Bosun race began with Roger Heasman starting well but not being given enough water by Adam Hilton at Dam Green, hitting the Solo and doing penalty turns. John Dabbs ended up leading the Bosuns and being awarded a joint third place by the handicaps. Louise Witchell got ahead of Roger Heasman and was still there at the finish.

1. Jane Anderson (Laser Full)
2. Sue Murray (Laser Full)
3. Dave Perrett (Solo) equal with John Dabbs and Penny Abbott (Bosun)
5. Nathan Pollard (Laser Full)
6. Loise Witchel and Linda Spiller (Bosun)
7. Roger Heasman and Rick Thurlow (Bosun)
8. Paul Anderson (Laser Radial)

Retired: Adam Hilton (Solo)

Many thanks to Penny Abbott  who ran the first race and to Robin Spiller who ran the second. Louise Witchell took the pictures.

Racing was followed by a very enjoyable BBQ. Many thanks to Bob Sampson & John Dabbs for resurrecting the barbeque, cleaning it and providing the charcoal and lighters.

by Adam Hilton

Teacake 3

There were the same four Solos in this Wednesday race as there had been a week before. They were joined by Leila Farmer in her Laser Radial and by Roger Heasman’s Bosun helmed by Penny Abbott with Rick Thurlow crewing. It was hardly a summer’s day but it didn’t rain and the winds were gentle and steady by Tamar Lake standards. The course led from the far side of the starting line to Inlet buoy, tricky as ever, across the middle of the Lake to West White and up to Far buoy; a beat, a reach, a beat and a long run back to the Dam.

At the start Penny Abbott’s Bosun was first over the line but Adam Hilton’s Solo was soon beside it, pointing higher, and demanding water from the windward boat. Penny tacked away and allowed not one but two Solos to overtake. Dave Perrett’s Solo was the second to reach Inlet. Graham Joyce was the next Solo skipper to round Inlet and set off on the reach to West White. Leila Farmer followed leaving Geoff Floyd, after a terrible start, to bring up the rear.

The beginning of the second lap saw Dave Perrett gobble up the water between his Solo and the leading one, create an overlap at Inlet and round that buoy in the lead, only for the wind to abandon him and the previous order to be restored.

The third lap saw Leila Farmer asserting the Laser’s speed and overtaking the Bosun but Geoff Floyd being even more assertive and getting past both to finish third on the water. The handicap promptly pushed him back down to fourth. Graham Joyce admitted to sailing over West White buoy and needing to be disqualified.

1. Adam Hilton (Solo)
2. Dave Perrett (Solo)
3. Penny Abbott and Rick Thurlow (Bosun)
4. Geoff Floyd (Solo)
5. Leila Farmer (Laser Radial)

Disqualified: Graham Joyce (Solo)

Roger’s Bosuns 7

The course was shortened by only going as far north as Pinkie and by reducing the lap count to two. The fleet also was reduced to two Solos, Dave Perrett’s and Geoff Floyd’s, the Heasman Bosun, now with Rick Thurlow at the helm, and Leila Farmer’s Radial. Dave Perrett started last but was fortunate that the others were being pushed to leeward on the beat to Inlet; he was able to reach the buoy without wasting time in the Inlet doldrums and shake off his lousy start. But leading the race was of no use to him when he capsized ten metres from the finish line and needed the safety boat’s assistance to recover.

1. Geoff Floyd (Solo)
2. Rick Thurlow and Penny Abbott (Bosun)
3. Leila Farmer (Laser Radial)

Retired: Dave Perrett (Solo)

Many thanks to Louise and Colin Witchell who kindly ran the races.

by Adam Hilton

Robin Spiller

Tamar 9

On this August Sunday the winds blew strongly from the north west, banks of cloud rolled through, but the rain managed to hold off until lunchtime. The temperature was a miserable 14 degrees! Penny Abbott, Officer of the Day, set a course of startling simplicity; a beat all the way north to Far buoy and a run all the way back south to the Dam. Bob Sampson, with a little 4.7 sail on his Laser, got away first, but by the time the fleet reached the top of the Lake the order reflected the sail size of the three Lasers in the race; Nathan Pollard leading with a Full, Steve Axford second with a Radial and Bob Sampson the third Laser but fourth boat because Brian Pollard, James Pollard crewing, had achieved a fine beat to keep himself among the Lasers in third place. The other Bosun on the water was Roger Heasman’s, but was helmed for the first time by Steve Smith with Adam Hilton as crew. In front of them was Jane Anderson, who’d been second at the start, but was fifth to round Far. The handicap promoted her to first, demoted the Lasers but allowed Brian Pollard to keep his third on the water.

1. Jane Anderson (Topper)
2. Nathan Pollard (Laser Full)
3. Brian and James Pollard (Bosun)
4. Steve Axford (Laser Radial)
5. Bob Sampson (Laser 4.7)
6. Steven Smith and Adam Hilton (Bosun)

DNS: Dave Perrett (Solo)

Tamar 10

Penny Abbott added width to the course which now only reached as far north as Pinkie, then went to West and across to Inlet before returning to the Dam. Nathan Pollard got away well this time and dominated the race, never being headed. The other two Lasers followed in order of sail size. Jane Anderson was able to take the next place in a somewhat processional race since Brian Pollard’s Bosun had broken its rudder before the start and wasn’t competing. Next was the Heasman Bosun, now with Adam Hilton at the helm and then Vicki Duncalf joining the fleet in her Topper. Dave Perrett hadn’t quite sorted the small sail on his Solo before the first race began but was now competing although unfortunate to capsize on the first lap. The handicap again recognized Jane Anderson’s efforts in the Topper but thought Bob Sampson had done better than Steve Axford.

1. Jane Anderson (Topper)
2. Nathan Pollard (Laser Full)
3. Bob Sampson (Laser 4.7)
4. Steve Axford (Laser Radial)
5. Vicki Duncalf (Topper)
6. Adam Hilton and Steven Smith (Bosun)
7. Dave Perrett (Solo)

Retired: Brian and James Pollard (Bosun)

Grateful thanks were given to Penny Abbott who ran the races assisted by Linda Spiller. And to Robin Spiller for taking the photos with Mandy’s camera.

by Adam Hilton

Teacake 2

There were four Solos in this race; perhaps a Club record. Dave Perrett was giving a second outing to his new one (built 2002), Graham Joyce was in Dave’s old one (1972), Geoff Floyd was in his 1995 Boon Solo and Adam Hilton in his 2016 Winder 2. And then there was Rick Thurlow at the helm of Roger Heasman’s Bosun, Leila Farmer in a Club Topper and Ethan Walker in the multi-coloured family Laser Radial.

There was barely any wind. The race’s one lap, of a course going out to West White, up to Pinkie, in to Inlet and back to the Dam, took the leader three-quarters of an hour, the back of the fleet very nearly an hour. What wind there was usually came from the south west.

The order crossing the start line was Adam, Ethan, Dave, Geoff, Graham, Leila and Rick. But it was Dave Perret, well-placed to windward, who found a tiny breeze and reached Dam Green first followed by the Solos of Adam Hilton and Geoff Floyd. On the long and tricky beat to West White the wind became much more westerly when the boats reached the middle of the Lake. Maximising this benefit was important to reaching West early and the Hilton Solo, notoriously high-pointing, rounded the buoy first and set off on a crawl to Pinkie while the rest of the fleet was becalmed at West. It was just as bad at Pinkie. Geoff Floyd and Ethan Walker tussled in slow motion for second place and Ethan won. Leila Farmer, last on the water, the Topper ill-suited to light winds, had sailed well enough for the handicap to promote her to second place.

1. Adam Hilton (Solo)
2. Leila Farmer (Topper)
3. Geoff Floyd (Solo)
4. Rick Thurlow and Roger Heasman (Bosun)
5. Dave Perrett (Solo)
6. Ethan Walker (Laser Radial)
7. Graham Joyce (Solo)

Roger’s Bosuns 6

The fleet was reduced to the four Solos and Roger Heasman at the helm of his Bosun. Bob Sampson, OOD, cut out Pinkie and Inlet from the course and a continually present little breeze made a three lap race of this shortened course take around half an hour. Roger was first over the line followed by Geoff, Dave, Graham and Adam. Roger was still ahead round Dam but Geoff took the lead on the way to West. Adam, who had impeded the Bosun at the start and subsequently retired as a result, now benefitted from his Solo’s ability to point high enabling him to make up places and go round West in second place. He was followed by Dave, then Roger. The three front Solos finished the first lap close together in the order Adam, Dave, Geoff. But the order continued to change, with Dave having the lead at Dam. Adam got it back on the way to West and at the end of the race Geoff was just a fraction ahead of Dave. But the Solos weren’t nearly far enough ahead of Roger Heasman to overcome his Bosun’s handicap advantage.

1. Roger Heasman and Rick Thurlow (Bosun)
2. Geoff Floyd (Solo)
3. Dave Perrett (Solo)

Retired: Graham Joyce (Solo) Adam Hilton (Solo)

Many thanks to Bob Sampson who kindly ran the races.

by Adam Hilton

Mandy Pollard

Commodore 4

Roger Heasman, in his Bosun with newcomer Steven, got a very good start but it was Bob Sampson’s full-sailed Laser which drew away and led the race throughout, winning by half a minute from Nathan Pollard in another Laser. The Heasman Bosun continued to lead the rest of the fleet although harried by Jane Anderson’s Laser 4.7 and Dave Perrett’s brand-new-to-him Solo. They were both past the Bosun by the end of lap one although Dave Perrett retired after two laps with a main sheet that kept jamming. The winds seemed to come from different directions in different parts of the Lake; southwest near the Dam, west in the middle of the Lake and north at the top. They strengthened as the day went on.

Spalding Cup 4

Dave Perrett got his new Solo’s main sheet working to good effect, speeding over the start line in first place. However the two fast Lasers were soon past him, with Nathan Pollard leading this time, a lead he maintained throughout. The Solo then slipped down the order with Jane Anderson’s Laser 4.7 taking over third place and staying close enough to the leaders for the handicap to award her victory. Some changes had taken place in the fleet; Linda Spiller had joined in her Laser 4.7 and spent most of the race at fourth, promoted to third by the handicap. Robin Spiller set out in his Streaker flying the Wave sail, not the right choice as it turned out; he retired. Anna Walker had gone to crew for Roger Heasman and Penny Abbott had taken over the helm in Adam Hilton’s Bosun but got no closer than him to overtaking the Heasman Bosun ahead. Steven took over the helm of the Hartley for a lap or two before retiring. By the end the westerlies were strong enough to have the boats planing across the middle of the Lake.

1. Jane Anderson (Laser 4.7)
2. Nathan Pollard (Laser Full)
3. Linda Spiller (Laser 4.7)
4. Bob Sampson (Laser Full)
5. Roger Heasman and Anna Walker (Bosun)
6. Penny Abbott and Adam Hilton (Bosun)
7. Dave Perrett (Solo)

Retired: Robin Spiller (Streaker Wave), Steven and Leila Farmer (Hartley 12)

(No idea why but Race Results for this race won’t cut and paste as a table! – see Spalding Cup Individual Race Times)

Grateful thanks were given to Brian Pollard and Cilla Gilbert who ran the races and to Mandy Pollard who took the photographs.

by Adam Hilton

Mandy Pollard

Commodore 3

Wind speeds were not a problem, indeed at times there was very little of the mainly southwesterly winds, it was the strength and unpredictability of the gusts which demanded a cautious approach. Nathan Pollard was the only helm to put a full size sail on his Laser. He was able to lead the race, if not from the start, then from the third buoy onwards but he couldn’t get far enough ahead – he finished half a minute before second-running Bob Sampson – to overcome the handicap advantage of Bob’s smaller Radial sail.

Brian Pollard in his Bosun (Cilla Gilbert crewing) made an impressive start and remained in front of the faster boats until after Inlet buoy when the faster Lasers started to get by. However the smallest Laser sail has a better handicap than a Bosun and Linda Spiller, despite finishing just under twenty seconds behind the Pollard Bosun, was promoted to a place above.

Spalding Cup 3

Dave Perrett, the small sail on his Solo unrecognized by the handicap system, made a very good start and, the Solo pointing high into the wind, was still well-placed at the first buoy, before being engulfed by the fleet. Nathan Pollard again established himself in the lead with Bob Sampson again chasing. Indeed this race became something of a procession with the helms finishing each lap in the same order. The two 4.7 Lasers of Jane Anderson and Linda Spiller followed the front runners and the two Bosuns of Brian Pollard and Roger Heasman followed them. Dave Perrett’s underpowered Solo brought up the rear. At least his smaller sail made it easier to cope with the gusts.

Grateful thanks were given to Penny Abbott who ran the races and to Mandy Pollard who took the photographs.

Teacake 1

The northwesterly winds were very light, a novelty at Tamar Lake this season. They never quite disappeared so that the fleet never quite stopped moving and the occasional gusts had their usual unjust effect of moving some helms up but leaving others creeping along.
Four boats took the start; the Floyd and Hilton Solos, Graham Joyce’s Laser with his full-sized sail, and Roger Heasman’s Bosun with the owner sailing it on his own. He started first with Floyd and Joyce following and beginning a ding dong battle between the two of them which continued as long as the race lasted. Adam Hilton messed up the start, messed up the first buoy, Zebra, and ended up with a lot of water between him and the rest of the fleet. Fortunately for him, on the second lap, one of the little gusts escorted his dinghy up to the transom of Geoff Floyd’s sister Solo just as he, Floyd, was about to round Inlet. The white Solo emerged on the beat across to West White in front of the yellow one. Graham Joyce’s Laser reached West White a little to leeward and had to tack, thus impeding the Hilton Solo and having to let it past. Roger Heasman was able to keep his Bosun comfortably ahead until the third lap when the recovering Solo overtook. The race ended after nearly an hour and four laps of this short course which went no further north than the middle of the Lake. The handicap restored Roger Heasman to first place, thoroughly deserved after keeping his Bosun ahead of potentially faster boats for so long.

1. Roger Heasman (Bosun)
2. Adam Hilton (Solo)
3. Geoff Floyd (Solo)
4. Graham Joyce (Laser Full)

Ollie started the race and the competitors took their own times. Thanks!

The second race was not run.

Mandy Pollard

Commodore 2

Storm Antoni had blown through, leaving behind force 3 winds from the northwest and big gusts. The sun mostly shone and it was pleasantly warm for a change. Five Lasers went out; three with small 4.7 sails (Murray, Spiller, Thurlow), one with a Radial (Sampson) and one with a Full (Pollard). The field was completed by three Bosuns; Brian Pollard’s, three-up and none the worse for it, Roger Heasman’s with Rick Thurlow as crew and the Witchells’ with small sails and Louise at the helm.
Nathan Pollard was the first to get from the start line to Middle buoy but had to take a tack to get round it. Linda Spiller made the mark in one tack, second. Bob Sampson’s Radial was the fourth Laser to round the first buoy but had overtaken the 4.7s by the end of the lap. He remained at second on the water until the end.
The leading Bosun throughout was Brian Pollard’s with his jolly party of Cilla Gilbert and Adam Hilton crewing. Roger Heasman and Rick Thurlow were slightly delayed at the start and then followed.
The handicaps promoted Linda Spiller from third to second, put Bob Sampson and Sue Murray in third and fourth respectively and Nathan Pollard remained first. The winds were perhaps strong enough to make it easier to exploit a small sail to its maximum.

1. Nathan Pollard (Laser Full)
2. Linda Spiller (Laser 4.7)
3. Bob Sampson (Laser Radial)
4. Sue Murray (Laser 4.7)
5. Brian Pollard, Cilla Gilbert and Adam Hilton (Bosun)
6. Roger Heasman and Rick Thurlow (Bosun)
7. Wendy Thurlow (Laser 4.7)
8. Louise and Colin Witchell (Bosun)

Spalding Cup 2

The fleet of six now consisted of four Lasers and two Bosuns. Nathan Pollard’s Full again led but his two and a bit minutes margin at the finish over Bob Sampson’s Radial was not enough. Nor was Bob Sampson’s forty one second’s over Sue Murray’s 4.7. Sue had kept close to the Radial throughout, even leading it at the beginning. The handicaps rewarded her with victory.
Brian Pollard’s laden Bosun kept ahead of Roger Heasman’s throughout, although seriously threatened at several points.

1. Sue Murray (Laser 4.7)
2. Nathan Pollard (Laser Full)
3. Bob Sampson (Laser Radial)
4. Brian Pollard, Cilla Gilbert and Adam Hilton(Bosun)
5. Roger Heasman and Rick Thurlow (Bosun)
Retired: Wendy Thurlow (Laser 4.7)

Grateful thanks were given to John Dabbs who ran the first race and to Mandy Pollard who ran the second as well as taking the photographs.

Penny Abbott

Teatime Tankard 7

For the first time in weeks the wind was coming over the Dam from the southwest. That meant the start, from the nearside line to Dam Green, was a proper beat. Boats needed to point high and start from off the end of the pontoon to make the first buoy in one tack. There were three Bosuns in the race. Adam Hilton’s, with visitor Celia Braund as crew, was the first to round Dam Green with John Dabbs second (crew Leila Farmer) and then Roger Heasman (crew Rick Thurlow). Geoff Floyd’s Solo was in the mix, going through the Bosuns and finishing the first lap in first place. The return from Pinkie via West White involved a lot more tacking with many changes of place, callings of starboard and other excitements. Dave Perrett had chosen a small sail for his Solo to protect his recovering arm and, in wind strengths less than the force 3 gusting 5 forecast, did not really have the speed to keep up but managed to finish the two laps in fourth on the water. Visitor Silas Braund, in a Club Topper, toured in sixth and Wendy Thurlow in her Laser 4.7, after a delayed start, brought up the rear.

1. John Dabbs and Leila Farmer (Bosun)
2. Silas Braund (Topper)
3. Geoff Floyd (Solo)
4. Roger Heasman and Rick Thurlow (Bosun)
5. Dave Perrett (Solo)
6. Wendy Thurlow (Laser 4.7)

Retired: (missed buoy) Adam Hilton and Celia Braund (Bosun)

Roger’s Bosuns 2

Dave Perret’s Solo and Adam Hilton’s Bosun were the first to start and to round Dam Green but were again overwhelmed by the other Bosuns and Geoff Floyd’s Solo. Geoff was at the front at the end of each subsequent lap but not necessarily around every buoy in between. The Heasman Bosun was ahead of Leila Farmer, now helming the Dabbs boat, for most of the first lap but not subsequently. Silas Braund kept his Topper in front of Wendy Thurlow’s Laser 4.7. Helms Adam Hilton (again) and Wendy Thurlow missed buoys and did not feature in the results.

Bosuns

1. Leila Farmer and John Dabbs (Bosun)
2. Roger Heasman and Rick Thurlow (Bosun)

Disqualified: Adam Hilton and Celia Braund (Bosun)

PLUS

1. Silas Braund (Topper)
2. Geoff Floyd (Solo)
3. Dave Perrett (Solo)

Disqualified: Wendy Thurlow (Laser 4.7)

Grateful thanks were given to Penny Abbott who, as Officer of the Day, ran the races.