by Adam Hilton

Mandy Pollard

Tamar 5

Thunder, lightening, sun, rain; all these were forecast but all that turned up were slow-moving grey clouds and some wisps of wind which started by coming over the Dam but moved around to the west. That made the towards-the-Dam start which Paul Anderson, Officer of the Day, had designed more of a reach than a beat. Bob Sampson, Nathan Pollard, Jane Anderson and Adam Hilton managed to get their boats over the starting line a good thirty seconds before the rest of the fleet but they were then to different degrees becalmed, except for Jane Anderson who got her Laser around Dam Green in first place, with Nathan Pollard second, Bob Sampson third and Robin Spiller’s Streaker getting away up the Lake in fourth. John Dabbs and Linda Spiller’s was the first to get going of the four Bosuns in the race and finished in the same position although Roger Heasman and Dave Perrett’s Bosun led from time to time. Brian Pollard (with Cilla Gilbert) had struggled to get his Bosun over the start line but was up to the other Bosuns when he lost wind at Dam Green on lap 2.

At the front Bob Sampson dropped back from Nathan Pollard who managed to sneak past Jane Anderson, a lead he consolidated on lap 2, leaving an Anderson/Sampson fight for second place eventually won by Bob. Robin Spiller, once free of Bosuns, spent the race in fourth place behind the Lasers until eventually threatened by Adam Hilton who had been held up trying to pass the Heasman/Perrett Bosun and by doing a penalty at Dam Green.

1. Nathan Pollard (Laser Full)
2. Bob Sampson (Laser Full)
3. Adam Hilton (Solo)
4. Robin Spiller (Streaker)
5. Jane Anderson (Laser Full)
6. John Dabbs and Linda Spiller (Bosun)
7. Roger Heasman and Dave Perrett (Bosun)
8. Brian Pollard and Cilla Gilbert (Bosun)

Retired: Colin and Louise Witchell (Bosun)

Tamar 6

It rained throughout. Nathan Pollard made a great start and Jane Anderson had passed Adam Hilton before Dam Green. Bob Sampson followed. Brian Pollard led the Bosuns throughout with Dave Perrett (who had taken over the helm from Roger Heasman) just leading John Dabbs until lap 2 when the Dabbs boat got ahead. Adam Hilton’s Solo toured in fourth behind the other single-handers. Jane Anderson got past Nathan Pollard at Home 2 and Bob Sampson came up to him too. At the start of lap 4 all three Lasers were nose to nose and they finished in the order Anderson, Sampson, Pollard. The handicaps gave the Solo the victory.

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

Many thanks were given to Paul Anderson, Officer of the Day, and to Mandy Pollard who took the photographs.

by Adam Hilton

Teatime Tankard 1

On arrival at the Lake the water displayed a few ripples caused by little puffs of wind from the southeast. Leila Farmer, Officer of the Day, therefore set a course starting towards the Dam. However, shortly before the 2pm start, the wind turned round and began blowing with fair consistency of strength but little of direction from various points around the northwest. The course was changed to make West White the first buoy.

Roger Heasman, with Rick Thurlow as crew, was first over the start line with Dave Perrett in his Solo second. Both these boats started on starboard tack at the leeward end of the line. It proved to be a less advantageous strategy than starting on port tack from the pontoon end of the line. Adam Hilton (Solo) and John Dabbs, Rob Spiller crewing the Bosun, started on port and were the first two competitors to reach West White. Linda Spiller (Laser Radial) lost her kicker just before the start and therefore began the race nearly ten minutes late; her run through the field to fourth place on the water was impressive.

Adam Hilton’s Solo, in clean air, pulled out a substantial lead, seven minutes after the three laps. Behind it a battle royal between John Dabbs and Ian Chatterton, sailing his Enterprise solo who was just ahead at the end of the first lap. They changed places several times in the course of the race despite Ian Chatterton’s brief capsize at Pinkie forcing him to bail furiously all the way back up the Lake. They were still exchanging places at Dam Green just before the finish, the Bosun ending ahead.

1. Adam Hilton (Solo)
2. John Dabbs and Robin Spiller (Bosun)
3. Ian Chatterton (Enterprise)
4. Linda Spiller (Laser Radial)
5. Roger Heasman and Rick Thurlow (Bosun)
6. Dave Perrett (Solo )
7. Colin and Louise Witchell (Bosun)

Teatime Plate 4

Five boats started the second race. Leila Farmer was replaced as OOD by Rick Thurlow and helmed the Dabbs Bosun. Rob Spiller moved to crewing for Roger Heasman who got away first but had been overtaken by the flying Spiller Laser Radial by the time they rounded West White. She was not to be headed again and finished with a four minute lead. The Heasman Bosun followed throughout but the helm had unfortunately forgotten the need to leave Home 1 to starboard and was disqualified. The Farmer/Dabbs Bosun came next until overtaken by Ian Chatterton’s Enterprise on lap 3. Dave Perrett had trouble getting his Solo rigged and started the race at the back, gradually hauling himself up until he was only a handful of seconds behind at the end.

1. Linda Spiller (Laser Radial)
2. Leila Farmer and John Dabbs (Bosun)
3. Ian Chatterton (Enterprise)
4. Dave Perrett (Solo)

Disqualified: Roger Heasman and Robin Spiller (Bosun)

Many thanks were given to Leila Farmer and Rick Thurlow, Officers of the Day.

by Adam Hilton

Midweek Mug 7

The sun and the easterlies continued their long run at Tamar Lake. Three Bosuns started and also Dave Perrett’s Solo. Adam Hilton and Penny Abbott’s Bosun started the race first. At Dam Green Roger Heasman (Rick Thurlow crewing) was able to cut in on John Dabbs (with Leila Farmer) at Dam Green and John ended up with a penalty turn. Dave Perrett sailed serenely past the lead Bosun and was first around West White before being up-ended by a gust.

On lap 2 The Heasman/ Dabbs squabble continued with John just ahead at West White but Roger back in front by the end of the lap. The position was reversed at Dam Green on lap 3.

1. Adam Hilton and Penny Abbott (Bosun)
2. John Dabbs and Leila Farmer (Bosun)
3. Roger Heasman and Rick Thurlow (Bosun)
4. Dave Perrett (Solo )

Teatime Plate 3

Roger Heasman had to depart leaving three boats in the race. Penny Abbott, now helming the Hilton Bosun, led at the off and around Dam Green but was overtaken by John Dabbs who led from then on. Dave Perrett threatened at times but it was much harder dealing with the gusts in his Solo than it was in the Bosuns.

1. John Dabbs and Leila Farmer (Bosun)
2. Penny Abbott and Adam Hilton (Bosun)
3. Dave Perrett (Solo)

Many thanks were given to Linda Spiller and Rick Thurlow, Officers of the Day.

by Adam Hilton

Mandy Pollard

Bosuns PLUS 1

Brian Pollard’s Bosun, with Cilla Gilbert as crew, was the first of the Bosun fleet to cross the start line on a day of magnificent sun and generally benign easterly winds, which were nonetheless capable of gusts powerful enough to capsize the unwary. Unfortunately the Pollard/Gilbert Bosun was well to leeward of the rest of the fleet and ended up the last boat to round Dam Green. John Dabbs, with Adam Hilton on the front thwart, was the second Bosun and was able to overtake Jane Anderson’s Topper, which had actually started first, on the way to Dam Green, rounding that buoy first and retaining the lead on the run to West until eventually Bob Sampson, after a modest start, harnessed the speed of his full-sailed Laser, overtook the leading Bosuns and the flying Topper of Jane Anderson and settled into a lead on the water that was not challenged.

Bosuns Race

1. John Dabbs and Adam Hilton (Bosun)
2. Brian Pollard and Cilla Gilbert (Bosun)
3. Roger Heasman and Dave Perrett (Bosun)
4. Colin And Louise Witchell (Bosun)

PLUS Race

1. Jane Anderson (Topper)
2. Bob Sampson (Laser Full)
3. Vicki Duncalf (Topper)

Retired: Graham Joyce Laser (Full)

Pursuit 1

In Pursuit races the handicaps are applied before the race begins and competitors have staggered start times. Vicki Duncalf’s Topper and the Pollard/Gilbert Bosun were the first to start. A minute later Jane Anderson’s Topper and the Heasman/Perrett Bosun were allowed over the line with the Dabbs Bosun, now helmed by Adam Hilton, starting after five minutes and the fastest dinghies, Bob Sampson and Nathan Pollard’s Lasers, ten and fifteen minutes respectively after the start.

Bob Sampson was able to go through the field and finish first but it was only late on that he managed to get past Brian Pollard and Jane Anderson. For Nathan Pollard the fifteen minute handicap was more than could be overcome; he finished in fourth. The Bosuns helmed by Roger Heasman and Adam Hilton had a race long battle. Vicki Duncalf, upturned by a rogue gust, retired.

1. Bob Sampson (Laser Full)
2. Brian Pollard and Cilla Gilbert (Bosun)
3. Jane Anderson (Topper)
4. Nathan Pollard (Laser Full)
5. Adam Hilton and John Dabbs (Bosun)
6. Roger Heasman and Dave Perrett (Bosun)

Retired: Vicki Duncalf (Topper)

Many thanks were given to Sue Murray, Officer of the Day, and to Mandy Pollard who took the photographs.

Midweek Mug 6

Teatime Plate 2

by Adam Hilton

Mandy Pollard

Tamar 3

Winds of force four gusting to six were forecast and sure enough powerful blasts came screeching out of the northeast across Tamar Lake. Several single-hander skippers retreated to the comparative safety of the gunwales of two-handed Bosuns, Geoff Floyd raised a cut-down sail on his Solo and Jane Anderson chose her Topper. But Nathan Pollard and Bob Sampson, undaunted, had full-sized sails on their Lasers.

It was Roger Heasman and Dave Perrett in their Bosun who got away first on a course which went all the way up to the top of a Lake lined with fishermen in a competition.  The beats were crucial and the Heasman/Perrett boat couldn’t point high enough to get to the first buoy, Home 2, in one tack, letting most of the fleet past. This meant that the late-starting Laser pair of Bob Sampson and Nathan Pollard could assert themselves and take the lead and that the fast starting Jane Anderson and Vicki Duncalf in Toppers could follow. The Dabbs/Hilton boat led the Bosuns at this stage. Tacking up to Far buoy, with fishermen camped on the Cornwall bank, proved tricky, but did little to change the order which, on the run back to the Dam, remained first Nathan Pollard, second Bob Sampson and third Jane Anderson. At the Dam, Brian Pollard managed to slip his Bosun inside John Dabbs’ and overtake.

On the third and last lap Geoff Floyd retired from the battle he had been having with Vicki Duncalf’s Topper and Roger Heasman got his Bosun past John Dabbs’ on the run to the Dam. The handicap promoted Jane Anderson’s fine third to first.

1. Jane Anderson (Topper)
2. Nathan Pollard (Laser Full)
3. Vicki Duncalf (Topper)
4. Bob Sampson (Laser Full)
5. Brian Pollard and Graham Joyce (Bosun)
6. Roger Heasman and Dave Perrett (Bosun)
7. John Dabbs and Adam Hilton (Bosun)

Retired: Geoff Floyd (Solo)

Tamar 4

The course was shortened, only reaching as far north as Pinkie, to reduce the clashes with fishermen, but the number of laps was increased to four. Bob Sampson, who’d got wet in the first race, put a little 4.7 sail on his Laser to make it easier to handle. John Dabbs took his boat off the water and went to crew for Brian Pollard.

Roger Heasman made another fine start but again couldn’t keep as far to windward as the other Bosun and so Brian Pollard went round Home 2 in front of him and stayed there throughout. Nathan Pollard, third over the start line, soon took the lead and kept it to the end when he was some three minutes ahead of Bob Sampson in second, and six in front of Brian Pollard in third. However these margins were not enough to give him the victory. Jane Anderson started fourth, was overtaken by Bob Sampson’s Laser 4.7, putting her in fifth, but got between the two Bosuns on lap 4 and finished in fourth, eight minutes behind Nathan Pollard; the Topper’s handicap gave her the victory.

1. Jane Anderson (Topper)
2. Bob Sampson (Laser 4.7)
3. Brian Pollard and John Dabbs (Bosun)
4. Nathan Pollard (Laser Full)
5. Roger Heasman and Dave Perrett (Bosun)

Retired: Vicki Duncalf (Topper)

Many thanks were given to John Buckett, Officer of the Day, and to Mandy Pollard who took the photographs.

by Penny Abbott

Midweek Mug 5

Roger Heasman, with Dave Perrett crewing in a Bosun, was in danger of crossing the line before the start gun so had to let loose his sails. This allowed John Dabbs, with Leila Farmer crewing in another Bosun, to cross the line not far behind Roger but moving much faster. Louise Witchell, with Colin crewing in the 3rd Bosun, had decided to put up smaller sails as it was quite gusty, was not far behind. John & Leila, pointing higher than Roger & Dave made it to Inlet first. The order didn’t change again and the gaps got larger over the 3 laps – I, M, Pk, Ww, H1, Dg, H1.

1. John Dabbs & Leila Farmer (Bosun)
2. Roger Heasman & Dave Perrett (Bosun)
3. Louise & Colin Witchell (Bosun)

Thanks to Bob Sampson for running the races

Teatime Plate 1

There were only 2 competitors so the race was cancelled.

It was nice to see 3 other boats out on the water. Ian Chatterton came for a sail in his Enterprise. Two members from Instow brought their Comet Versa. And Leila took out her friend Rick in her Hartley 12.2 before the race. Hopefully we will see them again.

by Jane Anderson

Mandy Pollard

Barnwell 8

With 8 boats setting off in a light to moderate breeze, it was Brian Pollard and crew Cilla who were first away at the start line, with the Lasers of Nathan Pollard (Full Rig) and Jane Anderson (Radial) in hot pursuit.  These 3 stayed together as the fleet progressed up the lake, followed by a fleet of Bosuns in full racing challenge mode.  John Dabbs with crew Penny were first in this group until a wrong rounding of Home buoy (together with Graham Joyce in his Laser who joined them) meant that both boats had to undo their course and re-round the buoy correctly, thus loosing precious time!  In lap 2 Nathan extended a slender lead ahead of Jane and Bob. Colin and Louise Witchell were going very well in their Bosun in what was becoming tricky and gusty sailing conditions in the ENE’ly strengthening breeze.  At the top of the lake, Graham, in his full rig Laser, came to grief and capsized during one of the many  unpredictable gusts which were developing.  He did manage to right his boat and carry on his way, but eventually retired.  After the handicaps had been applied to the finishing times the results were as follows:

Sailboat 8

Bob Sampson (Laser Full) was first away this time, with Jane Anderson (Laser Radial) and Nathan Pollard (Laser Full) in pursuit.  Linder Spiller joined the fleet in her Laser Radial, but the gusty conditions had strengthened over the lunchtime period, making this race rather a fight to stay upright. The rapid oscillating gusty winds had come round more to the north as the developing afternoon sea breeze interacted with the prevailing Ene’ly.   This made racing quite a challenge at the northern end of the lake as the winds whipped up and then vanished just as quickly!  In lap 2 Jane lost ground rounding a mark the wrong way and then having to return to correct the error.  This led to a battle being set up between her and Linda Spiller in her Laser Radial.  Both by this time were struggling in the heavy gusts.  Meanwhile, John Dabbs and crew Penny were sailing very well and were now competing with the 2 ladies in their Laser R’s.  At the front of the fleet, Bob and Nathan were having their own battle for first place, Nathan nipping in and taking the lead at the last mark to attain first place!

Grateful thanks to Vicki Duncalf who was race officer for the day, and kept a steadfast lookout for us all as we made our way around the course in some quite challenging conditions!

Midweek Mug 3

by Adam Hilton

All morning the Lake had been glassy while a small posse (Leila, Louise, Geoff, technical assistant Roger) had been removing green mould and putrid snails from the Club’s Toppers, but when the race started, 1 pm, there was enough westerly wind to make sitting on the gunwale possible, most of the time at least. Nicky Buckett, the day’s Officer, was watching the start line hawklike, thinking that Adam Hilton’s Solo would cross it prematurely; but no, he was able to set off on the long beat to Pinkie unrepremanded. Linda Spiller took her Radial on a different line but was behind at Pinkie; she grabbed the lead at Dam Green and led at the end of the first lap. The position was reversed for the second lap but Linda was ahead again on the third after a racelong battle between the two.

It was the tacking up to Pinkie that made or broke many competitors’ races; how high did their boat point? Had they chosen the bit of the Lake which had the most wind just then? On the first lap John Dabbs, sailing his Bosun alone, emerged in third place in front of Geoff Floyd’s Solo and the Heasman/Perrett Bosun but on the next lap the single-hander’s – Geoff’s and Robin Spiller’s Streaker – took up third and fourth places in front of the Bosuns and they kept them until the end. The handicaps tried to reverse the position. Leila Farmer took out one of the newly cleaned Club Toppers and followed in a creditable seventh.

1. Adam Hilton (Solo)
2. Linda Spiller (Laser Radial)
3. John Dabbs (Bosun)
4. Geoff Floyd (Solo)
5. Roger Heasman and Dave Perrett (Bosun)
6. Robin Spiller (Streaker)
7. Leila Farmer (Topper)
8. John Buckett (Otter)
9. Colin and Louise Witchell (Bosun)

Midweek Mug 4

by John Buckett
A much reduced fleet of three boats went out for the second race, just sufficient to make a quorum for a race.  Nevertheless, there was still a sufficiently keen competitive spirit that two boats were over the line at the start and there was a general recall.  On the second time of asking, Linda Spiller was nail-bitingly close to again being OCS but in the end got it just right and made a very fast start.  The wind had strengthened considerably from the first race and John Dabbs was pleased to take on Dave Perrett as crew.  Not only was the wind gustier, but it was also quite shifty, with the north or north-westerly breeze alternating with sudden puffs from the west, probably caused by the sea breeze building in the strong sunshine.  Linda built on her good start to draw out a clear lead, but Geoff Floyd was also going well in the Solo to stay more-or-less in touch and had already passed Zebra as Linda approached Dam Green on the second lap.  The fluctuating wind direction meant that the course had a couple of awkward gybes on the return back from Pinkie via West and Middle  (at which booms didn’t always come across when expected) to keep the competitors on their toes, but all stayed upright. On the final lap, Linda caught a gust and made a very fast transit from West to Middle, sufficient to open up the lead over Geoff.  John and Dave looked to be sailing comfortably and might well have caught the Solo on handicap, but on rounding Dam Green to beat up to the finish line for the final time, John tacked early and the Bosun then hit a header and couldn’t quite make the line, so he had to put in a couple of slow tacks, probably sufficient to push him back to third place.

1. Linda Spiller (Laser Radial)
2. Geoff Floyd (Solo)
3. John Dabbs and Dave Perrett (Bosun)