by Roger Heasman

Teatime Tankard 3

With a grey afternoon where we had been promised rain strong wind and gusts, seven intrepid racers took to the water all sporting a variety of sail sizes to address the wind.

As it happened the wind never did gather the ferocity expected, however there were some nasty backing gusts which kept the sailors on their toes interspaced with moments of almost becalming!

The race started with Sue Murray in her Laser, sporting the smallest 4.7 sail rig getting away well and never being headed and gradually pulling away from the rest of the fleet. Dave Longfellow also got off to a good start also using the smaller cut of sail on his Solo.

This left four Bosuns with Colin and Louise Witchell in their Bosun opting for the smaller sail rig and newcomer Wendy Thurlow racing one of the clubs toppers with a reefed sail.

Roger Heasman with Wendy’s husband Rick as crew started closer to the shore than the other two fully rigged Bosuns and it looked a good move as all the boats headed for the White West buoy. However Adam Hilton in his Bosun with crew Penny Abbott made an earlier tack for the buoy and managed to steam past Roger to become lead Bosun, with John Dabbs and guest crew Nigel’s Bosun not far behind. Unfortunately for Colin and Louise the smaller sails on their Bosun didn’t do justice to their sailing skill and gradually they fell back in the fleet.

Wendy in the meantime was getting used to a dinghy that she had not sailed before and a couple of times got marooned when the wind backed and left her without any water speed!

The tussle between the three fully rigged Bosuns continued throughout the race, but Roger blotted his copybook by twice hitting Dam Green Buoy and having to do 360 degree penalty turns.

After completing four laps the on the water (as a Novice helm Wendy completed 3) the corrected result, was

1. Sue Murray (Laser 4.7)
2. Adam Hilton & Penny Abbott (Bosun)
3. Roger Heaseman & Rick Thurlow
4. John Dabbs and Nigel Springett
5. Dave Longfellow (Solo reefed)
6. Colin and Louise Witchell (Bosun reefed)
7. Wendy Thurlow (Topper reefed)

Teatime Plate 6

Unfortunately the second race of the afternoon reduced down to 4 boats, as the rest of the fleet had become too fatigued by battling to really inconsistent wind gusts and Sue Murray’s lack of race fitness!

The intrepid four remaining boats of John Dabbs and crew Nigel Springett, Dave Longfellow, Wendy Thurlow and Roger Heasman with crew Rick took to the start line with reduced  wind strength. Wendy, having been frustrated by the Toppers lack of handling with the reefed rig chose to go for the full rig whilst Dave stayed with the lesser rig on the Solo. The race started with the Dabbs Bosun getting away 1^st followed by the Heasman Bosun with Dave in close contention and Wendy following in Dave’s wake.

As the race progressed both Dave and Wendy fell back from the two Bosuns with the Dabbs Bosun maintaining its lead and the Heasman Bosun trying desperately   to catch up with it.

The race was shortened to three laps due to the loss of wind and incoming light rain with a minor disagreement between the two lead Bosuns skippers, as to what the final result would have been, had a 4^th lap taken place!

All in all it was a thoroughly enjoyable afternoons racing for the participants.

1. John Dabbs & Nigel Springett (Bosun)
2. Roger Heasman & Rick Thurlow (Bosun)
3. Dave Longfellow (Solo reefed)
4. Wendy Thurlow (Topper)

Many thanks to Penny as Officer of the Day and for doing a Le Mans type racing  sprint start to Bosun, after pressing the 5 minute horn for the start of the first race!

by Adam Hilton

Teatime Tankard 2

Fourteen sailors in nine boats started the race on the far side of the start line with the aim of getting to Pinkie in as few tacks as possible. The single-handers got away first; Sue Murray (Laser Radial) leading Adam Hilton (Solo), Linda Spiller (Laser Full) and Robin Spiller (Streaker). Then came the bigger boats. Bob Sampson and Rick Thurlow in the Club’s dark blue Bosun crossed the line the first of these. They were followed by Leila Farmer with Wendy in the Hartley 12, Ian Chatterton and Katie in the Enterprise, John Dabbs with Nigel crewing his Bosun and Louise helming the Witchell Bosun.  At Pinkie the first three were still close and on the way to West John Dabbs and Leila Farmer swapped places more than once.

The winds were if anything even more fickle than of late, quite capable of swinging from north-westerly to south-easterly for a few moments, causing all sorts of involuntary gibes, switches from running to beating and the reverse.

Heading from West to Zebra Linda Spiller had managed to take over the lead, with Adam Hilton getting past Sue Murray and Robin Spiller in touch at the rear of this group. Bob Sampson still led the double-handers but at this stage he had Ian Chatterton on his heels.

Linda Spiller retained her lead but on lap 3 Sue Murray slipped past Adam Hilton and kept the place. Robin Spiller continued to lap in fourth but John Dabbs managed to get past Bob Sampson to finish fifth on the water and with a finishing time around five minutes after the leader, the handicaps gave him the victory.

1. John Dabbs and Nigel (Bosun)
2. Adam Hilton (Solo)
3. Bob Sampson and Rick Thurlow (Bosun)
4. Linda Spiller (Laser Full)
5. Sue Murray (Laser Radial)
6. Robin Spiller (Streaker)
7. Colin and Louise Witchell (Bosun)
8. Ian Chatterton and Katie (Enterprise)
9. Leila Farmer and Wendy (Hartley 12)

Teatime Plate 5

The fleet was reduced to four boats. Sue Murray again got away first with the Dabbs Bosun, now crewed by Leila Farmer, second, and Linda Spiller third. Bob Sampson’s Bosun was delayed getting off the pontoon and sailed straight to the start line. Coming back from Pinkie to West, Sue Murray was managing to keep her lead over Linda Spiller and that situation remained for the four laps of the race with the two boats finishing four seconds apart. On the other hand the Dabbs Bosun’s lead over the Sampson boat tended to lengthen and was more than three minutes at the end.

1. John Dabbs and Leila Farmer (Bosun)
2. Sue Murray (Laser Radial)
3. Linda Spiller (Laser Full)
4. Bob Sampson and Rick Thurlow (Bosun)

Many thanks were given to Roger Heasman, who generously took over as Officer of the Day.

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.