The start was delayed. The OOD showed up late—blindsided by the start of BST. He got the course sorted eventually, with the sun beating down hard enough to scorch his forehead. Forecast said clouds. It lied. Blue skies, gusty winds, and the water glinting like glass. Perfect for racing.

Six boats launched for the Early Bird series. Jake, sharp off the line on a port tack, looked good near the yellow buoy. But it didn’t last. The Lasers and the Solution powered past, cutting him off like sharks in the shallows. Key’s Wayfarer trailed. At the horn, he was miles behind. Water to make up. Plenty of it.

First mark. The pack formed. Steve, Andrew, Jason, Garry, Jake, then Key. Andrew flipped, tumbling into the drink and clearing the way for Jason. Key clawed ahead of Jake on lap two. The final stretch was a showdown. Andrew pushed hard, gaining on Steve, nearly stealing second back from Jason. But Jason held him. Eight seconds. That’s all it took.

The wind teased during the break, fading before surging back just as the horn screamed for the second race. Gusts hit hard and fast, keeping everyone sharp. The tide wasn’t helping. Logs drifted toward Penarth like ghosts, messing with the beat near the yellow buoy. The start? Tight. Calls of “starboard” probably flew, but I couldn’t hear them from where I was.

First mark again. Steve in the lead. Andrew, Jason, Garry chasing. Jason made his move, pulling even with Andrew on the run. But Andrew wasn’t giving up. He regained control on the next reach. Steve? He didn’t falter. He took the win. Andrew and Jason followed. Key wrestled with his reefed sail and dropped behind Jake.

Will and Charles cleaned up the buoys. Boats docked. The clubhouse doors swung open. Race done.

Results

Only three boats -wind conditions NE force 1 so small course set. Both races Jason crossed the line first followed closely by Gary. These positions were maintained throughout both races. Trevor came down to rig his boat but failed to launch.

Results

It was a bright, sunny, yet crisp and cold Sunday morning for the latest instalment of the Early Bird Series at Sully. A decent turnout of Lasers, along with a variety of other boats, made for an exciting day on the water. Among them was new member Gary, who travelled down from Chepstow to take part in his first sail and race at Sully, aboard his Solution – drawn by the club’s reputation for top-quality sailing.

The breeze came in at a steady Force 3, gusting 4, with gusty and shifty offshore winds funnelling unpredictably over the land. Race Officer Carmel set a short upwind start followed by a port triangle course, which promised – and delivered – plenty of action.

Race 1:

Steve and Danny got off to the best start, with the usual hail of “Port! Port!” ringing out across the start line. Gary, in his Solution, rounded the first mark in third place, closely chased by Jason and Andy. Meanwhile, in the Slow fleet, Key – with a new crew onboard – took an early lead, followed by Trevor.

A tight battle unfolded between Steve, Danny, and Gary, all neck and neck until Jason executed a neat inside move on Danny to claim second place on that lap. However, the Solution was thwarted by the first gybe mark, which allowed the three Lasers to extend their lead.

The second lap saw fierce competition to the finish line. Danny led, but Jason’s clever port-starboard manoeuvre brought him right back into contention. In a nail-biting finish, Danny just managed to pip Jason by a single second. Gary followed in third, with Key next, and Tryggvi in the Topaz not far behind, learning the ropes but benefiting from the tide to chase down Trevor, while Andy gradually pulled ahead.

Race 2:

As the wind picked up, several boats retired after the first race, leading to a smaller fleet and a more subdued second race. Nevertheless, the competition between Steve and Jason remains fierce as they continue to battle for series supremacy, with Steve holding the early advantage after securing two wins.

Overall, it was an exciting day on the water, marked by strong performances, close racing, and some clever tactical moves – with many looking forward to next week’s continuation of the series.

Results

Results

Jason was the only sailor who turned up! With the agreement of the race crew who all were present Steve volunteered to sail and make it a race. In the blazing sun and a surprisingly strong F2 from the east the races were decided by the back tide, seaweed and holes in the wind and Steve got the better of them to win both by a small margin. Thanks to Alun and Trev who manned the Jeanneau and to Trev for the photo.

Results