When we arrived the wind was howling and the waves looked huge. Was this going to be the 3rd Summer Series racing in a row to be called off? By 2:30 it was looking as if the wind was dropping and the gusts were at the bottom end of Force 6 so six boats got ready to launch with 3 Lasers (Andy, Robin and Jason) – all opting for a Radial rig, Andrew in his Cat, Steve in his RS700 (should have opted for a Radial) and Nigel in a Topper.

Racing got underway late after the wheel fell off the Patrol Boat and some exciting launching. By now the expected decrease in wind strength had changed to an increase, with gusts at the top end of Force 6. Nigel and Andrew relished the conditions but the rest of the fleet didn’t and all ended up retiring.

The second race was abandoned as the 2 competitors remaining thought that 2 boats didn’t make a race. They hadn’t read the Sailing Instructions which clearly state that you can have a race with 2 boats, but maybe that was just an excuse…

The discards have now been applied and Nigel leads the series with Neil in 2nd and Steve (Radial) in 3rd. Early days yet; if these windy Sundays don’t continue we might get some more races in.

Results

A total of six boats turned up for what initially look like it was going to be afloat about, but in the run-up to the start, just enough of a breeze swept in for a decent start.
The fast fleet was a battle of the laser sailors, Jason testing out his brand-new purchase Csaba jury rigging a club boat with a full rig for the light conditions. Neil struck off first, with Rex and his mirror in the slow fleet the only boat to start on port. We had some wide angles to the first Windward mark but Neil’s roll racks paid off and he stuck off ahead, with Jason rounding next.

In the slow fleet Rex came unstuck with his port tack, and was drifting with the tide, meanwhile, Kaia and Pete, sharing a topper made a tenacious effort towards the Windward mark, but it was Jean who made it round in 2nd and building confidence he was soon leading the slow fleet until the end, when Rex caught and passed him on the last lap.

Race 2 began with a good start by all boats, and a bigger triangular course was set, as the breeze that filled in at the start of race 1 was now holding. Pete having swapped helming duties with his daughter struck off with the lasers to leave the mirrors in a race of their own, but it was Neil who rounded the windward mark in first, with Jason and Csaba in a close battle for second place, the topper bringing in 4th, Rex 5th and Jean not too far behind in 6th.

Results

14 Boats competed for the two trophies on offer today: The Watler Cup for the Fast fleet and the Centripump for the slow. A record turnout for the year-to-date on the windiest day of the year-to-date. So windy that some of the older members of the Laser fleet decided to race with Radial rigs! It was blowing from the north-east 20 knots, gusting to 27 knots at Nells Point.

The 2 leading Lasers (Danny and Neil – Fast Fleet) and Radials (Aran and Steve – Slow Fleet) set off in a tight knit group and stayed close for the first 2 laps while Robin and Lawrence in the Dart 18 sailed off into the distance and Nigel and Jake in Toppers stayed too close for comfort. By the third lap Danny was tiring and Neil capsized and got stuck in irons (head to wind) for several minutes allowing Danny to get ahead. Steve finished first of the group of Lasers and with an advantage of 3 seconds on handicap beat Nigel to the Centripump Cup, with Arun in third. First in the Fast Fleet and winner of the Watler Cup, was Robin in the Dart 18 – fourth overall.

Half the boats stayed to sail the second race. Steve and Neil fought it out at the front with Neil pulling ahead and finishing first on the water but behind Nigel and Steve on handicap. This time Nigel beat Steve by 3 seconds and takes the lead in the series on account of the results of the last race taking precedence if points and places are equal.

Results

Sailors were greeted with a fresh north easterly breeze veering back and forth to northerly.

Nice flat waters and lovely sunshine with the tide having turned.

Race officer took the decision to set a course with beat off the start line with a short leg to the windward (ish) mark and then a reach, run reach and beat rectangular course.

Danny P was first off the mark being chased by Steve and Arran in the lasers  and Andrew in the Topaz Cat. Andrew was clear first to the first down wind mark flying his kite all the way but the pack of lasers caught up and overtook by the end of the windward leg.

Lap two saw Pete Wells capsize right in fron of the club house, and struggling to right the beast on his own.

Meanwhile at the back Carl and Aiden were battling it out with Danny C in the topazes. Difficult decision making for some …hug the shore and keep out the tide or seek wind further out, The Topazes did the former. Steve Danny and Arran had a close fought tussle but Steve got line honours,  with Danny 3 secs ahead of Arran….or so we thought but Danny P hit the finishing buoy and lost out , and was DSQ as he chose not to do the penalty turns !

In the slow fleet Danny C was ahead of Carl by just five seconds

Race two found the race officer regretting his decision to create a windward start and had to remove the Fisrt windward mark due to lack of water . The reaching start favour the cats and Andrew shot off the line ahead of the lasers. Not for long as the sea breeze started to counter the Northerly and soon all five lasers were nicely bunched together on the down wind leg.

This was another Laser duelling race, Steve, Danny and Arran in that order and after several lead changes. In the slow fleet a nail biting finish saw Carl and Aiden stall about ten feet from the finish line with Danny C bearing down on them ! They crawled across the line 15 seconds ahead of Danny. Nail biting stuff !

Overall Steve wins the Fast fleet ahead of Danny and Neil. Carmel in a Laser Radial finishes 4th overall and wins In the Slow Fleet. There were no other qualifiers who sailed the 10 races necessary (out of 22).

Results

It was blowing F4-5 from the west southwest and only 5 boats ventured out. The two race favourites in the Fast Fleet, Steve and Danny, and the two race favourites in the Slow Fleet, Carmel and Teilo, with Andrew in his Cat to make up the numbers.

Danny had the better start and first beat and led round the first mark. Steve was following closely, but couldn’t get past until the second lap beat when his superior weight got the better of Danny. Steve pulled away but Danny held on and closed the gap in the final lap.

In the second race Steve had a slight lead over Danny at the end of the first beat but lost it on the downwind leg and regained it on the next leg. Steve pulled well ahead on the second beat and Danny was about 100m behind at the windward mark, but as the wind dropped for Steve on the downwind leg Danny came flying on a huge gust and it was neck and neck round the next mark. As Danny took the faster line and edged past Steve on the inside, Steve took risks letting his sail right out on the run, but didn’t see the next huge gust which tipped him in to a windward capsize. With the finish at the end of that lap Steve was not able to catch Danny who finished in first.

So, one first each and the Fast Fleet results remain with Danny one point behind with two races to go. Steve needs one first to win the series but if Danny gets two next week, or one and beats Steve in the last race, he takes it! Neil appears safe in third, but Robin could get the place if he does well next week.

In the Slow Fleet Carmel has enough races and points to clinch first place. Teilo needs two more races to claim the second place prize.

Results

I don’t know what happened in the racing except that the wind was all over the place. Two new boats made an appearance: Nicolas Dirr in a Laser and Robin Wilkinson sailing his Dart 18 and letting Neil get a clear lead for 3rd Laser in the series.

Overall things are closing in. 4 more races to sail and Danny is now only one point behind Steve for the lead in the Fast Fleet. No one can catch them but Robin, Aran and Jake could take 3rd place away from Neil. The latter 2 would need to sail all the remaining races with good results. Carmel is currently the only qualifier in the Slow Fleet (just) but Teilo and Lawrence could be in for a prize, even first, if they sail all four races.

Results

No time for a write-up but everyone went the wrong way in both races except for the slow fleet in the second race, who have been given a first and second place overall. Nigel the OOD relented and allowed the other results to stand so Danny is closing the gap.

Results

From Matt in the Commentary Box: “Calm sailing conditions today as the first race commenced. Charles didn’t have the best of starts but made up for this on the first leg. A close race between Jake and Danny, with Jake pulling out all the stops at the end to take the win”.

Danny takes over the story: “I started inshore on starboard but the wind had backed to the south & everyone crossed ahead of me on port. I managed to catch & pass everyone, but just after mark 2 the wind the wind dropped to nothing, I followed Steve out into the tide looking for wind on the leg back across the bay, but suffered in the tide and Aran & Jake inshore were getting ahead. Then I got the wind and came together with them at mark 3, then I screwed up the gybe & missed the mark, had to back around it, was then quite far behind. I kept chasing through the next lap until at the same point leg before finishing leg, Aran got hit by a gust/wave & capsized. Jake went on to win with me 2nd”.

Back to Matt: “Danny had a false start in Race 2 and had to return to the beginning but despite this he still managed to pass everyone and regain pole position on the first lap. An increasing wind was to Aran’s advantage allowing him to take the win. Charles had a great first leg but capsized on the second, filled his boat with water and was forced to retire”.

Danny again: “Nigel called me over so I went back to restart, so again started behind. I caught up and passed everyone again and got ahead with Jake 2nd. I think Aran capsized on the 2nd gybe mark but later Aran caught back up taking advantage of his size & power both upwind and on the reach. I stayed ahead, although he was catching up, until mark 2, the inshore gybe of the last lap. I got the main caught and capsized after the gybe. Aran sailed past to win, I got 2nd about 40 seconds behind”.

The safety boat was kept busy with the official count of eight capsizes in total.

Overall, Steve is still ahead with Danny in second and Neil third in the fast fleet. We now do have qualifiers in the slow fleet with Carmel leading Teilo, but these two, Pete and Robin need to sail next week to keep their places or fall out of qualifying. Aran and Jake have great results but need more races. With 8 races left in the series and 10 to count everything is still up for grabs.

Results

There was no wind as the 5 Lasers launched and even less at the start. Nevertheless most were on or over the start line when the hooter went. Jake and Steve stormed off to the first mark leaving the others trailing, especially Danny who went back over the line to restart. The wind then went vague and the second leg became a beat. This allowed Danny to move into 3rd while Jake and Steve fought it out at the front. Steve had the edge until a huge lump of weed on his mainsheet caused his race to falter and Jake crept ahead for the win.

The easterly wind which had set in increased slightly so a second race went ahead with a reversed and much smaller course with a huge tide effect. I can’t remember the positions at the end of the first lap, but by the end of the first leg of the second lap they had reversed and Danny had taken the lead with Neil in hot pursuit. Neil hit a Mark and had to do a turn, letting Steve and Jake through and that was the way things stood going into the 3rd lap (Yes, a third lap!). Things remained close in positions 2 to 4 but Steve held on to take 2nd with Jake third and Danny well in front in first.

The series is between Steve and Danny in the fast fleet with a tight race for 3rd. The slow fleet haven’t been turning up (except to take videos).

Results

Results