Pleasant weather for the time of year. A good F4 north-easterly at the start of the first race promised some exciting racing.

And so it was for the first race. Danny, Steve and Neil fought it out for the lead over the whole 4 laps of the race. Jake, in the family Topaz Race X, would have been in the mix if he hadn’t capsized on the third leg leaving him with too much catching up to do. The three leading Lasers swapped positions several times with Steve and Danny swapping the lead each lap. Steve led at the start of the last leg, but Danny got the better of the shifts and squeezed him out at the finish.

Andrew Evans in his catamaran and Andy Townsend (Laser) both sailing for the first time this year were able to shake off the winter blues but not trouble the leaders.

Just as the the second race started the wind died to a force 2-3 and swung to the east removing the beat, which turned into a fetch, so there was no close racing and Danny pulled well clear of Neil who pulled well clear of Steve. Jake didn’t capsize, stayed not far behind and got 2nd place on handicap. Laurence held off the Andrews to finish in 5th.

The discards have kicked in with a vengeance. Steve is now only just in the lead in the fast fleet series with Danny close behind and Robin in 3rd. Teilo leads the slow fleet with Laurence 2nd and Jake 3rd.

Results

A north-easterly wind, plus 45 degree wind shifts; force 2 inshore, gusting to force 4 further out with a highish high tide 20 minutes after the start made for some interesting racing.

Race 1: Danny set a reaching start and the fleet was split about where to start. Aran started by the yellow mark, Steve in the middle of the line and Neil and Pete near the shore with the Teilo and Pietro just behind. Steve was first to the first mark closely followed by Aran, Neil and Pete. Neil fell out and capsized at the second mark and then had a job to pass Pete on the beat before setting off to catch the leaders.

Teilo was suffering on the beats getting a lot of weather-helm with two in the boat. However, downwind with the spinnaker up the boat was flying.

Aran and Steve split on the beats with Aran going left, staying further out in the stronger wind but against the tide, and caught Steve on the beats but with Steve gaining a few metres downwind. On the second lap Aran passed ahead of Steve and tacked to cover but Steve managed to get the inside line at the windward mark and re-passed Aran with the help of the tide. On the third beat both boats headed right, tacking on the wind shifts with Aran gaining and then losing the lead, but both ending up way off course not noticing that Neil, sailing the fastest course inshore, had caught up. There was then a frantic dash for the finishing line with Steve, Aran and Neil finishing in that order, less than one boat length apart.

Pietro finished a creditable last in the slowest boat, and suffering from the cold decided to call it a day.

Race 2 started the same: again Aran started at the yellow but with significantly stronger tide, Steve in the middle and Neil, Pete and Teilo near the shore in less wind . Steve again got to the first mark first, ahead of Neil, followed by Pete with Aran trailing, struggling against the tide

Teilo and Jake struggled even more to get to the mark, taking 14 minutes by which time the faster boats were coming round a second time.

Aran passed Pete on the reach and was the first to tack off on the beat. Steve and Neil ended up in a hole in the wind allowing Aran to get the lead at the end on the first lap, with Steve and Neil in very close pursuit.

Pete had dropped back on the beat and Teilo was finished after one lap to save him from having the ordeal to the first mark for a second time.

Aran, Steve and Neil were close for the whole of the second lap but positions didn’t change until the third lap reach when Steve got a gust before Aran and sailed past, starting the last beat in the lead. From then on it was tactical with Steve covering Aran but making sure that Neil didn’t get past and the three finished again within seconds in the same order.

In the series, with two discards added for effect, Steve is clear ahead but things are close over the next 4 places.

Race report with thanks to Danny with his copious notes on the back of the race sheets.

Results

Andy’s forecast was partially right. We had glorious sunshine, at least initially, but the light breeze was replaced by a force 4-5 westerly which made things tricky for some.

In the first race Steve and Danny were close up the beat until Steve’s extra weight allowed him to pull ahead. Danny surged back on the run and was just behind at mark 2 but his traveller block kinked and jammed on the gybe allowing Steve to get away enough to stay away for first place. Behind, all sorts of things were happening. Jake and Teilo in Teilo’s new Topaz Race X were fast upwind but short spinnaker sheets prevented them from flying the spinnaker downwind (well that was their story!).

On lap three Pete somehow passed Robin on the beat to the first mark. Although Robin came back on the run he couldn’t quite get an overlap before Pete shut the door at the gybe mark in a move reminiscent of Max Verstappen. Unlike Max he was still trying to gather in his main sheet once round the mark which left Robin, who had much better cornering speed, nowhere to go and there was (allegedly) contact between bow and rudder.

Having been brake checked, things went from bad to worse for Robin as he capsized a lap later he finished 5th, behind Teilo in 3rd and Pete 4th.

In second race, Pete obviously felt bad for Robin so decided to give him a head start by wrapping his tiller extension in the mainsheet and capsizing seconds before the start. Although Pete managed to overhaul Jake and Teilo, Robin stubbornly refused to repeat his capsize and stayed ahead to finish 3rd with Teilo in 4th and Pete 5th. Lawrence’s dogged determination earned him a sixth place

Things are going Steve’s way in the series but it’s much too early to call and anything could happen.

Finally thanks to Jean and Neil who helped with our trolleys in their dry clothes, as we were short of a slipway volunteer, and got wet feet. Your dedication saved our day.

Results

It must have been the warmest day of the year so far but the wind was not so great. The promised south-westerly force 4-5 was dying as the 5 boats launched and faded to Force 2-3 for most of the morning, dropping to nothing as Carmel tried in vain to finish her second lap of the second race.

The course was set large in anticipation of a good breeze. The first race saw Steve, Neil and Robin in Lasers and Charles in his Scorpion fighting for the lead in close racing dominated by the strong tide which varied across the long legs. Steve pulled ahead but it was all to play for for the other 3 until the last mark in very strong tide. Robin ended 2nd with Neil close behind in 3rd. Carmel put on a late charge to finish 4th.

The wind swung more southerly for the second race and Charles pulled into the lead. As the wind started to veer he misjudged the racing line letting Steve past for another first place. Robin and Neil fought a close battle for 3rd with Robin finishing in front.

Steve leads the series with Robin 2nd and Charles in 3rd.

Results

The Final races of the Transom series were sailed in gentle North easterly but bitterly cold breeze. Bob set the courses for an easterly approach but with the wind abeam for a flying start. Three participants braved the conditions, Nick Speller in a Topaz, Carmel Roston in the Laser radial and Steve in the Laser standard.

Race one saw all three off to a good start with Carmel first off the line, but then strangely slowing to allow Nick and Steve through. Carmel caught up and over took Nick but could not catch Steve enough to make her handicap advantage count. On handicap a relatively close three and a half minutes separated the three boats.

Race two was a good start by all three again, this time Carmel hanging on to her lead, and holding off Steve for the best part of three laps on the water and even more so on handicap.

Carmel then went wide at the windward mark allowing Steve to capitalise and sneak through. Meanwhile Nick was serenely sailing around with his unique reclining/hiking style yet still managing to close the gap between himself and Steve to just one and half minutes on handicap.

Carmel beat Steve by just six seconds on handicap which ironically was same amount of time she now beat Robin into second in the slow fleet and…..up to third in the overall series, with just 0.5 points separating 3^rd 4^th and fifth places overall. Nick clinched third place in the slow fleet pushing flu-smitten Danny C into fourth. Well done all – good racing. and thanks to Carmel for the mince pies and to Bob for shortening the course and letting the freezing Safety boat crew in a bit earlier.

Results

A freezing cold gusty north-easterly and still four hardy sailors wanted to sail. Carmel, Steve and Nick needed the races to qualify. Teilo just wanted to prove that with a half decent sail (he chose the best mylar sail the club has to offer) he could leave the rest of the slow fleet in his wake.

Nick and Carmel’s starts played into Teilo’s hands and although Carmel managed to pass him, she capsized and Nick, despite a late surge, couldn’t catch him. Teilo won the slow fleet race and decided to quit while ahead and not sail the second race.

As the wind and gustiness increased (F6-7 at Nell’s Point and Flatholm) Nick pulled ahead of Carmel who chased hard until the tiller on the ‘new’ club boat jammed on the gybe and she ended up standing on the upturned hull (which didn’t let in any water!). Meanwhile Steve enjoyed the screaming reaches with no other fast fleet to get in the way (and won both races).

Overall, the fast fleet is now settled with Steve in first; Danny P close behind in second, but unable to make up the difference, and Neil in third. In the slow fleet there is all to play for. Robin has enough races to qualify and is lying in first, but Carmel could overturn that if she sails next week. If she doesn’t and Nick does, he has a chance of second place unless Danny C pulls something out of the bag. If Nick and Carmel don’t sail, then Danny will retain his second place.

Results

No race report unless I get one from someone who was there. Danny was first, Aran second and Neil third in both.

Overall Steve is lying first in the Fast Fleet, with Danny P second, Neil 3rd and Charles 4th. Robin leads the Slow Fleet with Danny C in second, counting only those who are currently qualifying. To qualify you need to count 7 races sailed, and with potentially 4 races to go and two more discards those who have sailed 5 races can still qualify if they turn up for the next two Sundays. It’s not over yet!

Results

Only 5 boats sailed on a sunny morning with a F4-5 easterly. It would have been 6, but Lawrence decided the conditions were against him. Nigel in the Topper made a blistering start in the slacker tide inshore and passed in front of the Lasers to be first at the first mark. Danny pulled ahead followed by Steve who got past on the beat and pulled away. Danny chased hard – too hard, and capsized allowing Steve to finish ahead on the water, but not by enough to beat Nigel on handicap.

The wind dropped to F3-4 and veered to offshore for the second race, and with a close reach for the start Danny and Steve didn’t give Nigel the opportunity to get ahead this time. They were neck and neck around the first mark and then Steve pulled ahead – this time by enough of a margin to beat Nigel on handicap. He came second with Danny third again.

Overall Steve leads the series ahead of Danny and Nigel, who leads the slow fleet. Neil is lying third in the fast fleet, Robin is second in the slow fleet with Carmel (who needs more races to get in the prizes) in third.

Results

The waves were big, not as huge as last week, but the wind was blowing F4 with more forecast. Thanks to Pete and Chris D on the slipway all the boats were launched successfully but as the wind increased there were some early capsizes, including Neil, who after a dodgy manoeuvre at the start proceeded to do his turns vertically through the water rather than horizontally on the water. As a result he was well behind at the first mark. Steve survived Neil’s onslaught to reach the first mark just behind Danny, but powered through his lea on the reach. Robin was not far behind in a Radial.

As the wind increased to F5 gusting 6 the run became challenging for most and only Steve and Robin stayed upright, finishing first and second. Danny was third and Neil fourth, despite being lapped.

The wind continued to increase and the second race started with Neil ahead of Steve. Danny decided to call it a day and Neil disappeared into a wave on the run leaving Steve in the lead with Robin chasing… until the Force 8 Gale came in. With only one boat upright Rex decided to abandon the race to the relief of most.

Thanks to the sterling work by Chris P and Alun in the Patrol Boat all boats safely reached shore with a few tales to tell.

Overall, Steve moves into the lead, with Danny in second and Robin, leading the slow fleet, in third.

Results

I need some help with a proper write-up, but Danny won both races, Robin beat Neil to second with a late surge in the first race. Neil got his second in the second race, but Robin lost out to Pete Wells who finished 3rd.

Overall Danny leads the series on the same points as Steve, with Nigel third.

Results