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

8 boats (7 slow fleet and one fast fleet!) prepared to sail in no wind but with huge waves on the slipway. Nick was first to launch and was quickly swept back onto the slipway with some damage to the boat. Learning from this everyone was launched successfully but Nick again ended up under water.

Results

A good southerly wind (depending on your point of view) – Force 5-6 at Nells Point, big waves (well, big for Sully Bay) and a Laser course. What more could a Laser sailor ask for? Well, Charles would ask for a club boat that doesn’t leak and fall apart, but he’s been promised that for next week, sort of.

In the first race, after a close fought beat, Neil thought he’d got to the first mark ahead, but he tacked too close and the tide took him onto it. Steve and Arun fought it out on the run and the reach until Steve slipped inside and there the positions stayed until the end with Andrew chasing them down. The second race was closer. Neil tried the same thing on the first beat and got away with it but was passed by Arun with Steve in 3rd. All 3 stayed close for the rest of the race until Arun hit a mark and lost his first place doing his turns. Neil held on until Steve managed to slip through into the lead just before the final leg and Arun came charging through to finish 2nd equal with Robin, who had a storming race in his Radial.

Danny C, who was the only non-Laser sailor, remains in overall first in the series in a Topaz.

Results

Danny Clugston leads the Transom Series – more to follow…

Results