Nine boat crews turned up to race but two of them decided it was too windy. However seven boats took to the water. It was blowing NE 4 to 6, generally four or 5 but periods at 6 – WILD ! Below is a typical scene!

The first race was full of incident. Nick, Blaze, and Robert, Laser Radial, were over the line at the start – too busy jostling with each other to notice the tide sweeping them over the line. Giles, Blaze, capsized several times finally getting his mast stuck in the sand approaching the second mark (Course was into the wind to the large mooring buoy leaving it to port, then 18 to port and A to port and back through the line – 3 laps). Giles was struggling and the race was abandoned as Andy and Ryan (Contenders) went to his aid in the Rescue Boat. At this point Frank, Dart 15, was leading Ivan, Laser, but it was getting so wild I, acting OOD, abandoned the race, put my drysuit on and helped recover/take care of the dinghies whilst Andy and Ryan were looking after Giles. (I had gone up to race but I was one of the two that decided it was too windy.)

Giles, having been stationary for several minutes, felt a huge bang and then started to drift upstream on the tide, meanwhile Andy and Ryan were working to get the Rescue Boat on to the water. Giles, fearing the worst, assumed his mast had broken but he was relieved to find when Andy and Ryan got to him that it was still in one piece. Once he got his boat ashore he discovered that the only damage was the forestay anchorage had broken loose.

With the wind gauge now reading 26 knots and everyone happy, Nick and Robert were determined to start the second race! This time they were both well behind the line and had a terrific time fighting the wind and the tide to complete the three laps. Nick won but only because Robert missed out the penultimate mark.

Nick just ahead of Robert in the first race.

Nine boats came to race – things are looking up at last.

Hopefully next weekend we’ll have the return of the Toppings ! And Mark Bamber.

All being well Andy & Helen Speer are going for race training in their GP14 Staunton Harold SC, Derbyshire on Saturday 21st April.

Just for the record I had my first sale last Saturday (the 24th), a reefed mainsail and a firefly jib on the GP14

First Race: (Positions at point of abandonment)

Second Race

Results Table so far