2013 North West Icicle 7
Saturday 16th February 2013 - Glasson Sailing Club
Please click on the photos to see a larger one.
All photos kindly taken by John Wood
Overcast but nevertheless a nice day. The wind was SSE, force 1-2. Temperature round about 8 degrees C so much warmer this time.
Race 1 (4 in the Series)
Course: Ss - Bs - Gs - Ap - 18s - Ss, 3 laps
Jack led from the start but had problems rounding Mark G. Big John was next, that's him, the blue speck in the distance. He overtook Jack whilst Jack was struggling round G. Michael following Ian & John gradulally overtook them before the end of the first lap and stayed just ahead. David was struggling with rig problems and Chorley John needed a stronger wind.
Jack is still getting the feel of his new boat and eventually retired having been swimming a few times. Because of the different speeds of the dinghies we all try to race during the same conditions so some boats, the RS600 and the Enterprise have to do three laps, the Bosun and Topper two laps and The Scow and Hobbit one. Unfortunatley as Big John rounded the penultimate mark, the wind dropped and it took him ages to complete the last leg - he had been severely disadvantages by the vagaries of the system, which allowed Michael to win the first race on Handicap.
Here we are after the first race. The wind had almost died away, we were unsure whether to risk a second race, it was already a few minutes past High Water. We decided to race upstream on a one lap course.
Race 2 (5 in the Series)
Course: Sp - 18s - (ChablisMooring)s - (DirtyOrangeCan)s - the finish lin was between the orange can and the marker post on the apron; 1 lap
The race starts
Jack in control now of the RS600 crossed the finish line first following by Dad a few minutes later in his Enterprise. John & Ian in John's Bosun crossed the line ten minutes later. David in Peter's Scow abandoned the race and paddled in. Chorey John in his Hobbit nearly made it but the tide swept him past the finish gate and he had to retire and paddle in. Michael on his Topper wouldn't give in and eventually crossed the line twenty minutes later to finish. Jack, as well as being the first over the line, also won the race on handicap.
Courses
Michael is now leading the series, Slippers had to rest today because of a bad back.