In fact there was possibly everything apart from what is expected in terms of April showers – sleet, hail, bright sunshine and a cold breeze.

Sleet/snow and gale force winds on Saturday morning put many off apart from Mike Moore who had travelled up from Preston led the fleet in both races and won both on handicap from Sam Hall and Roy Blackburn. By the second race the wind had eased so much that Robbie D shortened the course to make sure it didn’t become a drifter.

Sunday was equally strange weather wise, bright sunshine with a good force 2/3, but the threat of sleet or hail didn’t seem too far away. With Mike Moore as OD and Neil Currie as official starter for the day, it was recommended to be over the line. However, Dave Nicholson was and was hailed back, but Mike Fairlamb must have had a conscience of some sort as he too went back even though he was clear of the line! However it did not seem to affect him too much as he was soon on Dave Lawson’s tail. On the final beat Dave went one way, and Mike the other which made all the difference and Mike finished first with a good lead.

In the handicap fleet, consistency ruled; the adjusted handicap positions matched the finishing order on the water for both races, with Robbie D securing two firsts.

Latest results:

HANDICAP DODD TROPHY

PN    Boat  Helm          Class        1   2   3 Pts
 1    1072  R DAWSON      RS400        2   1   1   2
 2    2324  R BLACKBURN   LARK         1   2   2   3
 3  160516  T CHITTENDEN  LAS        DNS   3   3   6
 4  130579  S HALL        LASER RADI   4   4   4   8
 5     103  A NICHOLSON   VARIO      DNS   5   5  10
 6    1049  M SOMERVILLE  RS400        3 DNS DNS  12
 7    3473  M MOORE       FF         DNS  OD DNS  13
 8     937  W CARRUTHERS  RS400        5 DNS DNS  14

                     Points for RTD =  6   6   6
                     Points for DSQ =  6   6   6
                     Points for DNS =  9

 2 races to count

GP14 MUSTARD POT

PN    Boat  Helm          Class        1   2   3 Pts
 1   13176  D LAWSON      GP           1   2   1   2
 2   13885  M FAIRLAMB    GP           2   1   2   3
 3   13867  D NICHOLSON   GP         DNS   3   3   6
 4   13733  A HODGKINS    GP           3 DNS DNS  10
 5   13874  J TELFORD     GP          OD DNS DNS  10
 6   13655  N LEWIS       GP           4 DNS DNS  11

                     Points for RTD =  5   4   4
                     Points for DSQ =  5   4   4
                     Points for DNS =  7

 2 races to count

Is this a sign of things to come? The second racing day of the season was only slightly less windy than the first. Steve Hunt took Kayla out in the RS400 to see if she still likes it before changing fleet from the lark. Just as well she’s used to capsizing as, yes, they ended up in the water again, and her shorty didn’t afford any protection to those knees, which had quite a glow when she returned to shore.

Racing was slightly delayed while various sailors plucked up the courage to put up sails and get on the water. William and Elaine opted for afternoon tea with Bridget! Mike Fairlamb had competition (in the nicest sense of the word) in the GPs from the Hodgkins boys, although they tried their best to catch him up, the odd couple of capsizes did not help them and they retired.

Robbie D and Toggle took the lead in the handicap fleet, but Steve and Ruth pulled through to finish with a good lead. Roy took Kayla for her second swim of the day – what would her knees be like now? Scumper jack went out to play in the second race with Phil Hodgkins, and they were to capsize before the start. Robbie D led the first beat but capsized just before the leeward mark. Although Steve was second at that stage, it was to be Scumper that led the following beat. An early gybe on to a gust just after the windward mark seemed to be a good move, but the gust strangthened, they didn’t sit back, and went swimming. Again, Steve held second place while Robbie D took the lead! The final result was Robbie D, Scumper and Steve.

Sunday was not so pleasant – wet, cold and generally windless! The wind seemed to fill in before the start but by the end of the first beat it had faded to a drifter. Scumper took an early lead but Robin pulled through on the final run to win by a smidgen. In the GPs, Lyn and David Lawson made a triumphant return, winning the morning race. The afternoon pennant, which was held in drifting conditions for the first hour to the windward mark, but when rounding for the return home, the wind swung back to the north and started to fill in. William and Jonathan had secured a small lead by the windward mark, but nowhere near sufficient to win on handicap, and the change of wind direction did nothing to help them out. Nigel and Cecile, in a GP, won overall when the results were calculated on a personal handicap basis.

HANDICAP BARF PLATE

PN    Boat  Helm          Class        1   2 Pts
 1    1072  R DAWSON      RS400        2   1   3
 2    1210  S HUNT        RS400        1   3   4
 3    1049  M SOMERVILLE  RS400      DNS   2   7
 4    2324  R BLACKBURN   LARK       RTD DNS   9

                     Points for RTD =  4   4
                     Points for DSQ =  4   4
                     Points for DNS =  5

 2 races to count

HANDICAP DODD TROPHY

PN    Boat  Helm          Class        1 Pts
 1    2324  R BLACKBURN   LARK         1   1
 2    1072  R DAWSON      RS400        2   2
 3    1049  M SOMERVILLE  RS400        3   3
 4  130579  S HALL        LASER RADI   4   4
 5     937  W CARRUTHERS  RS400        5   5

                     Points for RTD =  6
                     Points for DSQ =  6
                     Points for DNS =  6

 1 races to count

GP14 SPRING CUP

PN    Boat  Helm          Class        1 Pts
 1   13885  M FAIRLAMB    GP           1   1
 2  213142  R HODGKINS    RS400      RTD   3
 3   13655  N LEWIS       GP          OD   3

                     Points for RTD =  3
                     Points for DSQ =  3
                     Points for DNS =  4

 1 races to count

GP14 MUSTARD POT

PN    Boat  Helm          Class        1 Pts
 1   13176  D LAWSON      GP           1   1
 2   13885  M FAIRLAMB    GP           2   2
 3   13733  A HODGKINS    GP           3   3
 4   13874  J TELFORD     GP          OD   3
 5   13655  N LEWIS       GP           4   4

                     Points for RTD =  5
                     Points for DSQ =  5
                     Points for DNS =  6

 1 races to count

CALVERT TRUST PENNANT

PN    Boat  Helm          Class        1 Pts
 1   13655  N LEWIS       GP           1   1
 2   13176  D LAWSON      GP           2   2
 3     937  W CARRUTHERS  RS400        3   3

                     Points for RTD =  4
                     Points for DSQ =  4
                     Points for DNS =  4

 1 races to count

You’ll note from the activity on the webcam that something’s afoot. Yes many people have been enjoying the mild weather and getting their boats ready for the off. Ginge couldn’t wait and so went out in his laser, and then again in the GP. He was very nearly the first to capsize this season as well (but didn’t)

Steve is excitedly waiting for his new boat, but was disturbed when watching the CCTV to note his camper van being driven off! He ran off in a panic only to discover that it was just a similar van to his.

As for the racing, deputy official starter Pete Nuttall had got up early out of his bed and wasn’t going to hang around for any namby pamby sailors deciding whether they should go out to sail. The fact that it was honking seemed to have nothing to with anything!. Pete declared that racing would start at 11.30 and he went out with OD Mik Chappell to get things going. There was a flurry of activity as five boats prepared themselves for the first race of the season. Bridget turned up in her Sunday best, only to find a cup of tea was the preferred option. William was easily tempted to join her so they could watch how things progressed. Roy and Kayla were the first to go in their lark (having opted not to try out an RS400), Ian Macpherson followed in his laser, and then Toggle and Robbie D ventured out in an RS400 followed by Steve and Ruth. It was noticeable that the wind had increased because spectators could see white horses looking down wind! As they approached the start line, there was the first capsize of the day – Toggle blamed it on the centreboard coming up! Although they managed to right the boat, they went in several more times and ended up being towed ashore. Steve and Ruth went swimming as well, they also struggled to right the boat but, with a little help, they were back in the boat and sailing home. Ian and Roy had already seen sense and returned home. If racing had commenced at 1130 UTC (not BST), it would still have been windy, but things were somewhat more manageable. Such is life

Perhaps racing will start next week?!