Is the weather really against us this season?

As sailors arrived for the afternoon race, the rain was torrential with sleet in it (again!). The rain did fade, but so did the wind. The first race in the Celebrity Glass Pursuit was cancelled, but boats did go out for the second race, though the wind could not settle down to a specific direction. The rain came back, though not as heavy, but it was again cold for sailors as the committee boat had to be resited following a late 180 degree wind shift!

Racing got underway at 4.30, the first lap was reasonably steady winds, the second started to shift, and the final lap for the mirrors and leading handicap boats was horrendous! Fortunately the OD that had allowed the third lap to be started was obliged to wait while the various boats completed it! 🙂 However, the sun did shine for a while just to add to the confused weather! Shunty and Ruth found it a struggle to round 9 when they were head to wind with the gennaker up, and ended up hitting the mark, and letting William and Elaine through, as well as Scumper in his laser. He fought back, and in the dreaded final lap Shunty took the lead again only to lose it to William on the last leg but one. However, Scumper had caught up so much in the fickle winds that he won on handicap

The overnight weather brought a covering of snow to the surrounding hills. The forecast was for snow, and it was correct! After a frosty night many helms found sheets and control lines frozen, some ice in sails, and worst of all frozen sailing gloves! The fleet endured several snow showers before and during the race, and at times it seemed as if it would be possible to make snowballs from the snow laying in the boats.

The wind had picked up from the gloriously mirror like scenes that were spotted in early morning, and it is forecast to increase further. There seemed to be two airs, one from the north and another from the north east which battled it out and left the sailors trying to work out when the wind would change direction again. William and Kayla (in her wet shorts – brrrrhhh!!) were the only RS400 out and led the remainder of the asymmetrics in a new series this year. However, he could not break away far enough from the RS200s to win, and they came third behind Robbie D with Ethan, and Joan and Jack Hardie. Sam Hall comfortably won the MJM race from Lewis Tyson.

Toggle became a talking point again when he capsized coming in to shore, while Eric Smith broadsided a rescue boat with the Bates coming in to the jetty (forwards to accelerate/backwards to slow – not much difference is there?!)

The wind filled in for the afternoon racing, leading to a few spills by the single handers – Sam Hall, Toggle, and new member Paul Clark. In many ways the afternoon was a repeat of the morning results wise – William maintained the lead but again failed to take sufficient ground to beat Robbie D or Joan Hardie, while Sam Hall stormed away from the MJM fleet, and Toggle did another capsize for the spectators as he lifted his rudder coming ashore.

The Youth Squad has taken to the water for their first race much to Rhonwen’s delight! The winds were a bit on the blustery side, there were some spills but many thrills. There were six boats that left the shore, five made it to the start line, and there were four finishers. It was pleasing that four of the starters had not raced more than a couple of times. Joe Watkins suffered a long capsize when his dagger board came out, but he did rejoin the race and finished.

Lewis Tyson dominated the race having led the race from start to finish, and James Springell and William Coulthard followed through to finish 2nd and 3rd respectively. The next race is in a fortnight. Perhaps the water will be a bit warmer by then!?

As for the big boys, they all were sent around the lake by Sam. They only had to suffer the blustery winds until they reached Scarness then the Sale Fell shadow took over to make the afternoon pennant a real penance!

Steve and Ruth had a big lead at the bottom end, but the wind was not in their favour as they returned. Joan and Jack Hardie kept the wind to bite into Steve’s lead. At Scarness on the return, progress was as dire as ever, and from the shore it seemed as if positions were forever changing between Neil Garrison in his Dart, Steve in an RS400, and Joan in an RS200 who seemed to keep going to take the lead on the water. Toggle in his Vareo made up a lot of ground to finish 2nd on the water in front of Neil. Steve, having retired.

The results were calculated on a personal handicap basis, and it was Toggle that won overall

The morning race was held in some strong winds too. Steve and Ruth, and Bean and Naomi tried a port end start, Steve ducked the fleet but Bean nipped into a gap that wasn’t there and got away with it. William and Elaine tacked out of the way, ended up in irons and capsized shortly after, as did Big E. William did catch Bean up, but not sufficiently to beat him on handicap, as it was Bean that won the race. Mike Fairlamb and Eric Smith won the GP race from Dave and Sarah Nicholson

It was more like Christmas! On Sunday morning, after a night’s snow fall on the surrounding hills, the lake was looking at its most spectacular

The wind freshened from the North just before the start, but it was not as blustery as Saturday. There was significant port bias on the start line, such that the handicap fleet were struggling to cross on starboard tack! Andy and Emma Smith were recorded as being over the line at the start and had to return to restart.

The results of the first race demonstrate how close the handicapping is with the RS200 and Laser splitting the first three RS400s

After lunch the fleet sauntered out to the start on the far side of the lake, only to find that the wind was considerably stronger. This resulted in several capsizes, and a number of boats retiring even before racing started!

Again, the racing proved to be close with Phil Smith and Naomi Darling winning by 30 secs on handicap, with only 15 secs separating the next three boats. However, after an adjustment of the finishing times (some boats suffered a 3min penalty!) there was only 12 secs between Bean and Scumper. You just can’t get the staff these days!

Reigning champion of the annual egg dump, Jack Lawson, came to defend his title but having had to borrow one of Herb’s ‘spare’ eggs he did not find his winning ways and was dumped in the first round. It was to be Emma Smith that took the winning honours this year.

On Monday the wintery weather continued, with a white out for a short while at the end of the first race.

Phil and Naomi won the morning race which meant the series was for the taking in the afternoon. The course kept the fleet in the wind which came in with some good gusts at times, resulting in several more capsizes – at least one in each fleet – Toggle, Nigel Lewis and Mik Chappell. Emma Smith sailed the final race in Tim Mirror while he crewed for Andy – and she kept Mik at bay. He was getting so frustrated that he hardened up on a gust to try and get past her that he went for an unwelcome swim.

It was a clean sweep for Dave and Lynn Lawson in the GPs and Tim Smith in the Mirrors. On handicap, the results split Bean and Scumper by only one second (in Scumpers favour)

.. keen! Well they must be to be camping down at the club, and then even contemplating sailing while the snow and hailstones come down in between some wild squalls! Until a couple of hours before the start the weather was putting many off, but it seemed to blow itself out just in time to tempt numerous boats on to the water for the Starter’s Prize – the first race of the 2008 season.

There were capsizes, but it was an exciting start to the season. The committee boat moored head to wind at the starboard end of the line took some getting used to – not only for the competitors but also Herb and the team. They were some over eager starters – Steve Hunt to name but one! Toggle was keen as mustard at one mark claiming no water on William – shame Tog had been coming wide into the mark for the previous 30m! He reckoned God loves a trier…. Well that’s one version!

Toggle been on Ebay again. Having sold his caravan (and upgraded to a newer one), he obviously found a bargain sailing suit – we suspect Eddie the Eagle must have been selling it as a memento from his ski jumping exploits!

The second race was sailed in a shifty but steadier breeze which faded as the race went on. Although it only lasted half an hour, it would have taken a considerable time to sail an extra lap. Andy Smith (with Emma in the 1st race and Phil Hodgkins in the 2nd) won the second race and took the series from Steve and Ruth

The showers were a must for many to thaw out various parts of their body after one of the chilliest starts to many a season.