Today’s strong winds blew a number of boats at the Club off their trailers. A small group of members have kindly uprighted and repositioned them, but it may be worth checking your own boats if you get the chance.
Sad News
Very sadly one of our past members passed away at the weekend. Many of us have very fond memories of John, Lillian and their children both on and off the water. The family have sent the following message.
“It is with deep sadness that we announce that Mark Parnaby was suddenly and prematurely taken away from us last Saturday 15th Sept whilst competing in the cycle section of a charity triathlon at the foot of Ben Nevis, �Scotland. He is survived by his two children and partner Basia. �If you would like to contact the family or organise to be at the funeral please email his brother Nick Parnaby at :- [email protected]. �Thank you”
Paul Carruthers Memorial Trophy 16th September
A bit of a difference from yesterday. �There were only nine starters, �mainly due to the forecast of heavier winds. �Yes, the gusts were stronger and more challenging. Especially in the morning race where Ethan�s 100 and Neil, sailing a Vision with Barbara, failed to finish. The Fifteens of Mike/Kayla and Angus/Mike H finished ahead on the water but it was Joe who got the win.
After lunch it was Alex/Olivia, first harrying the lead Fifteen and then pulling away to take the race. They hadn�t sailed in the morning so it was Joe who had the best cumulative result and took the trophy.
Bart�s Bash 2018 – What a turnout!
Bass � Bart�s Bash : 15 September 18
A Bit of Bashing
Not physically, but had to match the heading that William composed last week!
The Bash had more competitors than a normal club race but, with many of the top crews not involved, it felt more like a Night Jar round. And the wind was its ever fickle self. �Having set a line for 8 as the windward mark it swung 90 degrees to 0 so a new line had to be set and the course re-measured.
Who were the stand-out crews? �Well the leaders were Alex & Olivia. �They relished the tight kite legs as did AJ & Sue. �Nigel & John were well to the fore at one stage but they dropped back mid race while Paul was progressively moving up in his Laser and battling with the Solos of Tony and Stan.
Xanthe went for a brief swim and Barbara a longer one but they both righted and went on to finish. �Martin & Alison got lost � they said they couldn�t find 2 and blamed the organisers for moving it out of position!
Jon decided to throw in a second race. �Not sure what it counted for? �But it gave a chance for Joe, James & Jenny and Val & Ken a chance to redeem their usual Front of the Fleet positions.
https://www.sailwave.com/results/bass/2018/bb.htm
Latest Positions
https://www.bartsbash.com/leaderboard?year=2018
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A Bit of Tinkering
A brief wet spell on Saturday didn’t put off the Tinker fleet of 11 boats from having an early race before scheduled club racing.
John Reekie’s son planned to sail his Oppie but perhaps needs a little more training on tying knots…�
There were only three boats for club racing, but with Jonathan retiring there were only two finishers, of which John Reekie took the honours with Ant/Jo 2nd.
Jo was keen to practice her life on the trapeze wire, but there were no others takers.
Sunday’s winds were lighter than forecast and there was a better turnout of boats. Mik kept the course out of the way of the Tinkers race area but it resulted in using 8 which was in the shadow of Sale Fell so there were some big shifts, down draughts and holes to contend with.�
Even though Jo didn’t get out on the trapeze again, they still managed to win the morning race a minute ahead of Steve/Ruth in their Merlin. Although Ant/Jo were leading the series, the overall result would depend on final race.
Steve didn’t help his chances capsizing 30 secs before the start, and giving the fleet a 5 min head start! Although he pulled up to 2nd on the water, it was Dave who won in a Laser Radial, with Ian/Tim in a F15 2nd. Ant/Jo’s 3rd turned out to be a discard as they maintained their overall lead to win the Tinker Trophy.
A group of club members competed in the Southport 24 hour race in an Enterprise finishing 34th overall. Even after the rain had passed, some were getting wet, especially when the changeover didn’t go to plan…
Night Jar 17
Better than last week…but only marginally. �Eleven boats crossed the line and headed for A. �But it was painfully slow. �Val & Ken turned around and paddled back to the livestock as John�s Solo had taken an initial lead and wasn�t going to be caught.
The wind filled in from the west but it didn�t reach across the Lake and the drift to B was painful. �Stephen, who was race officer, decided to take a trip in the RiB with Chez and finish all at B. �So, following John, it was Richard Hughes in his colourful Laser after a superb light weather sail. Jon Anson�s Laser was next.
Did anyone want a tow back? �No. �The wind filled in enough to allow all to make it home for the meal! �What meal? �The chefs didn�t turn in for the first time this season. �A disappointing end in several ways to a mammoth series.
What Happened There?
While the rest of the country enjoyed more sunshine, the lake was cloud covered all afternoon, though there was no sign of showers that were evident just a matter of miles away. There was a promising southerly force 2 breeze when the start line was set, but the risk of a swing to the south west came to fruition much sooner than expected when it affected boats on the first beat! The Sale Fell effect continued throughout the race causing holes in the wind alongside large shifts.
It seems that some of the later starters were able to benefit from the major shifts/changeable conditions. Neil Garrison in an Enterprise, started on the starboard end, took advantage of the lift from the SW and went on to take the lead, finishing a matter of seconds ahead of Joe on the finish line. In the GPs, Nigel/Glenys had to restart after being OCS giving Paul/Vicky a head start. That order is not one that many would expect to change but Nigel managed to reverse it! Mik took the honours in the Mirrors ahead of Paul/Evelyn, and leads the series.
With the wind ‘more’ settled in the SW, the results of the second race were more as expected with Paul winning the GPs (though Nigel leads the series), and Joe the Handicap fleet, strengthening his lead in the series.
Sunday’s weather didn’t offer the wall to wall sunshine that other parts of the country enjoyed, but there was a southerly breeze which picked up to force 2-3 just before racing started to offer some champagne sailing conditions!
It is clear that very few sailors had read the handbook to determine the format of the morning’s pursuit race, and of the two that did, Mik opted out of racing with the wind picking up, so the first start time had no takers. The next start for most of those racing would be 11 mins later, but with three Laser Radials lining up there was a Laser that thought it was their start too! Calling back the Laser confused the GP that should have started with the Radials… Last year’s winners of the race Mike/Kayla knew the format, started at the correct time, and went on to win! Their win wasn’t straightforward though, having had a contretemps with Neil regarding water at a mark, and they ended up doing a 720. Perhaps miracles do happen? What a morning…
The afternoon race was the Banana Stakes pennant sailed around the lake which is, of course, where Hugh ‘Round the Lake’ Godfrey sent the fleet of four boats. The beat took Mike/Kayla 40 mins, and a further 30 mins to get back to the finish. His closest competition was Neil Garrison who failed to finish correctly due to rounding the finish mark the wrong way. There was similar confusion with the others but it was Paul Gannon that was next to finish correctly, finishing 2nd on handicap to Mike/Kayla.
The race counts towards Sandra’s Salver for female crews. Kayla being the only crew, and female, strengthened her lead in the series
Sandra’s Salver latest results
Congratulations go to Andy and Phil on winning the Scottish Nationals at Loch Lomond this weekend, and secured the 2018 GP14 super series as well.
Night Jar 16
Bates ready at jetty and Safety ready to go. �But the wind was disappearing: �Can�t use 0. �Maybe 4-A-B? �But wind faded at A, then B. �Val waited until the last moment but raised N over A so �no racing today�. �And she didn�t even get a 3rd for OD! �So must win next week�s final round to get the Fleet handicap win.
But Katia and crew have now secured the Personal Handicap category so it was time for high fives before packing their boat away.
August Bank Holiday
The long weekend of activities started on a showery Friday when there was a splash day for junior sailors to have organised fun messing around in boats.
The rain showers had passed through by Friday evening, and the good weather continued through Saturday, although the temperature had noticeably dropped. There was a good turnout of almost thirty boats sailing in Saturday’s races with shifty, variable winds.�
There was a couple of rare husband and wife partnerships in the RS400s with Scumper/Kirstie and Banter/Emma racing. The shifting winds caused a few capsizes. Ant/Jo tried to demonstrate a dry capsize technique but failed miserably when their boat flipped straight over again and they were both dumped in the lake.
The Hunter’s held their charity curry night in aid of Super Sam Brain Tumour Charity, and was followed by a bingo evening from which the proceeds were donated too, raising a total of �555
Sunday was wet and windy, with white horses and waves dampening everyone’s enthusiasm for racing. After an initial postponement, racing was later cancelled for the day.
Monday’s forecast was for stronger, and gustier winds, but it was not to be. Having swung to the west, the winds were variable in strength, gusty and shifty, but proved to be sailable, and some took the precaution of of using smaller radial rigs, or even changed fleet to sail a Topper!
Nigel and Glenys were up to their old tricks and practising their capsize techniques, including Glenys falling out after successfully righting the boat, but they weren’t the only casualty of the day as Val and Ken, Hugh, Banter, and others, were caught out by the gusts/shifts as well.
Dave/Lynn won both races and the Aitken Cup ahead of Val/Ken in the GPs, while Bean/Naomi won the 1st handicap race in their RS200, and Scumper the 2nd in his RS100 which was enough to beat Zefer in his Laser Radial who had two 2nds. There was no racing in the F15s, or Mirror/Topper fleets.
Night Jar 15
As it was the start of the Holiday Weekend 20 boats turned out for this round of the Night Jar. �The course was 0-1-4-B which gave a fair length beat and two kite legs although the wind was doing strange things on the second. �The 400 of Phil & Robin pulled out a good lead leaving Dave & Lynn in the GP and Alex in a 100 to battle for second place.
They left the L2000 of James & Jenny astern, James wondering how a GP could be so speedy! �But, the stars of the evening were Nigel & Glenys who left Val & Ken trailing in their wake. �And Mike Cave in his Solo appeared to be sailing above his handicap.
After 2 laps the race was shortened for the Mirrors of Paul and Jon / Henry plus other slower boats. �The Bates crew had to ask the Tera helm who he was? �It turned out to be Matthew complete with a new bob style haircut!
Andy was on food duty and he got his priorities spot on. �No one got served until he had passed a meal to his lovely wife running the bar!