This week’s Night Jar was held in ideal sailing conditions with blue skies, warmth and a F2 NW wind. Twenty four boats signed on and the number would have been higher had not the majority of the Topper Fleet been away on school trips.
The OD set a compact figure of eight course 0-9-B-A. With a long start line and port end bias, there were many crews vying for space at the outer end but no one was over at the start signal. The GP’s of Mike Fairlamb / Eric Smith, Dave & Lynn Lawson, and Alan Jones / Sue Watson got away well as did Joan & Jack Hardie in their RS200 and Jim Christie’s Surpernova.
With lap times of around eleven minutes for the lead boats and a gap opening after the first group, Dave, Joan, Mike and Jim were let through for a fourth lap. With the wind strength appearing to drop, the course was then shortened and AJ and Neil in his Laser felt this would benefit them as the first lead competitors to finish.
But then the wind filled in again and Joan beat Dave to the line in an extremely close strategic contest at the completion of their fourth lap.
Another excellent meal greeted competitors once they had packed their boats away, although it was such a lovely evening that some were reluctant to retreat to the clubhouse.