Saturday brought some blue skies and warmer sailing weather at last. With it there was a strong breeze, and heavy swell, coming down the lake. From time to time some heavy squalls challenged sailors and led to numerous capsizes.
The Fleet Challenge is a weekend series of six races calculated on a personal handicap basis.
Alan/Sue soon decided that the GP was the wrong boat for the conditions and soon retired. Steve/Ruth led the fleet in the first two races, but suffered a capsize from one of the sharp squalls, and opted to tack round at in the gusts at some of the gybe marks.
Scumper was frustrated at the lack of spinnaker legs in the first race, but suffered various capsizes flying his gennaker in the next race.
Zefer was trying his hand in the RS100 again, but capsizes got the better of him and he retired. Instructors Nigel/Mike suffered a similar fate – perhaps they were practising their capsize technique (not that Herb would have done it that way!).
Ian/Lezli-Ann were lead F15 for a while in the first race, but Mike/Kayla were able to handle the gusts better and break back through offwind. Mike ducked out of the 2nd race, as he had to repair a universal joint on his tiller.
Numbers sailing reduced as the races went on, such that the single handers opted not to race the 3rd race after the tea break leaving the F15s to master the conditions, not that they tried to fly spinnakers as the offwind legs were spectacular enough without them.
Ian/Lezli-Ann finished the day with three well earned 1sts, putting them in a very strong position for the trophy. Mike/Kayla are 2nd, and Steve/Ruth 3rd.
Sunday’s forecast proved to be accurate. With stronger winds and rain, the OD was quick to abandon racing for the day.