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.