With Summer officially over, the darker nights are drawing in, but there was still a fleet of 12 boats taking part in this weeks evening Night Jar. From the results, it seems as if the wind faded early, with Alan Waugh being finished early after about 30 mins. Next over the line was John Crosbie in his Laser followed a few secs later by Eric Guillois in his F15.

On fleet handicap, John won with Robert Cruickshank in a GP 2nd and Paul Clark 3rd giving Robert the lead in the series.

On personal handicap basis, Paul won, with Robert 2nd and Alan Jones/Sue Watson in a GP 3rd giving Alan the lead in the series by a point from Robert.

Saturday’s sun was hidden behind the clouds, but the wind continued to blow, although more from the SSW so Sale Fell had its frustrating effect on various legs of the course.

In the handicap fleet, another general recall was to test Herb’s resolve. Steve/Ruth made good use of the spinnaker legs and pulled out a lead sufficient to beat Ethan/Robin by over 30 secs, with Scumper 3rd. Fresh back to sailing after their wedding, Phil and Emma Davenport lost no love on the water, as Phil was all out to win and beat Emma on handicap. After lunch, a heavy rain shower cleared, the sun came out and the wind freshened – was that the excuse Phil needed to let Emma get even, as he promptly capsized, and Toggle followed shortly after. That wouldn’t be Phil’s last capsize as he was caught out on the final run before the finish, got stuck in the mud and promptly started to swim the boat round into the wind. After a little help from the rescue team, he got back in the boat and sailed through to get a finish, though Emma had passed him without a second thought (though she was probably just relieved to be finishing). The stronger winds suited Scumper who finished 1st on handicap, with Steve 2nd. However, with three wins, Steve took the series trophy.

In the F15s, Simon was hassled by Mike on the start line, but broke away and won. Simon clearly opted to get his own back in the afternoon, and there was more banter (or is that being polite?) even before the start, with a couple of collisions, protest flags were raised, and turns were done before they eventually crossed the startline with Simon in Mike’s shadow. Simon later took the lead and won the race and the series.

In the GPs Mike/Eric led the fleet, but could not shake off Val/Ken who gave them a good race. With two 1sts and a 2nd Mike was in a strong position going into the last race, and although he took an early lead he slipped back lap by lap. Hugh/Rachael sailed well and won the race with Val 2nd. This was enough to secure the series for Mike.

Sunny Saturday

Sunshine and a good southerly breeze greeted sailors for the final weekend series of the season.

The first race took the fleet half way down the lake to 10 before reaching back to the club house. On the run back down, Steve/Ruth in their Merlin were close on Neil/Judith’s tail in their RS400, and they went on to win the race on handicap. Ethan was again helming the RS200 with dad Robin helming, and he finished 3rd overall.

The handicap fleet were too keen for the start in the second race causing a general recall. Steve again showed Neil a clean pair of heels, and despite trawling the spinnaker for a short while, took another 1st and overnight lead.

Mike/Kayla held off Simon/Jon in the F15s in the first race, but the tables were turned in the second race after Simon opted to cover Mike even before the race started.

In the GPs, Val/Ken sailed well taking the first race from Mike/Eric. The second race was being led by Hugh/Rachael, but a tight spinnaker reach caused a few problems as they tried to take it down, enabling Mike and Val to break through. Hugh did get back through to 2nd but slipped to 3rd by the finish. Mike and Val each have a 1st and 2nd overnight.

The Mirrors only sailed the first race. Mik’s tactic of increasing his mast rake worked a treat and he had a big lead on Alan Waugh by the time they reached 10, and Mik held the lead through to the finish.

Good gusting winds had been forecast again, and it was blowing on the coast, but never made its way through to the lake in our micro climate. That said, there was plenty of wind to race in and the fleets had some good racing.

A problem with the air horns made them sound somewhat feeble, and several thought that certain bodily noises could have been louder! It’s just as well everyone is used to taking their signals from the flags (Not!). Scumper changed boats� for the third time, and tried out a Vago single handedly securing a 2nd place behind Steve/Ruth in the Merlin. Toggle, in his Vareo, came 3rd.

Neil Platt/Ian Smith had a clear race in the F15 to take another first and the series. Mike/Phil Davenport were 2nd and Jon/Robbie Denwood 3rd.

Dave/Lynn Lawson won the GPs and the series, leaving Val/Ken Bell to battle with Paul/Vicky Bowmer, though it was Paul that came in 2nd with Val 3rd. Vice-commodore Andy Smith sailed with three young girls hoping that his result could be shared with them by halving his position, but it was not to be!

With no Mirrors racing, the Mirror Mug was won by OD John Telford. Similarly in the Toppers, no more competitors meant that Robbie D won the Topper E series!

In the afternoon the wind freshened slightly, but there were only a couple of capsizes – Robbie D in his Skiff before the start, and Scumper in the Vago, although he quickly recovered.

Steve/Ruth had another win, earning them the August Trophy, and Toggle’s 2nd secured him 2nd overall from Scumper in 3rd (who was on equal points).

In the F15s Jon/Robbie Denwood gave Neil Platt a run for his money, passing him twice off wind, but Neil broke back through and secured his 4th win, with Jon 2nd, and Mike 3rd which was enough for Mike to come 2nd in the series.

In the GPs, Val/Ken lost their battle with Paul/Vicky but finished 2nd in the series, with Paul/Vicky 3rd.

There was a forecast for good winds with 28-41mph gusts (depending on which forecast you read)! Fortunately, neither was totally accurate – although the winds were strong generally, the gusts did not seem not tooooo vicious, but there were numerous capsizes during each race and an unexpected amount of damage.Steve Hunt was the first to bow out due to damage when he broke his tiller extension during a capsize. The next casualty was Banter Phil when his mast broke at the foot following one of his capsizes. The final one can be seen in the adjacent photo when Scumper’s new mast broke with just a couple of legs to go. Like a trooper, he continued to the finish and still finished 2nd on handicap, as Toggle passed him on the final leg and beat Scumper by just a few secs. Peter Ballard finished 3rd.

Neil Platt/Ian Smith led the F15s with Mike/Kayla 2nd and Simon Longstaff/Jon Denwood 3rd. Keith Thomas/Emma Williams had some problems trying to unwrap their spinnaker sheets off the end of the boom, and ended up colliding with the rescue boat that was recovering Alan Waugh’s Mirror after his capsize.

Dave/Lynn Lawson led Val/Ken Bell around the course and secured yet another win, with Nigel Lewis 3rd.

The Mirrors thinned out as the race went on – First Mik opted out, and then Alan Waugh retired following his capsize. Andy Smith won ahead of John Telford, though Andy retired after finishing.

The wind seemed to ease over the lunch break and then came back with a vengeance!

Many more capsizes again kept the rescue crews busy, though there was no gear failures. Many were cautious about flying spinnakers, and even more so at the gybe mark because they tacked round. Alastair Duncan retired after too much swimming, and drinking lake water (his words!). Mark went out with Kirstie in a borrowed RS200, and despite a capsize she said she’d probably do it again. Steve/Ruth� led the handicap fleet and won with a strong lead ahead of Scumper, with Toggle 3rd who is overnight leader.

In the F15s, Neil Platt led again, but Simon had to work his way up to 2nd, with Mike 3rd.

GPs were down to boats with Dave/Lynn beating Val/Ken. Similarly there were just two boats in the Mirrors – Andy 1st, with John 2nd.

From a Musto Skiff on Saturday, Robbie D took out Ethan’s Topper and raced against Tim Smith, who later retired.

The wind should ease somewhat for Monday, but forecasts have been known to be wrong.

Sunshine on a bank holiday weekend! How long can it last? Well it held out for Saturday despite various threatening black clouds moving in at times. There was a reasonable wind but unfortunately continually swung between W and NW resulting in one sided beats/fetches at times.

The first race was a pursuit, the last in the Celebrity Glass series, and an eager Mik Chappell was quick off the start line in his Mirror, and he kept the lead until the last 15 mins of the 75 min race when Neil Platt/Ian Smith passed him in their F15, together with Scumper in a Vareo, and then Steve Hunt/Ruth Critchley in a Merlin Rocket. Scumper’s 2nd was sufficient to win him the series with Dave Lawson, who had sailed with Claire Duncan in a GP, 2nd overall.

In the championship long series, there were only two fleets� – handicap and F15s. Mik was again quick off the start line, well a bit too quick because he luffed Steve Hunt over it too and they were both recalled. Despite having to return Steve went on to win the race on handicap by 100 secs, with Joan/Jack Hardie 2nd and Scumper 3rd. Joan/Jack currently lead the series.

In the F15s, Ian Platt won with Mike/Kayla quite close on his tail, and Ian Campbell/Lezli-Ann Paerson 3rd.

A BBQ this evening, but will the rain clouds stay far enough away?!

The second evening series, Night Jar B, got underway in light airs. The GP helms seem to have taken a stranglehold of the lead positions (1st, 2nd & 4th), and the first 4 positions were the same on both a personal and fleet handicap basis. Without a crew to hand, Mike Fairlamb sailed Val’s Solo and took the honours, from Paul/Vicky Bowmer by 15 secs, with Joan/Jack Hardie third and Val/Ken Bell 4th over 7 mins later.

There has been a wet and windy week following Bass Week, and the lake has risen somewhat. A Triathlon competition was again held from the club grounds and proved very popular on Saturday, and Sunday started wet, but by the time the sailing got under way sailors were in for a dry sailing with some good winds.

Harry Binns was racing his Topper in the morning race and even before reaching the start he had capsized, something he was to do numerous more times during the race (and after it too!).

With Roy’s sail slipping down he opted out of racing before he even started, leaving Banter Phil to sail the course on his own for a win. Though Mike and Kayla led the MJM race from the start, her knot tying skills, or lack of them, resulted in their spinnaker coming down on the second leg, and not to be rehoisted until the halyard had been rethreaded between races. With Val OD, and Ken Bell not required on rescue, he opted to sail the Solo, an experience which he found somewhat challenging, but he had a good race with Kath and Glenys in their GP. Though Peter Ballard had a good race in his SuperNova and beat Mike Fairlamb/Eric Smith in a GP by a couple of minutes, it was not enough to beat them on handicap, and they went on to beat him by almost a minute.

In the afternoon, the winds strengthened a little, and there were some good planing conditions at times. There were a few more capsizes including Peter Ballard, Alan Waugh. Mike/Eric took command of the first beat, and it was to be almost another two legs before Mike/Kayla broke though to the lead. Despite their slow start, Mike/Kayla went on to win on handicap from Tom Gosden in his Laser, with Mike/Eric 3rd. We had a new helm in a F15, Chris and Julie Rolle, who was racing well and giving Mike a run for his money at times, but slipped back to 5th on handicap, behind Ethan Dawson who sailed competently� in the conditions. Ken again found the Solo testing, and in his eagerness to shoot the finish line he stalled the boat as he tacked and only just managed to beat Kath/Glenys to the finish line.

In the Asymmetric fleet, Toggle came out to give Phil some competition, though Toggle did break away and secure a strong lead of 7 mins by the finish.

A fantastically sunny weekend came to a close with a pennant race that typically takes the fleet around the lake. The webcam seemed to show light winds at the start of the race, and looking at the finishing times, it is unlikely that it picked up!

Robbie D and Ethan in their RS200 led the fleet home after 1hr42mins, but with Dave/Lynn Lawson in a GP just 25 secs behind, they were certain of victory. Mike Fairlamb/Eric Smith another 5 mins later ahead of a flurry of five boats, and they were to beat Robbie D too.

Alan Waugh took over 2hrs 23mins to complete the course, finishing 11th out of the fleet of 15 boats.

Mike/Kayla’s 8th overall gave Kayla a 3rd female crew position towards Sandra’s Salver, and keeps her in the led for that trophy.

As if you hadn’t realised, Bass Week starts next Saturday, so get on your prayer mats for a more of this great weather!