Well very nearly, especially when you’re talking about the coveted Grotty Potty. As part of the Flying 15 Viking Trophy team racing event, one special prize (the Grotty Potty) is awarded by the previous year’s ‘winner’. It tends to be awarded for committing some ultimate foolhardy action during the course of the weekend. Last year’s winner, Ian Preston, seemed to be spoilt for choice this year – would it go to William Carruthers for advertising the wrong date for the event on the website? Or perhaps Steve Goacher for sailing to the wrong mark? How about John Hardisty for going off on holiday? Or Miles for making a pig’s ear of coming in to the trot at the end of racing? Or indeed, should he keep it himself and use it as an extra large bailer for that little leak in his boat? Well, it was to be Ian’s choice, but as he couldn’t make up his mind between John and Miles, he asked the audience and, by an overwhelming majority, the Potty was awarded to Miles.

Anyway, back to the real point of the weekend, in the midst of a miserable forecast, a select few turned out to compete for the trophy. Steve Goacher took no chances this year, and brought along a Windermere team. Was he toying with us all, letting the genny flap on the beat?, taking some of the fleet the wrong side up the first beat? Or is he human like the rest of us and just gets it wrong occasionally? Never mind, he proved what he is capable of to come back and win every race after helping his other team members work their way towards the front of the fleet.

There was some challenging racing with courses set by what seemed (at times) like sadistic ODs! Despite the bitterly cold weather, a great weekend’s racing was enjoyed by all.

Any need to say who won? Windermere’s Any Suggestions? Read on for the final results.

 Team Name  Boat Helm       R1  R2  R3  R4 Pts
    Any     3550 D Brockba   2   2   4   7
Suggestions?3728 N Tullett   4   4   2   2  31   1
            3721 S Goacher   1   1   1   1
____________________________________________________

            3473 M Moore     5   3   6   5
 WIMP & DC  3268 W Carruth   7   8   8   3  73   2
            3521 P Burnell   6   6   7   9
____________________________________________________

            3385 M Middlet   8   5   9   8
  Commodes  1117 K Jamison  10  10  10  10  76   3
            3593 M Ninnim    3   9   5   6
            3231 J Christi   9   7   3   4

The following pictures were taken by David Lawson

T-shirts, shorts and wind! What more could you ask for at the end of September? With just one series left in the club championships, this penultimate series was to prove interesting.

Tempers were somewhat frayed at the front end of the GP and F15 fleets, but overall the testing winds resulted in some excellent competition.

The Hodgkins boys triumphed when they won one of Saturday’s races. Mike Moore gave away a good lead to Scott Beattie by heading for the wrong mark and failing to keep an eye on the competition. Wendy Somerville was somewhat dismayed when an expected shorten course didn’t materialise, and in the following lap in difficult conditions, although some shifts could easily have won her the race, she lost a couple of places.

General recalls, boats over the line….. Not a good start to the RNLI pennant race held on Sunday. A recall was made for two flying 15s after the second start. Mike Moore/Tim Chittenden was the first to go back, but it took a visit from a rescue boat to persuade John Somerville/Scott Beattie that his premature start was not going to be allowed. It was to be about five minutes before he returned to the startline and correctly started. Paul Burnell had taken the lead in his Fifteen and was being hotly pursued by Rory Yardley in his Laser Vortex. Unusually for a round the lake race, the wind was blowing from the North East which meant sailors had to decide between taking the eastern shore and getting gusts early, or opting for the middle route that was less likely to suffer from wind shadows from the shoreline.

While William Carruthers/Alan Smith was trying to catch up with Paul Burnell, Mike had opted for the middle route and was catching up well, while John came down the eastern shore on a seemingly endless gust that the leaders were not privy to! By the time the fleet reached mark 12, Rory was starting to pull away, William was close on Paul’s tail, and Mike was fighting off John not too far behind.

The beat back up the lake started to split the fleet and John and William were having a close tussle by mark 11. This continued all the way to mark 0 by which time John had pulled clear ahead. However, on rounding the mark John and Scott assumed they had finished and headed for shore enabling William to take the advantage which he held for the final lap.

Adjusting the finishing times to suit the different boats’ handicaps, resulted in Rory taking the trophy some 20 seconds ahead from William.

The weekend brought various long series to a close, leaving just two weekend series to decide the club championships. Is everything cut and dried? We’ll just have to wait and see!

The GP fleet were away at the NW Area Championships being held at Windermere – poor ***s – on a calm day it’s 10x worse than Bass. However, it was a strong fleet of 56 boats of which Bass had 7 competitors. Well done to Dave and Lynne Lawson for finishing 7th, Phil Smith and Toggle Cowan for finishing 11th (one place behind Steve Goacher!) and taking the silver fleet trophy.

Glorious weather prevailed for the final Bank Holiday break of the summer. The wind was not so sure as to whether it should join in, and regularly swung from N to NE and back again leaving various holes for the competitors to engulfed in. A challenge for the OD, especially when he was trying to squeeze in an additional race postponed from following light winds on Sunday.

With temperatures rising, tempers seemed to reach boiling point at times in the GP fleet. Brotherly love disappeared for a while between Phil and Andy Smith following an incident at the windward mark, and resulted in a protest, but Phil gracefully retired.

In the last race, Andy’s heckles were again raised and he submitted his second protest of the day, this time against Dave Lawson. Following a hearing Dave was disqualified and which resulted in Andy winning the GP weekend series.

While most of the GP fleet were away competing in the North East Area Championships at Derwent Reservoir (see below), there was good turnouts in other fleets that made the most of the sunny, summer-like, weather.

Mike Watson made a comeback in the Flying 15 fleet and proved to be unassailable – just as well he was ordered home to do some gardening! Commodore Miles Middleton showed the way (well for a while at least) as he mastered the first beats on Sunday, only to lose out on the following legs. Ah well, there’s always next week!

Jim Christie in his laser vortex had a smashing time in a collision with Mike Chappel in his mirror – Could that be 7 years bad luck for breaking a mirror?

Great weekend for the GP14 fleet as 7 boats from Bass travelled to Derwent Resevoir for the NE Area Championship.

Saturday proved to be a great day for sun bathing, not so good for sailing. After a short delay the first race started in force 0 (or force -2!!) so was a bit fickle.� Dave and Lynn Lawson won race number 1 and the second race was won by John Telford and Andy Smith.� So Bass boats were well ahead as the travellers enjoyed the entertainment and curry.� The wind was slightly better on Sunday with race starting at 10.00am it was a good job we all went to bed early.� Sunday saw Dave and Lynn�win race 3, with Phil Smith and Mike Cowan winning the race before lunch.� After lunch the final race was won by John and Andy.

Overall the results were as follows –

1st Dave and Lynn Lawson
2nd John Telford and Andy Smith
3rd Phil Smith and Mike Cowan

So a clean sweep for Bass sailors and to continue the theme Hugh Godfrey and Rhowen Bryce won the silver fleet and Richard and Philip Hodgkins won the bronze fleet (even though they beat Hugh and Rhowen overall!).� So a great weekend had by all and a fabulous advert for the club.

Well done to all the winners and their support crews.

Bassenthwaite were hosts to 32 boats from as far afield as Penzance (and Bombay) for the Enterprise North West Area Championships this weekend. At the same time open meetings were held for lasers and mirrors.

The weekend started in fresh winds (yet again!) and OD Phil Smith tested sailors endurance with a couple of beats from mark 2 to 7. The wind increased for the second race and there were numerous capsizes to keep the rescue crews busy. Rhonwen Bryce would like it pointed out that despite numerous capsizes, she completed both races while lesser mortals (did she mean men?) retired – but she suffered for it all day on Sunday!

Those with enough energy danced the night away in a disco which was sparked off with a prize draw of prizes Typhoon, the sponsors of the Enterprise Association tourers series. Sparks continued later in the evening as the OD suggested practising flame throwing technique using Drambuie as the fuel! As a result, Toggle Cowan was suffering from burnt lips on Sunday morning.

Sunday’s racing was more serene, partly due to being the morning after the night before, and partly due a gentle force 1/2 breeze.

There was close, competitive racing all weekend as the results show.

Bassenthwaite presented a club burgee to the Bombay contingent and received a pennat from the Roay Bombay Yacht Club in return

Overall results:

ENTERPRISE NORTH WEST AREA CHAMPIONSHIPS

PN    Boat  Helm          Crew           Club             1   2   3   4   5 Pts
 1   22487  J BLUNDELL    C BLUNDELL     HALLAMSHIRE      2   3   8   1   8   6
 2   22949  G BROWN       A FRY          HALLAMSHIRE      4   2   4   2   2   6
 3   22810  J WOODWARD    M BISH         REDDITCH         1   7   1   5  11   7
 4   22948  M LUNN        S AGNEW        WEST LANCS       9   1   2   7   6   9
 5       9  G DUTTA       U MORE         NAVAL SC BOMBA   3   6   5  11   1   9
 6   22272  N MILLER      I WILKINSON    WINSFORD FLASH   6   5   3   9   9  14
 7   22905  P PLESTED     S PLESTED      WINSFORD FLASH  11   4  10  12   3  17
 8   22859  N PIPER       S GREEN        TYNEMOUTH        8  11   6   8   5  19
 9   22652  J STEPHENS    R CRAWFORD     PENZANCE         7   9   9   4  10  20
10   22525  E DUNN        A MURRAY       LOCH LOMOND     12   8  11   6   7  21
11   23006  B MOSS        J MOORE        SHUSTOKE        13  10  12   3  15  25
12      52  A MONCHA      R MAHESH       NAVAL SC BOMBA  19 RTD   7  14   4  25
13   20900  J BANKS       J BANKS        SHEFFIELD VIKI   5  22  13  10  12  27
14   22885  M LUNN        A HALLIWELL    LEIGH & LOWTON  10  16  14  13  13  36
15   22114  L YOUNG       G TAYLOR       TYNEMOUTH       13  13  18  25  16  42
16   22896  P LAWSON      D SWAIN        BASS            15  15  16  19  17  46
17   22893  K TAYLOR      H WINWARD      DELPH           16  17  15  16  19  47
18   22506  J BRIGGS      A HOLLAND      WINSFORD FLASH  21  12  21  17 DNS  50
19   21333  C LISTER      M BARRETT      HALIFAX         17  19  28  24  14  50
20   22715  A TAYLOR      K HAYFIELD     DELPH           23  20  19  15  18  52
21   22901  P YOUNG       R CRADDOCK     BIRMINGHAM BRO  18  14  22  27  23  54
22   22354  H FREAR       C FREAR        SHEFFIELD VIKI  20 RTD  17  18  21  55
23   22196  K HOLMES      M HOLMES       HALIFAX         25  21  20  20  20  60
24   21793  B MCNICHOL    I BROWN        TYNEMOUTH       26  18  23  26  27  67
25   22112  C MORRISH     A REEVES       ST MARY'S LOCH  22  23  27  28  22  67
26   22270  A MORRISH     L YOUNG        ST MARY'S LOCH  24  24  25  21  25  69
27   21646  E PEARCE      J LAWRIE       TYNEMOUTH       27  25  24  23  26  72
28   22564  A PAYNE       K LAW          TODDBROOK       29  28  30  22  29  79
29   22167  C VICKERMAN   M VICKERMAN    HALIFAX         28  27  26  30 DNS  81
30   21983  J BERRY       J BERRY        ECPSC          RTD RTD  29  29  24  82
31   19540  R COCKING     R COCKING      DELPH           30  26  32  31  28  84
32   20378  G COLE        K BROOKS       IBRSC          RTD  29  31  32  30  90

                                        Points for RTD = 33  33  33  33  31
                                        Points for DSQ = 33  33  33  33  31
                                        Points for DNS = 33

 3 races to count

LASER OPEN MEETING 2002

PN    Boat  Helm                     Club             1   2   3   4   5 Pts
 1  161866  M SOMERVILLE             BASS             1   2   2   2   1   4
 2  130575  P HAMILTON               BURWAIN          2   1   3   1 DNS   4
 3  174889  A THOMAS                 BASS           DNS DNS   1   4   3   8
 4  161865  R DAWSON                 BASS             3 DNS   4   3   2   8
 5  125514  R BRYCE                  BASS             5   3   5   5 DNS  13
 6  160516  T CHITTENDEN             BASS             6 RTD   6   6   4  16
 7  122174  S ADAMS                  BASS           DNS DNS   7   7   5  19
 8  137629  M FAIRLAMB               BASS             4 RTD DNS DNS DNS  20
 9  174900  B MONTGOMERY             BASS             7 DNS DNS DNS DNS  27

                                        Points for RTD =  8   6   8   8   6
                                        Points for DSQ =  8   6   8   8   6
                                        Points for DNS = 10

 3 races to count

MIRROR OPEN MEETING 2002

PN    Boat  Helm          Crew           Club             1   2   3   4   5 Pts
 1   70153  G HUGHES      N EVANS        HOLLINGWORTH     1   1   2   1   2   3
 2   70010  G MCGILL      L MCGILL       SUNDERLAND       2   2   1   2   1   4
 3   69675  T SMITH       R SMITH        BASS             4   3   3   3   3   9
 4   68887  R HODGKINS    K HANKINS      BASS             5   5   5   4   4  13
 5   68852  N WOOD        B WOOD         BASS             3   4 DNS DNS DNS  14
 5   33434  S WATSON      L COOK         BASS             6 RTD   4   5   5  14

                                        Points for RTD =  7   7   6   6   6
                                        Points for DSQ =  7   7   6   6   6
                                        Points for DNS =  7

 3 races to count

Fresh winds tested the 20 boats competing in the GP14 open meeting. In each of Saturday’s races, despite a general recall, there was still a boat that was a little too eager that had to return. Competitors had to contend with shifting winds (as usual) but this led to some close, exciting racing.

Bridget’s Diary
Saturday
Looking forward to the sailing – then Andy told me that as Miles is cruising in the Med I was giving the welcome speech to the competitors! Went ok till William reminded me that I’d said Bathenswaite Sailing Club – Who cares?

Too many Weetabix for Ginge this morning. First gybe and the centre main exploded! Saved our strength for the second race – needn’t of bothered, the kids still beat us!

Toggle Cowan tried to lead Ginge astray after racing, but I told him where to get off.

Sunday
Didn’t seem like much wind but we were ready for sailing anyway, until Ginge reminded me (again) that it was his birthday – just as well I’d already bought the cards. Sent the boys sailing and took Ginge home for a special birthday breakfast (What a mind that Keith Thomas has! We were having none of that [especially at Ginge’s tender age]). Had to write a few more reports while the footy was on and then back on the water.

That special breakfast did the trick – there we were flying up the first beat (in the lead!) till the wind dropped, we started to tumble in backwards, and watched Bean and Toggle aiming for us, but fortunately they tacked off. Once we had righted the boat we were back in our usual position so we tootled around the course for a lap and retired gracefully.

Did the Prizegiving – took no chances and just said ‘Bass’. Tried to bribe the OD (& website editor) with a bottle of wine. {but to no avail!]

Meanwhile back on the water, starts were controlled better following introduction of the ’round the ends’ rule from the first start. John Telford and Andy Smith took the lead from the first mark in each of Sunday’s races and left the rest fighting it out.

The dead run that the OD stuck in the course proved challenging, Telf and Andy lost their lead as the wind filled in on the right hand side of the course and former Bass boat, Wuff, took the lead. But Telf fought back to get the lead on the final beat and take the series with three firsts. Andy’s brother Phil Smith had an equally impressive and consistent weekend, securing three 2nds to take second overall.

Julie Waddington from Bolton was awarded a bottle of wine for being first lady helm.

More pictures

Overall results

GP14 OPEN MEETING 2002

PN    Boat  Helm          Crew           Club             1   2   3   4 Pts
 1   13741  J TELFORD     A SMITH        BASS             1   4   1   1   3
 2   13331  P SMITH       M COWAN        BASS             2   2   2 RTD   6
 3   13326  R DAWSON      M SOMERVILLE   BASS             3   1   7  10  11
 4   13176  D LAWSON      L LAWSON       BASS             9   3   4   5  12
 5   13740  J DIXON       J HINTON       WEST KIRBY       7  10   3   3  13
 6   13254  A GREENHALGH  D GREENHALGH   BASS             3   7  10   4  14
 7   13218  M BRENNAN     A KNOTT        HOLLINGWORTH     5   5   5   8  15
 8   13113  M JONES       K QUIRK        WEST KIRBY       6   8  12   2  16
 9   13526  A FOULDS      O DEWHURST     BURWAIN         10   6   6   9  21
10   13406  G DEIGHAN     D KNOWLES      BOLTON SC      RTD  11   8   7  26
11   13327  M FAIRLAMB    E SMITH        BASS             8   9  14  13  30
12   13539  J CRUICKSHAN  T KNOWLES      BASS            13  13  15   6  32
13   13371  J RILEY       N LEWIS        BASS            14  14   9  11  34
14   13749  H GODFREY     R BRYCE        BASS            11  12  13  15  36
15   13115  J WADDINGTON  C WADDINGTON   BOLTON          12  16  11  14  37
16   13142  R HODGKINS    P HODGKINS     BASS            15  15  16  12  42
17   13075  R DIN         S GREY         HLSC            16  18  18  17  51
18   13603  R WHITTLE     T PILLING      BURWAIN        RTD  19  17  16  52
19   12324  J WOOD        L CONNOLLY     BASS            17 DNS  19  18  54
20   13733  A HODGKINS    J HODGKINS     BASS           RTD  17 DNS RTD  59

                                        Points for RTD = 21  20  20  21
                                        Points for DSQ = 21  20  20  21
                                        Points for DNS = 21

 3 races to count

Congratulations to Stephen Kirkpatrick and Claire Thomas who were married recently and celebrated with family, friends and numerous club members.

For more pictures click here

On Sunday, the Bass Burgee and Flying Enterprise Trophy were sailed for in a sunny day with fresh winds. Typically, the OD sent the fleet around the lake and, with a South Westerly wind passing over Sale Fell, the course was to prove as challenging as ever.

On the first beat Philip Smith and Toggle Cowan in their GP took dislike to a tack by William Carruthers and Alan Smith in a Flying 15 and allowed it to mar the rest of their race. Mark Somerville went for an early swim on the first offwind leg. As the boats headed for Scarness the effects of the winds tumbling over Sale Fell started to take effect. The downdraughts caused 180 degree shifts, calm patches, boats beating away from others on a spinnaker run (and travelling in the same direction!). The pack stayed relatively close until the fleet started to round mark 14 under the lee of the Fell. Neil and Judith Currie turned turtle following a massive windshift in this area. However, William Carruthers was first into the main windstream and began to leave the fleet behind. Mike Moore and Ian Smith followed in their 15, with Hugh Godfrey and Rhonwen Bryce in a GP not far behind by the time the fleet reached the end of the lake.

The return up the lake was no easier, but William held off Mike until the finish. The GPs had a good race with John Telford and Andy Smith taking the lead from Hugh Godfrey.

After the corrected times were calculated, first place went to William Carruthers with Mike Moore 2nd, John Telford 3rd, Hugh Godfrey 4th and Phil Smith 5th.