As the high pressure moved in across the country for the bank holiday weekend, the wind may have been squeezed out. The fading morning breeze gave way to a light sea breeze which lasted for most of the first race.

With a fleet of 12 Catapults competing in their National Championship, they were out in good time for their scheduled start time, however some of the club fleets totalling almost 40 boats were a bit more tardy, perhaps some not realising it was a single fleet start, and some were several minutes late for the start.

While a few of the stragglers were finishing, the wind eased and veered to the NW. The start line was moved to keep the course area within the light wind, but shortly after the starts, the breeze faded to near drifting conditions. Although nearly half the fleets retired, many persevered to complete the one and only lap. Stan had a fatal attraction to the leeward mark in the drifting conditions, and had to to do a turn. Last to finish was Thomas in a Tera, but he wasn’t last on handicap, finishing 10th in the race and 10th overall!

Overall, Robbie D’s 2nd and a 3rd won him the trophy, with Dave/Lyn 2nd, and Rob 3rd

Paul Carruthers Memorial Trophy results

Sunday started with a SW breeze, assumed to be a katabatic wind, so there was the risk that it would fade. A course was set, the races started, and the wind promptly started to veer as the katabatic wind effect eased. Within 20 minutes the wind had swung through 180 degrees! Fortunately there had been a dead run in the course as set which turned out to be the only short beat in the new wind direction.

There was a great turnout again, including many juniors. After lunch, there was a reliance on a sea breeze maintaining the westerly direction, but, as ever, nature had its own idea and there were big shifts to the NW every now and again.

For the final race of the series, the wind eased slightly and backed to the SW, the direction was steadier, but the strength was more variable.

The Catapults found the light winds challenging to tack in, and other fleets occasionally found one ‘parked’ on a mark!

Despite the variable conditions, there was consistency across all fleets in terms of race winners as Simon/Jon in the F15s, Robbie D in the Handicap, Dave/Lynn in the GPs, and Bean/Lucy in the Slow Handicap, all had three wins.

In the Catapults, John Terry and Gareth Ede continue to systematically swap 1st and 2nd places race by race.

Bank holiday Monday wind was significantly higher than forecast, and picking up as the morning progressed. It had some F15 sailors wondering should they/shouldn’t they race, but they took the chance and went out. The wind eased slightly, but remained the best sailing conditions of the weekend by far. Although a few near misses, there was only one capsize by Hannah who seemed very excited at having turtled her Tera!

The lead Catapult positions alternated yet again resulting Gareth Ede winning the championship, with John Terry 2nd.

Final Catapult Nationals results

Champagne sailing conditions were enjoyed by the sailors in the final club race of the weekend series. Andy/Phil were leading the F15s, and duly led the rest of the fleet around the leeward mark the wrong way! Most unwound correctly, but by the time Ian/Lezliann realised they hadn’t, they opted for an early finish.

Graham/Alan added three 2nds to their results tally, sufficient to win the Mellor Mug for F15s, with Simon/Jon 2nd. With� no GPs sailing Dave/Lynn won the Commodore’s prize, and Mike/Sally 2nd. Robbie D took 2nd in the final race to win the Isel Cup with Steve/Ruth 2nd, while Phil/Lucy had another 1st to win the Orsova Cup, with Katia 2nd.

Mellor Mug etc final results

What a restart to Open Meeting sailing after eighteen months of twiddling our thumbs! �A weekend of racing for the two classes with on site camping and caravanning thrown in. It certainly attracted the northern competitors with twelve and seventeen entries respectively in the two classes. �The Lake looked positively crowded!

Although the weather had been wet and wild prior to the weekend, the first of the race days was reasonably sunny and warm. �The only trouble was the wind � or lack of it! Very light airs on Saturday morning eventually gave way to a light westerly to get the two fleets totalling 29 boats on the water after a short postponement. There were some major shifts before the first start, and they continued throughout the afternoon, however the general westerly direction was maintained, and generally most boats had to tack on the designated beats!

A shift at the first start was perhaps the cause of two general recalls for the GPs, but they got cleanly away on the third attempt without the need of a black flag. The wind shifts proved to be advantageous, or challenging, depending on whether or not they worked in your favour. Planing conditions were rare, and there was only one unfortunate capsize by Grace and James in a Mirror, seconds after they finished the second race.

Phil and Naomi Smith, sailing separately with children Oliver and Lucy respectively, had there fair share of good fortune throughout the afternoon. In the first race, Graham and Sebastian Vials were leading but failed to head for mark A on the run down to the leeward mark. Phil was lying about 4th, noticed the error, took the lead, and won, with Rob and Elizabeth Cook 2nd. By the time Graham had noticed his mistake, he had to beat back to A, dropping back to finish 8th overall.

In the second race, Naomi and Lucy opted for the left hand side of the first beat, taking advantage of a major port lift, to be clear ahead at the windward mark, a lead which they held to the end, holding off Rob who had another 2nd to be overnight leader in the Mirrors. With so many youngsters in the Mirror fleet, it is not surprising that one fell asleep (well Saskia isn’t two yet!)

In the GPs, Bass’ Dave Lawson and Joe Roberts had good leads in both races, winning the first, but were passed on the final run as the wind filled in on starboard gybe. To top it off, at the leeward mark the two leading GPs went wide round a Mirror, but Adam McGovern took advantage of the situation, rounding inside the Mirror, and gaining the lead to win the race, and lead the series having secured a 2nd in the first race.

Sunday started with a stronger southerly, so a course was set to send the GPs to mark 7 at Scarness, but by the time the fleets were all on the way to the start area, the wind veered to the SW. The start line was relocated, a new course set, and the wind rapidly strengthened as it backed to the south. So a third� course was set, and racing was soon underway. The increase in wind put off several competitors who headed back to shore.

In the GPs, John and Jack Telford were leading, and in close competition with Dave and Joe, until an unfortunate capsize at a gybe mark. Dave went on to win, with Adam 2nd. In the next race those positions were reversed, so it meant the championship would be determined on the final race. More close racing between the four boats that sailed, had Adam take the lead which he and Eleanor held through to the finish, winning the GP Northern Championship, with David and Joe 2nd, and Patrick Hamilton and James Dewhurst 3rd overall.

The Mirrors had close competition between Andy/Lily Smith and Rob/Elizabeth Cook, each sharing the lead positions in races 3 and 5. In race 4, Rob was OCS and subsequently retired, but this time Andy was runner up to Graham/Sebastian Vials. It was Andy’s win in the final race that won him and Lily the open meeting trophy, with Rob/Elizabeth 2nd, and Jonathan Bullen/Gracie 3rd overall.

Final results