Sam Hall sailed in the NW Junior Traveller event at Ullswater on Saturday. Just one second separated him from victory and winning the event.

What a Challenge!

This weekend’s weather was somewhat different to the sunny conditions we enjoyed last week. The sun has been replaced with showers, the wind is still here(!), the temperature has dropped, and shorts have been replaced by thermals and woolly hats!

As a result, the conditions were less inviting and there was just a small turnout of four boats on Saturday – certainly a fleet challenge in that there’s not two boats from the same fleet!

Dave and Lynn consistently led the fleet. Hugh seemed to regularly capsize! Joe capsized at one of the gybe marks, and Ian just sailed quietly around the course.

Sunday racing had a lot more takers, and the wind was almost as blustery as Saturday and there were numerous capsizes. With a strong on shore wind, it proved to be challenging stopping boats in time before there were grounded as the fleet returned to the slip after racing. As can be seen from the results, there were only a few qualifiers for the series, buth the first three places were closely contested with just one point difference. It was Hugh’s two first from Saturday that split the tie in his favour from Ian Macpherson.

Mike Turner was as keen as ever to go sailing, but his crew Sue Watson had been out celebrating a big birthday – he did suggest the party started last Saturday – boy do these nurses know how to party! She did appear in a disguise comprising some large dark glasses – not certain they were for the sunny conditions though, more the result of some serious partying 🙂

The series was run on a personal handicap basis, and you can see how the handicaps changed from race to race. Indeed several positions were split by a matter of seconds. The handicapping is not a precise science, but it does give helms of differing abilities to compete – whether it is fair may depend on your point of view, but overall everyone should be in with a chance!

The Youth Squad had planned a sail around the lake with a break for a picnic lunch, however conditions just did not suit so the picnic was held in the clubhouse, and then the fleet went out for what seemed like a capsize drill between main racing. Not that any of the hardy sailors were at all bothered about capsizing – many of them seemed to be deliberate!! Hopefully the picnic will be incorporated into one of the future social sailing events