Not only are we at the end of British Summer Time, so clocks will go back by one hour on Sunday morning, but, with the current high winds, there is plenty of rain around, and it is forecast to continue well into next week with the likelihood that the lake will flood.
Please consider whether your boat will be safe on the foreshore, and avoid any last minute rescuing in the forthcoming dark evenings.
A cold ENE breeze blew throughout Saturday afternoon, accompanied by occasional lulls, and numerous swings in direction.
Shifts just before the start led to a starboard biased line (or was it just poorly set?!) and a premature starter who duly returned. Scumper in his RS100 led both races, while Joan/Jack in a GP showed the way for a while.
The bulk of the fleet of 18 boats were reasonably well bunched, and places were prone to change frequently.
Nigel caused havoc just before the start of the second race when he came into a group of starboard boats whilst on port. Bumps were heard, and turns were soon completed…
Autumn Saturday series Latest results
Sunday started with a reasonable SE breeze much to the surprise of many. However the onset of rain in Keswick seemed to kill the wind as the rain moved closer to the northern racing bay. Fortunately it was just a temporary lull, and the wind came back stronger than before.
Val/Ken were on a roll and pulling away from the fleet. Neil Garrison was on such a good lift he missed the gate but eventually looked behind, saw what was happening, and returned to go through it.
Several helms opted out of the second race, probably so they could warm up. Those that remained had some close racing. Neil Garrison was on better form, and spent most of the race fighting AJ/Sue for lead boat, while Val�s first beat had them down the pan, she nibbled away to take the lead by the end of the second main beat, but racing remained close down to the leeward mark where AJ was on her tail (and she wasn�t certain how NeilG would get in the way. Anyway she kept her nerve and held the lead up the final short beat to the finish.
Autumn Sunday series latest results
Saturday�s clouds were slowly cast aside as the afternoon progressed, and there was numerous spells when the sun broke through to give some warmth in the F2-3 wind. The conditions were perfect to attract out some of the cadets that been practicing in the morning.
There was a great fleet of 21 boats competing for the Autumn Saturday series.
There was plenty of shifts to keep sailors on their toes, some of which caused resulted in various capsizes, but there was excellent planing conditions from time to time as well.
For a while, Val/Ken gave Dave/Lynn a run for their money, but a gust just after gybing their kite caught Val out slightly , while Dave took the advantage and passed them. Although Scumper led throughout during both races, his lead wasn�t sufficient to beat Dave who took two wins, with Scumper 2nd, and Joe 3rd.
Autumn Saturday series latest results
A sunny, clear Saturday evening continued through into Sunday morning but there was no wind. The various zephyrs that appeared soon disappeared again. It seemed there were two competing winds. Just after noon, the forecast NW breeze took control so everyone took to the water for a start just before 1pm.
The wind kept swinging between W and NW, causing some light areas on the leg from 1 to 0. AJ lost a lot of ground when he couldn�t lay 0, then had to tack in very light airs to round it. Dave/Lynn broke away to take a strong lead and win the first race.
A sea breeze bedded in by the end of the first race so the line was repositioned, then the race started.
Mike Fairlamb seemed to be banging a corner on the first beat, then he looked round to see the rest of the fleet heading in another direction, and realised he was on the wrong course!
Though the wind eased slightly, it held through to the end of the race. Again, Dave led the way, adding another win. It was the Solos that were runners up in both races, with Neil and Rory each taking a 2nd position, and Val getting a 3rd. Neil didn’t sail the final race (as he left to celebrate his mum’s birthday!), but he still leads the series.
Autumn Sunday series latest results
Sixteen boats took part in the final weekend series of our curtailed season.
They were greeted by a lovely sunny day with a variable chilly easterly wind. The novice Bates driver managed to wrap the anchor warp around the prop which meant a short postponement was required. This was rectified by three fat men standing on the bow and a Scottish engineer untangling things at the rear.
Race one saw Mark in his RS100 lead the fast handicap fleet from the start but take the wrong course, he realised his mistake and was first on the water and on handicap.
Ant and Pen had some Spinnaker difficulties just before the final mark which let Paul and Neil past. The GPs has some exciting close racing with numerous leaders, Andy and Phil won in the end. Much amusement was had when Alan and Sue tried to round the final mark to port, it should have been starboard, causing a brief period of chaos and losing a place to Val and Ken. Mik in his Mirror was first on the water and on adjusted time in the slow handicap from Matthew and Katya in Teras.
Race 2 saw the OD set a shorter course with two beats, Mark again led from start to finish in the fast handicap fleet but was beaten for first by Neil in a radial on handicap. The GPs again had close racing early on but Andy and Phil pulled out a comfortable lead from Dave and Lynn. Nigel and Glenys capsized on the reach to 9, struggled to empty and retired.
Matthew and Katia had a great race in the Teras, both beating Mik�s Mirror on the water who was just in the lead rounding the final wing mark in R2 but touched it and had to re-round.
With everything to play for, Sunday dawned cloudless and rather chilly. 16 crews launched for the final three races in the series with half the fleet being in GPs. The wind varied between NE and NW but was seldom stronger than F2.
In the first two races it was Mark and Phil / Izzy taking a Handicap Fleet win each on the water with single handers Neil Currie and Mike Fairlamb next up. In the GPs Andy / Phil and David / Lynn took a win each.
After a short break the final race was held in dying and varying winds. �Only�nine�of the crews thought it worth contesting with�five�being GPs.�It resulted in Mark�taking a 10 minute lead which should net him the Handicap Fleet? �
Similarly Dave & Lynn took the GP race by 8 minutes. Alan & Sue had caused some consternation at the start being over the line and ducking back in which dropped him to the rear of his fleet. James & Jenny took the second place from Paul & Vicky and Val & Ken.
The majority of members hadn�t sailed since the end of last season and were desperate to get onto the Lake and involved in competition. So, by the Holiday Weekend, nearly forty crews were ready to take to the water. Some were encouraged by the very light winds while others were put off by the conditions.
On Saturday there was a two race series for the Paul Carruthers Memorial Trophy. Scumper won the first while �training man� Reekie got the second. Overall it was Phil & Naomi from Mark. Dave & Caroline Exley in a RS400 were third ahead of Robbie D.
A five race class series on the following days was held in light to non-existent winds which drifted in from virtually every point on the compass. There were no FFs so the Fast Handicap Fleet led the way. Bean in the RS200 crewed this time by young Oliver took the series with three bullets. Shunty & Ruth were second in their Merlin, and Neil third in his aged Solo.
The nine strong GP fleet was won on last race by Telf with Jack crewing, from a high performing Mike Fairlamb who had �Sally Sailor� as crew. The Ginger Boats entry of Andy & Phil could only manage a series third.
Mik took the MT Slow Handicap win by a whisker from Matty in his Tera Pro. Stephen and son in their Mirror were third.
Recent high winds and heavy showers may have put many sailors off, but it proved to be sailable for the three boats that took to the water, perhaps to Sue�s frustration as she had her heart on going out for afternoon tea!
Both the single handers had capsizes throughout the afternoon, but AJ/Sue stayed upright, then quit while they were ahead after the first race.
The wind freshened during the second race, and a few white horses appeared, but the two single handers battled on, despite capsizing, with Paul in a Pico first through the finish line ahead of Hugh in his Vareo.
The racing was the last of the series, but did not affect the overall results with Neil Currie winning the Barf Trophy handicap series, Pail/Vicky the GP Spring Cup, and Paul Gannon the MT Red Sails trophy for slow handicap.
The wind was a reluctant participant, but it did start to appear around the northern buoys, so the OD went out to set a course. While waiting for the fleets to join in, a breeze in the southern end started to fill the lake, so the proposed start area was relocated and racing got underway.
During the first half of the race, despite occasional light patches, the two beats were maintained, and then the inexplicable shifts, and some opposing winds moved in. Phil/Izzy in a RS400 kept in the wind to win on handicap from Neil Garrison in his Laser. By the end of the race, the long run in to the leeward mark became a beat… That proved to be the final straw for some, and they called it a day. AJ/Sue had solid races to to takes wins, with Nigel/Glenys 2nd in each race.
The wind quickly reverted to the south, the next race sequence was started, and most boats started on a reach or run! An easterly bedded in, resulting in an alternate beat, and lasted throughout the rest of the race. Despite a ‘casual’ start by Neil Currie in his Solo, he pulled back to finish 2nd to Neil Garrison who currently leads the series. As for the rain showers that the rest of the country/county were enduring, the worst we suffered was some light drizzle. The Bass micro climate continues.
Sunday’s forecast was for a repeat of Saturday’s weather, but on arrival sailors were greeted with a SE force 4, believed to be a katabatic wind. The big question was, would it last?! As soon as the sequence was underway, there was signs that the forecast NE direction was coming through.
The course was set with a beat from 2 to 7 (well B, which was a temporary replacement for 7). The handicap fleet started ok, and Paul/Jude in their Nacra managed to keep in the wind, while others had mixed fortunes, with memories of round the lake racing where wind seemingly comes from multiple directions at the same time, because the NE wind kept trying to fill in. Paul’s pace was so good that they were sent on a second lap, not that it did their final position on handicap any good, as they finished 3rd behind Banter/Izzy in a RS400, and Steve/Ruth in a Merlin.
In the GPs, Andy/Phil won, with John/Jack 2nd, while Mik in a Mirror won the slow handicap from Matty in a Tera. Despite a couple of capsizes at the windward mark, Cameron battled on to finish 3rd.
Between races AJ/Sue opted to go ashore to drain their GP. Did someone forget to put the bungs in?
The start line was moved for the next race, to try and maintain a steadier wind, which was still coming from the SE. A simple windward leeward course worked, though apparently there was still challenging shifts to contend with. Steve/Ruth took 1st in the Handicap fleet with Scumper 2nd. The leader results for the GPs and slow handicap fleets were the same as the first race.
Overnight rain had passed through leaving a slightly lighter breeze than Saturday, but there were many sunny spells.
In the GPs Andy/Phil joined in to challenge Dave/Lynn, succeeded in winning the first race. John/Jack led the next race, but there were some cruel shifts on each of the beats that Dave/Lynn mastered to work up from third to win the race with Andy 2nd.
Steve/Ruth in a Merlin led both races in the handicap race, and despite not being able to fly their spinnaker in the second race, took two wins with Stan in a Solo 2nd.
Katia was getting used to her Topper in the slow handicap race against Mik. Despite Mik being late for the start, he made enough ground on Katia to beat her in both races
An overcast breezy Sunday afternoon greeted the 10 boats for our second days racing of the 2020 season.
Steve and Ruth in the Merlin led the handicap fleet throughout the first race, but were beaten on handicap by Joe and Dave who has a great battle in Laser Radials, with Joe taking the honours. The GPs were saw John and Jack lead from start to finish, Alan and Sue were second after Val and Ken had a spinnaker malfunction.
Paul and Stan decided to give the second race a miss and Steve and Ruth pulled out a good lead but a broken mainsheet put paid to their race. Dave and Joe had another close race until Joe went for an early bath, giving Dave the race win. John and Jack were first in the GPs, they did lose the lead to Val and Ken for a lap who finished second.
The series winners were Joe in the handicap fleet and John & Jack in the GP14s.