While waiting for enthusiastic sailors to appear and prepare to race in the blustery conditions, a report from a lady worried that her husband hadn�t returned after some wild swimming led to Bass rescue rushing out to track him down. Fortunately he had been seen earlier, with fluorescent float, so they soon spotted him again and reunited him with his wife. He had got somewhat disoriented in the choppy waters, but had suffered no harm.
Although two helms, and one crew, had turned up to race, enthusiasm was solely with Banter, so racing was cancelled for the day.
Before returning rescue craft to their moorings, they checked on a couple of paddle boarders struggling to make headway in the conditions, and subsequently took them back to their launch site.
Sunday�s forecast was wetter and windier, and perhaps several took heed as there was just one helm that turned up to compare reality with the webcam view! Racing was cancelled for the second day in a row.
With the warm weather set to remain for a few more days at least, and, for a change, with a forecast of strong, gusty winds all weekend, there was a lower than usual turnout for the championship weekend series. Those that turned up were pleasantly surprised that conditions were less gusty than forecast, and� very sailable,
There were a couple of capsizes, but sailors enjoyed some good planing conditions, especially in the first race. The winds were very shifty and challenging for some on the beats.
Ian/Lezliann led the first race in the handicap fleet, while in the second race Banter/Oscar in their RS200 were delighted to break away from Ian/Lezliann in a F15, and John in a Solo before finishing with a good lead.
In the other fleets, consistency was the order of the day with Dave/Lynn winning both GP races, and Bean/Lucy winning the slow handicap races.
Sunday’s forecast was more blustery than Saturday, but remained sailable. James/Jenny capsized before the start and gave up. Emma in a Mirror found the blustery weather too challenging without a crew, while Emma/Jules made it to the end of the first beat, capsized, then went for a bit of a blast! Paul in a Laser� had a couple of capsizes as well, but continued to the end of the race.
Again, there were some spectacular reaches to be had, and enjoyed!
In the handicap fleet, John in his Solo won the first race, but Banter/Oscar in their RS200 went on to win the next three races and the Isel Cup, with Ian/Lezliann in a F15 2nd, and John 3rd.
Dave/Lynn had three wins and won the Commodore’s Prize for GPs with Val/Ken 2nd.
Bean/Lucy in their Mirror had three wins also, winning the Orsova Cup with James in a Tera 2nd
It is with great sadness that we inform you of the death of Caroline Storey. It is heartbreaking for so many Bass members, especially her close family.
Before joining Bass, Caroline was a Bass Week regular, often seen smiling on the trapeze of the infamous Orvil, or in the bar drinking gin fizz. She’ll be dearly missed.
The Funeral is July 6th
11.15 @ Hutcliffe Wood Crematorium
Then onto the Norfolk Arms at Ringinglow.
A busy weekend hosting the RYA Junior Championship had over 150 helms competing in nine fleets with seven races scheduled.
The morning SE breeze veered to the SW mid morning, but when the course mark laying was nearing completion, the backed to the SE again with a light 2-4kts. Some repositioning was necessary before racing got underway about noon.
Most sailors were well behaved on the starts, with only a few single recalls which resulted in the use of the U flag for some fleets on later starts. The wind faded substantially for a short while during the first race of some fleets, but quickly came back and strengthened, and, fortunately, there were no more major wind shifts.
There was one brief light shower, but the sun eventually broke through the clouds around 4pm, and the wind faded soon after, so subsequent starts were postponed until Sunday.
Sunday started with a poor forecast but a typical SE katabatic (so we’re led to believe) wind which was likely to fizzle out at noon! The championship race course was set up to the south end of the main bay and into the narrows near Scarness.
Racing was underway as scheduled at 10.30 with winds from 3-8 kts, but soon after high noon, with the wind too light to start more races, the AP was raised. It would be another hour before the wind returned, fortunately from a similar direction, and racing got back underway.
By the 2.35 deadline for the final start signal, there was only one of the 35 races in the championship that could not be raced.
Overall the competitors were were well behaved at the starts, with only one general recall, and a handful of single recalls.
A busy weekend, with a lot of racing and time spent on the water, proved to be very enjoyable and successful, and, no doubt, will have many competitors sleeping on their journey home!
As recently circulated, there will be club racing alongside the Flying 15 and GP open meetings in the form of single handicap fleet. It will follow the schedule of racing of the open meeting sailing instructions.
Beware that start times are earlier than usual – 1300hrs on Saturday and 1030hrs on Sunday
While most of the country were embroiled in the coronation of King Charles III on Saturday, a fleet of 16 boats ventured out in the swinging winds for another two races in the MJM and Asymmetric Cup series.
The wind was light and variable, and swung so much that the start line had to be moved even before the first start got underway. Shortly after the boats completed the first windward leg the wind swung round to the north, creating the second beat of the three leg course!Mike/Jack took the honours in a Graduate with Neil/Archie in RS200 2nd.
The start line was moved for the next race in which the wind was steadier, and freshened slightly. Conditions suited Steve/Ruth in their Merlin finishing 1st with Mike/Jack 2nd.
Fortunately the forecast rain held off until all the boats were ashore, if not packed away!
On Sunday morning the early arrivals were greeted by flat calm conditions, but the wind soon filled in from the west, with the expectation of it increasing as the day went on.
Racing got underway near enough on time for those on the line, but there were a few stragglers. Banter had an excellent start albeit three minutes late! About 30 minutes into the race there were some northerly gusts, similar to Saturday, and a calm area developed between the two sides of the course, and it slowed progress significantly for those having to sail through it, extending the overall length of the race by about 50%!
During the lunch break a sea breeze started to bed in from the SW, and racing conditions were much improved, with the occasional plane being possible.
In the GPs Val/Ken won both races with AJ/Sue 2nd. Dave/Lynn still lead the series.
In the handicap fleet, Mike/Jack lead the series with another win in the morning, Mike/Sally in a F15 won after lunch, and Rory in a Solo finished 2nd in both races.
Phil/Lucy took two wins in the slow handicap, with Oscar in a Tera, and mum Emma in a Mirror, both getting a 2nd place.
Due to poor conditions on Saturday racing was cancelled for the day. As is typical, a gentle breeze filled in soon after the cancellation was announced!
Matt/Oliver took the honours in their RS200, with Dave/Lynn in a GP 2nd, and Chris/Laura in a RS200 third.
Sunday�s racing was scheduled to start at 1030, but the lighter than forecast wind delayed matters for just over 30 minutes. The first club race was the Paul Carruthers Memorial Trophy postponed from Saturday. The wind was light and variable but sufficient to keep the fleets moving.
The wind freshened on the final beat, and it looked promising that the forecast winds were coming in, but it was necessary to wait until after the lunch break for that to happen.
The higher winds after lunch led to some great spinnaker legs, hairy gybes, with numerous capsizes, and some challenging shifts to test the sailors.
After three races the overnight leaders were Robbie D/Ian in the F15s, Cam in the Handicap fleet, Dave/Lynn in the GPs, and Phil/Oliver in the Mirrors (results for club members in the Mirror Northerns count towards this championship series).
Phil/Oliver led the Mirror Northerns too, with Will/Isabelle Crocker being highest placed visitors 2nd.
Gareth Ede was overnight leader in the Catapults
Monday’s wind was less blustery, but just as shifty. The Mirrors and Catapults had an earlier start planned to get their final races in before lunch. However, with echoes of scenes from Jaws, the committee boat was at anchor preparing for the start when it started being towed backwards! Was it a whale, shark, or a submarine? No, one of the rescue boats moving a mark dragged its mooring across the committee boat’s anchor warp! A few minutes later the lines were disentangled, and the start line reset.
Another win by Phil/Oliver Smith from Bass secured their overall lead to win the Northern area Championship. Angus/Isla Armstrong from West Kirby finished 2nd overall, with Will/Isabelle Crocker from Welton 3rd, equal on points, but losing out on countback.
More consistent sailing by Gareth Ede earned him 1st overall ahead of John Terry 2nd, and George Evans 3rd. At the prize giving Gareth thanked the club on behalf of the visitors for an enjoyable weekend.
After the prize giving, the club sailors went out for their final race of the weekend series. The sun broke through, and the wind settled to offer champagne sailing conditions at the end of a busy weekend’s sailing.
Neil/Rory took another win to secure the Jak Pot trophy for F15s, with Robbie D/Ian 2nd.
Matt/Oliver won the May Holiday Trophy in the handicap fleet, with Scumper in RS100 2nd, and Chris/Laura in RS200 3rd
Val/Ken won the final race, but it was Dave/Lynn that won the Lyne Tankard for GPs, with Val/Ken 2nd, and James/Jenny 3rd.
A couple of wins by Alex/Saskia in a Mirror won them the Peel Pot, with Phil/Oliver 2nd, and Andy/Izzy/Olivia 3rd.
After some glorious days through the week, with plenty of sunshine and wind, Saturday started with torrential rain, which eased as the day moved on, but there was a lack of wind.
The mirror like conditions were broken up by zephyrs, which had Mike and Jack itching to race, but there was a lack of enthusiasm by others, and the mirror like returned, so racing was abandoned for the day.
By Sunday the forecast rain had passed through but the NNE light breeze was slow to develop, so it called for an early lunch, after which the wind had filled in, and continued to increase.
By 1.15 racing was underway. James/Jenny were a bit too eager and had excellent start, albeit they were lined up with the handicap fleet!
Throughout the afternoon the wind varied in strength as different major shifts hit the course.
The second race, the Albert Bates retirement trophy, normally sailed around the lake, immediately followed on. There was a major shift from the east at the start but the wind soon backed to the north. Fortunately the rain held off until racing was over.
Where did the time go? The new sailing season starts on Sunday, and Andrea is keen to pull up some flags (will she remember where the toggle should be?), while Ian oversees�
Be there bright and early because the clocks go forward one hour for British Summer Time on Sunday morning.
It is with great sadness that we inform you of the death of Caroline Storey. It is heartbreaking for so many Bass members, especially her close family.
While most of the country were embroiled in the coronation of King Charles III on Saturday, a fleet of 16 boats ventured out in the swinging winds for another two races in the MJM and Asymmetric Cup series.
