This year’s GNAC attracted over 60 boats from as far as afield as East Lothian in Scotland and Llandegfedd in South Wales. There was a promising forecast F4 wind gusting F6, though as it was from the ENE it restricted the windward/leeward course length slightly.

There were two fleets, all racing on handicap, and the start lines were busy to say the least. Though there was a couple of single recalls on the first two races, the black flag was introduced for the slow handicap fleet after a general recall in races 3 and 4!

The faster boats had the advantage of clear airs for the first lap of each race, though the general recalls made that second beat somewhat busy. The forecast gusts came in and created some exciting planing conditions, and the frequency of the gusts increased throughout the afternoon, resulting in numerous capsizes, even by birthday boy Dave Exley!

When the finish times were adjusted on handicap, despite wrapping his main sheet around the spreader mark, Bass sailing secretary, John Reekie/Andy Tunicliffe came out on top with two 1sts and a 2nd, with Chris Pickles/Matt Sharman 2nd, Mark Somerville/Joe Roberts 3rd, and leading visitor Hamish Gledhill/Ross Southwell from West Riding/Leigh and Lowton SC 4th

Sunday’s forecast was lighter, but from the SE, so the OD enthusiastically set the course up through the Scarness narrows which proved fortuitous as the direction held for all races. However, the varying wind strength made it difficult to manage the overall race length, so the length of the beat shrank as the day went on!

The racing remained competitive throughout though there were some mixed fortunes depending on the wind strength.

Overall Andy Couch/Mart Couch from Blithfeild SC in a VX One had some consistent 2nds and 3rds to beat Pix/Matt in a RS400 by just two points, with John/Andy in a 59er third.

Final results RS400s RS200s

There was a fleet of 51 boats for this year’s NW Junior Travellers Trophy. The forecast was for a base F3 wind gusting F5, but it didn’t put off any of the young sailors.

Racing got underway at 12 noon, just after a squall arrived, but didn’t cause many capsizes. With the wind coming from the SSW the downwind leg of the trapezoidal course was occasionally in the shadow of Sale Fell, and unexpectedly light. As some gusts came through there were various capsizes, and some spectacular planing. The race was won by Max Rawlinson/Eddie Johnson in a Feva, with Mya Fance/Seren Green, also in a Feva, 2nd.

The course was slightly narrower in the next race, and it helped keep the boats in the wind. Again, there was some windy conditions just before the start, and the squalls passing through kept the rescue crews occupied. Max/Eddie took another win with Oliver Hirst in a ILCA6 2nd.

After a short break ashore, the wind freshened yet again during the start sequence!. Shortly after the second start, a widespread squall soon flattened a quarter of the fleet, so the was abandoned and sailors headed ashore.

With no major damage, and the wind settling, another attempt at starting the third race was made. However, there proved to be two winds, with the gusting wind taking precedence, so several start sequences were stopped, as the OD amended the course waiting for the wind to settle. Sailors had clean starts for all three races, and there were more capsizes, and some great planing conditions at times. With the wind freshening again, the race was shortened, and sailors headed ashore for the evening, with the temptation of a visiting fish and chip van, although due to unforeseen circumstances it wasn’t able to attend!

Sunday’s forecast was for stronger baseline winds from the west but with bigger gusts. Having checked the wind before the start, the OD deemed conditions suitable. About a third of the fleet were less optimistic and opted not to race, but those that sailed had more good racing, great planing conditions, and some shifty, capsize inducing gusts!

Max Rawlinson/Eddie Johnson continued their mastery of the conditions, winning all five races, and the event overall. Similarly, Oliver Hirst had two more 2nds, finishing 2nd overall. George Jacobs in a Byte was 3rd.

Best Bass helm was Cameron Somerville in a Laser 4.7 finishing 10th overall. Brother Matthew and Henry Bullen, in an RS200, may have beaten him had they not spent so much time swimming!

Final results

On Saturday there was a one day open for Lasers, Solos, and Teras with an entry of 25 boats over the three fleets. Warm weather had returned with a forecast of light F2 winds gusting F3 generally from the SSE.

Racing got underway on time at 11am with just one Laser, Richard Benson from Tynemouth, being OCS, and having to return. Greg Liggins from Derwent Reservoir generally led the Lasers, but there was some close competition at times, especially as the wind veered to the SW enabling Sale Fell to cast a shadow on the second beat in the course, resulting in drifting conditions at the top of the leg. When the fleets escaped the wind shadow, the wind had freshened and veered more to the west. Being close on Greg’s transom at the final leeward mark, Andy Thomas used the wind shift to his advantage by freeing off for speed, and taking the win.

The start line was relocated for the 2nd race, but the fresh winds at the end of the 1st race had eased, and continued to swirl, so there was an earlier than planned lunch break during which the wind seemed to settle back from the west.

A windward/leeward course was set for the 2nd race, and again the only helm too eager with his port on port start, and caught OCS, was Richard Benson but he failed to return. The wind strength varied but the direction was steady until the final beat when the wind veered more to the NNW, and another wind shadow enveloped the windward mark.

The start line was moved for the final race, but, frustratingly, the wind backed soon after racing was underway, so the race was shortended after three laps.

In the Lasers, Greg won the final two races to win overall, with Andy 2nd. Local Alex Reed had led most of the final race, but finishing 2nd to Greg pulled him up the ranks to 3rd overall.

In the Solos, there were different winners for each race with only two points separating the first four boats. Andy Carter from Leigh & Lowton winning overall, with John Reekie from Bass 2nd, and Rory Yardley 3rd.

In the Teras, Andrew Reekie had three straight wins, Oscar Davenport three 2nds, and Oliver Smith three 3rds, finishing in that order overall.

Final results

Bright sunshine and a lack of wind greeted the entrants for the weekend’s open meeting sponsored by Im pact Marine. However, just before the scheduled start time, a sea breeze started to fill the bay, so the OD prepared to get racing underway just half an hour later than scheduled.

As soon as the line was set, the wind veered to the north, the the line was lifted, relocated, and racing started. The strengthening wind eased again as the two winds battled each other throughout the afternoon, and led to a mix of fortunes for many.

The winds held long enough to get three scheduled races finished, and in the Flying 15s it was Andy Tunicliffe/Andy Smith relatively consistent results that made them overnight leaders with John Reekie/Rory Yardley 2nd. In the GP14s Dave/Lynn Lawson had three wins to take the overnight lead, with Val/Ken Bell 2nd.

Some unscheduled club racing was held alongside the open meeting for which the overnight leader is Paul Clark, with Henry Bullen 2nd, both were sailing Laser Radials

Sunday started in much the same way but without the sun! The wind did start to fill the bay in the half hour before scheduled start time but it would be 1100hrs before boats were on the water and ready to start.

The light airs strengthened in the second half of the first race and generally held for the final race too, and there were some good planing opportunities on the reaches.

As on Saturday, the shifts created opportunities (or challenges!), and there was a set of mixed results for most.

Though there were some spots of rain, fortunately they didn’t last.

Open meeting final results

Club racing final results

There was blue skies and a light westerly wind for an excellent turnout of 68 boats on the first day of the NW Junior Traveller Trophy and RS Tera northern area championship.

Three races were sailed back to back, with only two boats OCS. The wind varied in strength as it came through in waves during the afternoon, with some boats managing to enjoy brief planing conditions.

Jacob Bennett in a Laser from Glossop led overall overnight with two wins, with Alex Horsman from Glossop 2nd. Max Rawlinson from Roa Island was lying 3rd overall and lead Tera.

Sunday started with grey skies following overnight rain, and a wind that wouldn’t settle for the scheduled 1030 start. However, it came in from the south as forecast, and racing was underway shortly after 1100.

Both fleets had clean starts and some good racing in F1-2 winds. However, as the wind veered slightly towards the end of the race, Sale Fell cast a shadow over the windward mark slowing boats on their final lap.

The wind continued to veer, finally coming from the north, a full 180degrees from the original, and forecast, direction!

The fleets went ashore for an early lunch and waited for the wind to fill in again.

A sea breeze resolved things and the final race started about 1430 with a good F2-3 enabling some planing, and causing a few capsizes. Champagne sailing conditions to finish an excellent weekend’s racing!

Despite the slow final lap in race 4 affecting their finishing position, overnight leaders Jacob and Alex were able to discard the result and finished the weekend overall as 1st and 2nd respectively, with Arthur Baker from Derwent Reservoir in his Optimist 3rd.

The Tera Sport Northerns was won by Thomas Whitehead from Filey, with brother Daniel 2nd. The Tera Pro Northerns was won by Matthew Somerville from Bassenthwaite, with Max Rawlinson from Roa Island 2nd

Final results

It was fanstastic to have a fleet of 23 Flying 15s for their northern championship. They enjoyed champagne sailing conditions throughout the sunny afternoon. Of course, there were a few shifts to contend with, but that’s Bass!

The fleet got away to a clean start for the first race, and the first beat seemed to set the tone for the four leaders, none of which changed position, despite various challenges, so the win went to Andy McKee/Rich Jones from Dovestone. Best Bass boat was sailed by Graham Kirkpatrick/Alan Smith who finished 4th.

The next start was not quite as orderly, with two general recalls before various helms offered the OD advice on introducing the black flag, Simon Longstaff being one of them. It’s a shame he fell foul of it (and perhaps fortuitous that usual crew Commodore Jon Denwood was substituted due to back injury)! Perhaps that was the reason he was leading the at the windward mark before being informed he was out?

Although Andy/Rich sailed well, they were pipped on the final beat by Steve Goacher/Tim Harper from RWYC. This time it was Neil Currie/Rory Yardley that led the Bass fleet, finishing 3rd.

After a short break, the fleet headed out for the third race of the day. Another clean start, but it was the first leeward mark which was so busy that there were various bumps, threats of protests, and turns done. However, Nigel & Gavin Tullett from RWYC kept their lead, though only by a smidgen on the finish line as Mike Preston/Chris Robinson challenged!

So with no discards, overnight lead was held by Steve/Tim, with Andy/Rich 2nd. Best Bass boat in 4th sailed by Andy Smith/Andy Tunicliffe

Sunday’s weather was more of the same – sun and a shifty force 2. There was plenty of competitive racing, although not as crowded at some of the marks, there was the incident resulting in turns being required!

In race 4 Steve/Tim broke through to the lead and showed a clean pair of heals to Neil/Rory, and strengthened his lead in the series. With main competitor Andy McKee finishing 4th, Steve needed to finish in the top three to be assured of the championship.

Andy/Rich took the final race (2nd overall), Steve/Tim 2nd (winner) with Andy/Andy 3rd (4th overall), and Nigel/Gavin 4th (3rd overall)

Final results

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