You’d never have guessed it from the weather. Torrential rain showers, a little bit of sun, but a good breeze to power the boats round.

Joe Watkins was out in his new RS 300, honing his capsize skills on a frequent basis. He would have been pleased that the lake is so high because he turned fully turtle at one stage without getting his mast in the mud!

Scumper took advantage of the reaches to strengthen his lead and win 2 mins ahead of Toggle. Ethan, sailing with his dad in the RS 200 was just a further 8 secs behind that – if only he hadn’t had the near capsize….

A pennant race in the afternoon in aid of the RNLI (have you paid your donation?) took a slightly reduced fleet around the lake. With the wind coming from the west, Sale Fell would have its inevitable effect on the winds in the southern end of the lake. Graham/Nick got a fantastic first beat in but ended up in the middle of the lake (not the route to take on a round the laker!) and lost his lead big style as most of the fleet took the gusts on the shore line and passed him. On the way back up he did get back in the mix, and even back into the lead at one stage, tussling with Scumper and Mike/Kayla as the wind toyed with one and all, through occasional gusts, holes and major shifts!

On handicap, Scumper beat Mike by 30 secs, followed by the other F15s. Val/Ken led the GPs and took 5th overall. A crewless Rear Admiral returned to his Laser, suffered several capsizes, and brought up the rear!

The race counted towards Sandra’s Salver, and put Kayla on equal points with Sue, but ahead when the tie is split on the last race.

With a stormy weather forecast for middle England, what would happen in the Dubwath micro climate was anybody’s guess. The wind turbines at Bothel were in an Easterly breeze, from the shore the wind seemed to be from the SE, but on the water it was from the SW! It was windy in local towns and on the coast, but certainly not steadily windy on the lake as there wer numerous light periods and Sale Fell cast shadows on the racing area too!

The fleet of 11 boats for the Fleet Challenge diminished as the racing went on – was it a lack of energy, or just other things to do as there were three races to squeeze in to the afternoon (with another 3 on Sunday)?

Steve/Ruth led the fleet in their Merlin-Rocket in all three races, but the F15s had to battle with Scumper for 2nd place on the water. After a poor start in the first race with his stand in crew, Mike/William took advantage of some fortunate shifts and worked through to 2nd on the water. In the 2nd race Ian/Lezli-Ann quickly took 2nd position and maintained it for the race, while Mike/William trawled the spinnaker for a while letting Scumper and Tim/Ian through! The trauma for William in the final race was almost being ejected from the boat whilst gybing when his buoyancy aid got caught on the kicking strap! This time Scumper took 2nd and Mike 3rd. At least Mike will have his proper crew back on the foredeck tomorrow!

In the last race, Alan/Sue were a matter of seconds from filling their spinnaker and having a hairy plane when they capsized, but they recovered to finish the race. Perhaps next time?!

With the results being calculated on a personal handicap basis, the race wins went to three different helms – Steve Hunt, Ian Campbell and Neil Garrison who takes the overnight lead.

Sunday’s conditions were a lot more settled, a good, but steady, breeze powered the fleet around. Steve/Ruth had a flying start but gave it all away when they started to sail the wrong course and retired. That left the F15s to show the way, with Mike/Kayla taking the lead but with Ian/Lezli-Ann nibbling at their ankles most of the way. The OD was concerned that the Commodore had taken a disliking to his course when he took a gybe mark extremely wide, but he would just claim to be making best use of the gusts! He did give Banter Phil a run for his money though.

On handicap, (after a recheck of calcs!) Ethan won, Kath/Glenys 2nd, with Mike/Kayla 3rd.

There were two further races after lunch, which Ethan and Kath each shared with a 1st and 2nd. Conditions eased as the afternoon went on but there were still planing opportunities, or would that be challenges as several fought with their spinnakers to avoid broaching/capsizing. A new member in an RS400 had his pole stuck out up the beat, which looked somewhat ominous, especially when they had a close encounter with Kath/Glenys who were on a run to the leeward mark!

Overall, Kath/Glenys’s strong results, coupled with 3 pts for being OD on Saturday, gave them a clear lead and the overall series, dashing Alan’s hopes of winning the prize for 1st GP. Mike and the other two F15s took the next three positions, with Alan finishing 5th.

‘Winds will be cyclonic’ – and how!
A quieter, damp, evening resulted a smaller fleet of only 11 boats this week. As the wind came and went Race Officer Steve Sharpe had his work cut out guessing which direction it would materialise from next. In the event it appeared at all points of the compass at some time during the race. This allowed Steve the rare privellege of being able to set a course on which boats were able to fly spinnakers on all legs, as well as beat on most of them too.The wind finally kicked in with a decent planing gust, blowing straight down the lake, just as the lead boats were finishing. Joe Watkins, test driving an RS 300, was finally able to appreciate just how unstable they really are.

Latest results (PH)
Latest results (FH)

After there being too much wind last weekend, today seems looks like it will be the opposite. There has been a slight breeze, but as the start time approaches, the wind has disappeared!…

It was to be the sea breeze that helped save the day. The first race in the celebrity glass pursuit that hadn’t been cancelled was actually sailed. Despite the light winds, the handicaps resulted in some close finishes. It was the lasers that stole the show led by Scumper.

The breeze settled slightly for the second race. Robbie D led the fleet (shame he didn’t have a crew). It took William and Elaine a lap to catch him, but he broke away again on the next beat. John and Janis couldn’t be shaken off either, and passed William on the final lap. We’re not certain whether John was being protective of his handicap but a dodgy tack on the final beat let William through to finish first. On handicap it was Scumper that finished first from Alan Nicholson and Julian Cruickshank

Although there were no takers for Saturday’s club racing, the fairer weather tempted out a small fleet of Handicap boats, and GPs.

With Scumper crewing for Neil Platt in the F15s in the morning, Toggle had free reign in the handicap fleet winning the race from Jim Christie, with Ethan valiantly completing the course in his dad’s Vareo, despite one or two capsizes. Toggle was doing well in the afternoon too until he rounded 0 the wrong way, losing the lead to Scumper (and Matthew), and three places, in a matter of seconds. Scumper went on to win the race, with Alastair Duncan 2nd and Paul Clark 3rd.

Andy Smith continued his winning ways in the GP, with wife Emma crewing, in the morning race with Hugh/Rachael 2nd and Alistair/Claire 3rd, while in the afternoon there was some close racing between Alan/Sue and Hugh/Rachael, but Hugh took the honours.

Earlier on in the week it seemed that sailing could be blown off by too much wind. Then it changed to too much wind on Saturday, but not enough for Sunday. However, by Saturday, the forecast winds had eased, and although squalls passed through in the morning, there was some good sailing to be had for the sunny afternoon, though there was a small turnout in two fleets.

Scumper took a good lead in the first race, won on handicap with Jim Christie 2nd, and Tim/Ian in a F15 3rd. In the second race Tim/Ian mastered the beats taking a good lead on Scumper, but when the handicaps were worked out Scumper had another win under his belt, 30 secs ahead of Tim.

In the GPs, Dave/Lynn had another two 1sts from Mike/Nigel.

Sunday morning was beautiful, but with very little wind. In fact it was so nice Rachael opted to cycle to the club from Dalston! Fortunately the wind did fill in sufficiently to start racing just a few minutes late, though by the first start there were two different winds on the start line. Roy took advantage of the westerly at the port end and had a great start, although Robin in his Vareo soon took the lead. Scumper may have had a better start if he had rigged his gennaker properly, but he would have probably still been late (perhaps it was due to the wrong type of lager?). After half an hour the wind faded, and various positions changed as the zephyrs came from several directions. The race was shortened a short while later and, of course, the wind filled in. But what would happen for the afternoon pennant race? Would a sea breeze come, and, if so, would it fight the existing wind leaving nothing?!

As it turned out, the wind held from the north, a line and course was set, and while waiting for the fleet to reach the start line the wind died. 3/4 hour later there was still no wind, so racing was abandoned for the day. Hey ho (At least Rachael would not have been too exhausted from the day’s racing for her cycle home).

Anyone passing the lake during Thursday afternoon might have been forgiven for assuming racing in the fourth round of the Night Jar would be a test of resolve and endurance. The wind was cold and blustery; the water grey and choppy. However, the reality was that the race was more a test of patience than anything else, as the wind had all but evaporated. Eleven boats took to the water, under the watchful eye of Captain Macpherson. Neil/Judith Currie led the fleet home, but were second to Joan/Jack Hardie on both fleet and personal handicap. Third, on PH were Alan and Sue – while John Crosbie was third on FH.