After a busy start to the bank holiday weekend, many were shocked and saddened to learn of the sudden death on Easter Sunday of a long time friend of the club, Dave Ovington. Dave and his family have been to Bass Week for as long as we all care to remember, one of the few holidays he took from his busy boat building business. Our thoughts are with his family at this sad time.
When Emily turned out for the first race of the season in a shortie William was accused of child abuse! – just because William (as well as Andy and Phil Smith) always wears one, was it appropriate for his 13 year old daughter? Ok, the water is still cold, but is anyone really planning on going for a swim in it, I think not.
Indeed, although there were some near misses, no-one has yet claimed the prize for the first capsize of the season.
Bridget, realised that when her son said her drysuit had a leak he meant it! She only found out when she went out for a sail and found she was getting wet (but not her gnatsy gants!), so it was a trip to Nichol End to spend Ginge’s credit card (which he happened to leave there!) – word is he could be getting more than an Easter egg this weekend.
As for the sailing, the turnouts were indeed eggseptional for the start of the season, especially in the handicap fleet which has been strengthened by the arrival of Paul Burnell with an RS400. Visitors from Leigh and Lowton topped up the fleet as well (even though they don’t appear in the results – mean aren’t we?).
Although it was a bit overcast, many sailors turned up for the first race of the season, as did the wind. As many sailors realised that their sailing kit had shrunk during the winter, others sailed in shorts – not a sight everyone welcomed! 18 boats made it to the start line to compete for the Starters prize, although with a good wind blowing it was more a case of who would capsize first. After two good races the first trophy of the season went to Robin Dawson (Cockermouth) and Mike Cowan (Crosby) and everyone was still waiting for the first capsize of the season.
Easter Sunday saw the breeze strengthen for the start of the club championship, and this led to the first capsize of the season by Phil Hodgkins (Brigham) and Jon Sedgwick (Cockermouth). The youngest sailor of the weekend – Katrina Knowles, aged 8 from Brigham took to the water with her dad on Sunday, although the strong breeze meant that she didn’t complete the race.
After a delay on Monday while the wind filled in the racing continued and with positions all to race for strong sailing continued. After four races the Flying Fifteen trophy was won by Mike Moore and Ian Smith (Whitehaven). The GP14 fleet Bass Tankard was won by Dave and Lyn Lawson (Kendal) with Hugh Godfrey and Rhonwen Bryce (Whitehaven) in 2nd place. The handicap fleet was won by the Vice Commodore Steve Hunt and Ruth Critchley with Neil and Judith Currie (Cockermouth ) in 2nd place.
In total 24 boats were on the water over the weekend, and of course, there were some tales to tell.
First there was Andy and Phil Smith who unfortunately holed the hull of their 49er after a slight accident – no it wasn’t wiping out another boat, or trying to leapfrog the pontoon, they just didn’t get the boat lined up on the trailer!
Following in Mike Moore’s footsteps, Sally Roberts wondered why she couldn’t do her drysuit properly until she realised she still had a coat hanger in it!
If you know of any other incidents, don’t forget to let me know as we love to share them with everyone else.
STARTERS PRIZE
PN Boat Helm Class 1 2 Pts
1 13749 R DAWSON RS400 1 1 2
2 13839 H GODFREY GP 2 2 4
3 1210 S HUNT RS400 3 3 6
4 3473 M MOORE FF 4 4 8
5 13327 M FAIRLAMB GP 7 5 12
6 213142 R HODGKINS GP 5 8 13
7 13259 J ROBERTS GP 9 6 15
8 1148 N CURRIE RS400 10 7 17
9 2324 R BLACKBURN LARK 8 9 17
10 69960 M CHAPPEL MS OD DNS 22
11 13238 D NICHOLSON GP 11 12 23
12 501 J CROSBIE RS400 6 DNS 25
13 400 T KNOWLES RS300 DNS 10 29
14 1049 M SOMERVILLE RS400 DNS 11 30
15 562 A SMITH 49R RTD RTD 30
16 13142 M CLAYTON GP 12 DNS 31
17 937 W CARRUTHERS RS400 13 DNS 32
18 13733 A HODGKINS GP RTD DNS 35
Points for RTD = 16 14
Points for DSQ = 16 14
Points for DNS = 19
2 races to count
FF EASTERLY TROPHY
PN Boat Helm Class 1 2 3 4 Pts
1 3473 M MOORE FF 1 1 1 1 3
2 92504 J HARDON FF 2 2 2 DNS 6
3 2504 K THOMAS FF DNS DNS DNS 2 10
Points for RTD = 3 3 3 3
Points for DSQ = 3 3 3 3
Points for DNS = 4
3 races to count
GP BASS TANKARD
PN Boat Helm Class 1 2 3 4 Pts
1 13176 D LAWSON GP 1 3 1 1 3
2 13839 H GODFREY GP 2 2 3 2 6
3 13749 R DAWSON RS400 3 1 4 DNS 8
4 13327 M FAIRLAMB GP 4 4 5 DNS 13
5 13789 J TELFORD GP DNS DNS 2 RTD 16
6 13259 J ROBERTS GP 5 5 DNS DNS 20
7 13238 D NICHOLSON GP RTD 6 6 DNS 20
8 13733 A HODGKINS GP 6 RTD DNS DNS 24
Points for RTD = 8 8 7 4
Points for DSQ = 8 8 7 4
Points for DNS = 9
3 races to count
EASTER TROPHY
PN Boat Helm Class 1 2 3 4 Pts
1 1210 S HUNT RS400 1 1 1 3 3
2 1148 N CURRIE RS400 2 2 3 2 6
3 937 W CARRUTHERS RS400 5 3 6 7 14
4 1146 P BURNELL RS400 DNS 5 8 4 17
5 20181 M NINNIM ENT DNS DNS 2 1 18
6 2324 R BLACKBURN LARK 3 DNS 4 DNS 22
7 1049 M SOMERVILLE RS400 8 DNS 9 5 22
8 1140 J CHRISTIE VORTEX 7 4 DNS DNS 25
9 9558 P HODGKINS RS400 4 RTD DNS DNS 25
10 501 J CROSBIE RS400 6 DNS 7 DNS 28
11 400 T KNOWLES RS300 DNS DNS OD DNS 33
12 130338 RiCRITCHLEY LAS DNS DNS 5 DNS 33
13 515 E HUNTSTON BLAZE DNS DNS DNS 6 34
Points for RTD = 9 7 10 8
Points for DSQ = 9 7 10 8
Points for DNS = 14
3 races to count