An early start for the youth team racing at the Southport Junior 12 Hour race being managed by principal trainer Alex in an Enterprise that is holding together with some shackles and a bit of ‘bodging’ for a snapped shackle.
If conditions there were anything similar to the club, they will probably sleep soundly on the trip back home, as a gusty force 4 put some off, and tested a select group of sailors that all raced in the handicap fleet.
The testing conditions caused a few capsizes, and Dave Lawson to hit his head on his tiller! Dave was leading but headed to the wrong mark on a reach from 3, and he slipped back to 3rd on the water, and on handicap, behind Joe and Peter both in Laser Radials. Only five of the nine starters finished, and Dave/Lynn called it a day at that stage. The remaining four boats battled through the conditions, with Joe gaining a clear lead against Peter, which was lost after a spectacular capsize at one of the gybe marks, so Peter took the lead through to the finish, with Joe 2nd.
Well done to newcomer Jo, surviving another two races without mishap, and finishing the day with a smile on her face.
Sunday started sunny and less windy than forecast, still no takers in the F15 fleet. With no competition in the slow handicap fleet Sandy and Douglas Simpson sailed their Mirror in the main handicap fleet securing a 1st ahead of James Moore in his Radial.
The afternoon race was the RNLI pennant, but the course only took the fleet to mark 10, not that there weren’t any downdraughts to contend with! Banter Phil took his Skiff out in its second race, but too many capsizes had him chasing the fleet before he finally retired. Dave/Lynn generally led the fleet, though Rory/Eleanor in their F15 did get passed for a while before they had temporary gear failure. Overall it was the GPs that took the honours, with Dave 1st and Mike/Eric 2nd
Eleanor leads Sandra’s Salver for the best female crew in the pennant races.