Races three and four of the Winter series were held on Bassenthwaite last Sunday.� The water level had receded somewhat and winds were again light enticing eleven boats onto the Lake.� The Musto Skiff sailed by Robin Dawson is a potentially rapid boat and is handicapped accordingly but it is not designed for light winds and, although it finished ahead on the water in Race one, its lead was not enough to beat the following boats on corrected time and the race win went to Jim Christie in his Supernova from Alan Nicholson in his Solo.� Dawson finished third while the Supernova of Peter Ballard beat the GP14 of Mike Turner / Sue Watson for fourth place by a single second.

The next race produced a different result with Steve Hunt / Ruth Critchley� in their Merlin Rocket beating the Laser of Tom Gosden by a mere eight seconds.� Christie finished third and Nicholson fourth.� With the Series half completed Christie and Gosden share the lead with six points apiece whist Nicholson is third on nine points.

The Youth Squad prize giving took place on Saturday evening. A quote from the stand-in official photographer for the evening Apologies for lack of photos of the Youth Squad Prizegiving but those taken were a load of rubbish – photos not recipients that is!!

The final series of the season got underway after a glorious morning when the lake was mirror-like, again! There was enough to sail in but looking at the finish times, it must have dropped off again during the race.

The series results are calculated on both a personal and fleet handicap basis, and, at present, Tom Gosden is leading both sets of results!

An extra hour in bed did nothing in terms of allowing the wind to fill in – it was mirror-like!

The forecast was not for strong winds, so it may have been some time before we got a decision on when racing could start. Well, the wind filled in, the start boat went out, and the fleets followed. The wind kept swinging, the race started, and the wind died – 15 mins for the short first beat. The boats kept moving, but the OD did not risk sending them round for a second lap. That concluded the final championship series for the year – Mike and Kayla won the Dawson Trophy, Scumper the Skiddaw Trophy, Mike Fairlamb the Autumn Cup and Toddy the Bates Trophy (his first and only win of the season!)

Over lunch the wind settled in from the forecast NE direction, but would it still be there for the afternoon pennant race in aid of the Eric Twiname Trust? As you might have guessed by the time the fleet were on the water the wind had faded again! Racing did get underway in the bay, but the wind swung more to the south so the 1st beat was a fetch, and the next reach was a one sided beat followed by a tight reach for the third leg of the course. Elaine was suffering with back pain, so to defend her lead in Sandra’s Salver series for women crews in pennant races she was dosed with painkillers and winched into William’s boat! They did take an early lead from Ruth (helming!) and Steve but Scumper and Robbie D were not far away. After a couple of laps the wind died and the race shortened. Robbie D got through to the lead from William. On handicap Ruth won by 10 secs, with Scumper 2nd, and William 3rd. Elaine’s first position as a crew strengthened her lead and secured her winning position in Sandra’s Salver.

Again the effects of Sale Fell were well and truly felt across all fleets as the SSW wind swung round it resulting in two opposing winds with a nasty calm bit in the middle (just where the windward mark was!). The fresh breeze that was forecast, came through in bursts, but never settled resulting in frustrating racing conditions, and numerous capsizes when some boats were caught out by the gusts (Lucky them!). A non racer who seemed to be doing lots of capsizing was Robbie D getting to grips with his new acquisition – a Musto Skiff

Tomorrow morning’s race will conclude the series and finalise the club championship positions. How time flies!

Robin Crawley, Harry Binns and Christina Tully represented Bass SC at the Onboard Regatta last Sunday at Low Wood Windermere. There was no wind (a bit like Bass) but all had loads of fun!

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Another day racing concludes another series with Toggle and Mike each securing another trophy. Just one weekend left before this season’s prize list can be finalised.