The first scheduled race in the Night Jar was abandoned due to lack of wind, though it proved to be a challenge for Mik when he realised that the horns in the race office had not been set up after the Winter break. Not realising that the traditional bell would do, he hoisted N over A with three blasts from his car horn!

The lack of sailing meant the first supper if the season had to be served early, but was fully appreciated by the would be sailors.

This weekend’s sailing was the Fleet Challenge A series for all classes. With three races each day there’s a lot of racing to take place.

Saturday sailing resulted in the first protest of the season following an unfortunate incident when Tim Chittenden’s FF collided with John Halliday’s RS400 causing damage to the outer skin such that time was of the essence in terms of recovering John’s boat to shore!

Sunday conditions were glorious, light winds early on strengthened to provide some good racing.

With results calculated on a personal handicap basis, some consistent sailing by Martyn Stephenson and Steve Hannah in their F15 enabled them to win overall ahead of Tim Chittenden and Ian Macpherson. Ethan Dawson in his Topper was third with Alastair Duncan and Claire Duncan fourth in their GP.

Fantastic blue skies, but light winds to contend with, and sailors still wrapped in wet/drysuits (just in case!)

There was a mixed bag of racing starting with a pursuit race counting towards the Celebrity Glass series. In this instance it wasn’t difficult for all to pass the Mirror of Mik Chappell who was first away as, despite the light breeze, he fell out at the first rounding mark capsizing the boat in the process and subsequently retiring. It was new member Simon Longstaff, crewed by Jon Denwood in a new F15 who came through the pack of single sailed boats, including no less than seven Lasers, to take the win. Tim Chittenden in his Laser was second and Scumper in an RS Vareo third at the finish.

There followed a championship long series race for the Handicap Fleet in which Longstaff/Denwood were again victorious, with Scumper second and Hugh Godfrey/Rachel Newstead took third position in their GP14.

Sunday morning proved challenging with a 180 degree wind shift before the race started requiring a rethink of the course and resetting the start line. Tim Chittenden had switched to his F15 and, with Richard Townsend crewing won this class with Martyn Stephenson/Steve Hannah runner up. The GP14 Class was won by Mike Fairlamb/Eric Smith from Alastair and Claire Duncan. Winners in the Handicap Fleet were Joan and Jack Hardie in an RS200 with Scumper second yet again. The Laser Radial of Joe Watkins finished in third position.

The afternoon race was a pennant race in aid of the Calvert Trust, typically sailed around the lake. However, it was decided to just send the fleet half way down the lake. Although the wind carried the leaders to Scarness reasonably well, it did ease. Just after John and Janis Halliday led the way around the leeward mark, Mik Chappell, bringing up the rear in his Mirror, brought wind and the pace quickened. Having taken about 50 mins to get to the leeward mark the return trip was only 20 mins. Although John and Janis had a good lead from Mike Fairlamb and Eric Smith in a GP at the finish, when the personal handicap calculations were applied it was Alistair and Claire Duncan that were overall winners

Pennant races count towards the Sandra’s Salver for lady crews. This first round was won by Claire Duncan from Janis Halliday with Sue Watson, crewing for Alan Nicholson, third in a GP14.

The first of this season’s championship long series racing took place on Saturday with the Handicap Fleet contesting two races for the Barf Plate; the GP14’s the Spring Cup and the Mirrors the Red Sails Trophy. The wind was fairly strong with sudden gusts which led to a number of capsizes.

The RS Vareo was the dominant boat in the Handicap Class, with Scumper winning both races and Toggle taking interim second overall despite being headed by the Laser Radial of Joe Watkins and the Supernova of Jim Christie in Race 1. It was in that race that the Club’s Sailing Secretary Roy Blackburn spoiled a potentially good position by capsizing his Vareo (old habits die hard?). After drying his sails he packed the boat away to allow him additional time to enter results to the Club’s new computer with its updated programme.

The GP14’s first race was won by Tim Knowles/ Martin Statter but the helm briefly fell out of the boat in the second as he tried to contend with a particularly vicious gust. This allowed Mike Fairlamb crewed, on this occasion by Emma Williams through to take the win and a lead in the series. Dave Nicholson with daughter Sarah Wilkinson crewing retired from both races while Nigel Lewis /Chris Brooks failed to make the starts when their main halyard snapped.

Andy Smith sailing one of the Club’s training boats won both races in the Mirror Fleet from Mik Chappell.

Sunday’s handicap races were held in further squally conditions and accompanied by a hail storm. There were separate starts for Asymmetric and conventional boats. In the season long Asymmetric Cup series husband and wife team Phil and Naomi Smith took two wins in their RS200 despite a capsize. Joan and Jack Hardie also capsized their RS200 during race 2 and retired. Mark Somerville posted two second places and Mike Cowan a fifth and a third to place him a current third in the series.

In the MJM Trophy races for conventional boats, Sam Hall took two wins in his Laser. Joe Watkins was second in Race 1 but then capsized several times and posted a retirement. This left the Flying Fifteen of Mike Moore crewed by Lezli Ann Pearson as interim second overall they having taken third and second places in the two races.

As there was only one taker for racing this morning, no racing took place and the results of two weeks ago stand giving Tom Gosden two trophies for next year’s prize giving, having won both the personal and fleet handicap version of the series.