It is with sadness we announce that Ron Beck has passed away. His funeral was held at Brigham Church. He leaves his wife Daphne
Bank Holiday Monday
Can’t be! It’s Sunny! Shame is that there’s no wind. Bass is again the epicentre of its own micro-climate. From time to time ripples on the water tease us into thinking the wind is filling in and settling down. No such luck. Even the forecast SE breeze is likely to be counteracted by the sea breeze. Another waiting game. Nice day for it though.
The wind has continued to come and go and the Catapult Association have called it as day on their National Championship, so the latest results, after 5 races, stand
Steve Hunt gave the closing speech and the trophies were awarded by his wife Elaine
Murphy’s Law ruled, and the wind came in following the prize giving allowing the club sailors to get on the water. The wind settled in from the north, completely opposite to the forecast! Shunty stormed off from the starboard end of the line at the start signal, while Scumper stalled on the start line and set off last, tacked right, and was first to the windward mark! Robbie D and Ethan, also benefited from the wind on the right hand side of the course and rounded second. The windward mark was in the lee of the shore and was challenging to approach at times.
The run to the wing mark gave Mike and Kayla the chance to get ahead of William and Elaine, and Mike enjoyed putting his luffing skills into action, although it had no real effect other than to cause Elaine to comment on his builder’s bum!
Sailing Secretary Roy Blackburn was out on the water for the first time this season, crewed by Sally Roberts, and had a minor catastrophe when the boom came off the mast, but they did survive the whole race without a capsize!
On handicap, Robbie D won followed by another three RS200s, and then Scumper. Although not enough to beat Scumper overall, the first gave Robbie D second overall in the series
Quiz Night
The social event of the weekend was the Sunday night quiz – Boys v Girls. Devised by Kayla and Gary the men had to answer girlie questions (e.g. What is the average number of items girls get in a handbag?) while the ladies had to answer boys questions (e.g. What is LBW?). It seems the girls were able to take on the boys questions with ease while the boys struggled at times.One of the big questions was why the boys had Commodore Shunty as captain when he hadn’t won anything for such a long time! The other sad truth is that the boys did know the answers, but didn’t recall them when required – ask Ian Preston!
Congratulations to the girls on winning by the narrowest of margins 🙁
Action Photos
Rich Critchley took various photos at the weekend which can be found on the following link.
Also, some more photos have been added to the Youth Squad gallery
Catapult National Championships 2008
The warmest bank holiday weekend of the year, with a strong southerly breeze, greeted a fleet of nine catapult association sailors for their national championship. The gusts caught out some sailors and results in a capsize – catamarans not being easy boats to right! With a southerly being the ideal direction for going round the lake, the OD set a course right to the southern end – a 35min beat, followed by a zigzag reaching course back to the finish. After 2 races, Roger Hodgkinson of Herne Bay is in the lead with a 2nd and a 1st.
Club racing took place alongside the Catapults with another two races in the Barf Plate series. In the first race Steve and Ruth took the lead from Scumper and Zepher on the penultimate reach before the finish, and won the race on handicap.
The race around the lake proved to be hard slog even for the beefcakes. William and Elaine were first to 12 out of the RS400s, but Mike Moore and Kayla in an F15 were not too far behind. Scumper took the lead and broke away on the reach to 11 after William gybed and wineglassed his gennaker. As the fleet sailed the final beat from 1 to 0, the shadow of Sale Fell caused the relative positions to go somewhat awry. Robbie D and Phil Hodgkins passed Bean and Naomi, but Mike Moore held his position and won on handicap
Laser/Mirror/Handicap Open
Sat 12pm: Too many people must have been looking at the forecast to travel today! That includes club members. Of those that have turned up there are presently 5 boats preparing to venture out. Whether they stay up or out is a totally different matter.
1.45pm: Stay upright? No chance! The first capsize was by Paul at rescue boat moorings. Big E and Toggle were both doing capsize practice before the start as well. Andy and Emma were the first to get across the lake, no gennaker, but flying! There were only three starters – Scumper and Zepher in an RS400, Andy and Emma in an RS200 and Big E in a Laser.
2pm: Scumper was the only boat to make it to the windward mark, so no pressure. Didn’t stop them put up their gennaker offwind. Then they capsized (Kayla had a 5p bet saying they wouldn’t!) – nil points for style. The boat went straight over again, and then they got their act together and put the gennaker up again. The next capsize was much more spectacular – Well worth watching!
2.30pm: Will they finish the race? Yes, Scumper did finish and then went to pose for T who was taking some photos!
2.45pm: With the wind easing, it looks as if the OD is going to send the fleet out for more.
4.45pm: And he did. There were several more takers this time, and a few more finishers too, but not quite so many capsizes – only the single handers and Barry Lancaster in a National 12.
T was in a rescue boat, taking more photos and all up for giving William and Elaine a bit of banter for not flying their gennaker. Robbie D had the same thought. Shame William had left his in the garage! Elaine was all for borrowing Steve’s only to find it had a hole in it.
It was to be the visiting Albacore helmed by Judy Armstrong with husband Paul that won the race from Scumper by 40secs on handicap. Bean and Naomi’s dash from Newcastle was worth it, when they secured third overall. Three more races tomorrow, but the forecast is for much less wind
Andy’s Tip of the Day: Don’t let the air out of your drysuit when you’re in the water and a wave’s crashing over you because the water gets in!
The mist came down early Sunday morning, and was lifting. There was some air movement towards Scarness but would it make it to the Northern end? The betting was yes, by 1130! The general forecast was not good though.
While waiting for the wind it was time to catch up on the gossip. The days of the ladies using (or sharing?!) the gents showers may be over. A well known amenable plumber (any clues from the photo? Any guesses where the tattoo is?) had a session in the ladies showers, together with several male and female onlookers, with pleasing results. There was an offer to test the showers for an hour, but that is yet to be taken up! All in all, the showers now get the ladies wet, all be it for only a few seconds at a time. Such is life 🙂
The wind did not fill in, and with little prospect of it doing so racing was cancelled at 1pm so the overnight results stand.
The prizes were presented by the Commodore’s wife, Elaine Hunt
Bloke Talk
A friend of Rich Critchley asked him to take part in “Bloke Talk” which is a radio show on City Talk 105.9 in Liverpool. Basically, as the presenter described it, it is Loose Women for men! Anyway, he went to the studios at the top of the Radio City Tower (450ft!) and recorded the show which covered loads of stuff on Sailing and how he and his girlfriend aquired a caravan! Of course Bassenthwaite SC got more than the one mention – including how the bar ran out of Magners!
Sunday Fun
The wind had eased by the time sailors arrived to race, but was picking up again as the boats were prepared. Was this a day for Bridget to launch her laser? Probably not. Apparently, Bridget thought she was going to have to pick up her boat from Wales until Ginge told her Torpenhow was just on the way top Carlisle!
The first bit of fun was watching Steve get hold of his main halyard (well trying). Just as well he had Sam Hall crewing – seemingly several feet taller, but no joy. So how about Sam and a tiller extension? That was still a struggle, but no joy. Sam, tiller extension and a jump? Yes, success. Unfortunately, Sam fell and dropped the halyard has he collapsed in pain. So it was back to Steve and Neil Garrison (two of the smallest men in the club (well apart from Mike Fairlamb, Ginge, ….). They must have been lucky because after a couple more near grabs they got the halyard. The time for all this – 5 mins! Will they manage to stay upright for as long?
Well there were four contenders for the fleet challenge – one from each fleet (almost – FF, RS400, Laser, and GP) so does that guarantee them all a prize? The wind did ease slightly, and the boats stayed upright for longer than expected – Big E being the only casualty (several times!). The OD shortened the course for Big E, but he was determined he had to sail the same number of laps as the rest of the fleet, so he did a lap of honour, with various capsizes, for no real reason! When the finishing times were adjusted on a personal handicap basis, Mike Moore’s handicap proved to be so beneficial that Big E had to beat him on the water to even have a chance of beating him on handicap!
Could there be more takers for the next race? Yes, there was. Not sure why, since the wind seemed to be almost as strong, if not stronger – Steve and Sam were capsized before the start! That wasn’t their lot – a further capsize on a reach followed by a final won with the gennaker before they finally retired. That gave Sam the opportunity to leave early and get in the queue at casualty for his ankle! Toggle had to be part of the action and duly capsized too (several times!), had to be helped by the rescue team, and then retired. Unusually, Dave and Lynn Lawson capsized too. Chris Denwood, a former member having decided to take sailing back up and rejoin the club, ventured out in his laser only to find how many parts of his body don’t seem to work as well as they did 20 years ago! Such is life. He did stay upright until coming ashore, but reckoned a capsize then was the easiest way to slow down!
The gluttons for punishment went out for the third and final race of the series, not that they need have bothered as Mike Moore’s beneficial handicap, although adjusted after each race, had worked to his advantage and he had won the series with two straight wins. Mike Fairlamb and Mike Cowan both capsized (at a guess Big E did too, but I’m not sure)
Ian Smith was possibly robbed of the series win, but there’s always next time 🙂 He came second overall
The Laser, Mirror and Handicap open is being held next weekend – 1st race 1300hrs. Also, this week sees the start of the Night Jar series held on Thursday evenings, all topped off with supper in the clubhouse afterwards
Ground Hog Day?
Is the weather really against us this season? We asked the same question last Saturday!
Another windy forecast didn’t stop those hardy sailors coming down to the club (although if the webcam had been working they may have not even bothered coming down!), but the easterly wind blowing straight across the lake from Bassenthwaite was enough to make most sit down and have a cuppa.
There were two takers though, Toggle on a suicide mission in his Vareo together with T and Stephen K in their Vago. There were no takers for a bet that they’d survive longer than 10 mins without a capsize. Just as well because it would have been money down the drain – 30secs for Toggle, and 6 mins for Andy T.
T was saying how he was expecting his new boom (for the laser that Toggle broke recently) next week, and no doubt a new mast to follow. Little did he know that he was going to need a new mast for the Vago after a hairy spinnaker reach and capsize!
Would there be any takers for the following races – highly unlikely! All bets off..
Tomorrow’s another day, but the forecast is for only slightly less wind!
Latest Member
Congratulations to Becky and Robin Dawson on the birth of their second daughter Amber Eve, who weighed in at 7lb ½oz, a sister for a very proud Ethan and Erin. All doing fine.