Bates ready at jetty and Safety ready to go. �But the wind was disappearing: �Can�t use 0. �Maybe 4-A-B? �But wind faded at A, then B. �Val waited until the last moment but raised N over A so �no racing today�. �And she didn�t even get a 3rd for OD! �So must win next week�s final round to get the Fleet handicap win.
But Katia and crew have now secured the Personal Handicap category so it was time for high fives before packing their boat away.
The long weekend of activities started on a showery Friday when there was a splash day for junior sailors to have organised fun messing around in boats.
The rain showers had passed through by Friday evening, and the good weather continued through Saturday, although the temperature had noticeably dropped. There was a good turnout of almost thirty boats sailing in Saturday’s races with shifty, variable winds.�
There was a couple of rare husband and wife partnerships in the RS400s with Scumper/Kirstie and Banter/Emma racing. The shifting winds caused a few capsizes. Ant/Jo tried to demonstrate a dry capsize technique but failed miserably when their boat flipped straight over again and they were both dumped in the lake.
The Hunter’s held their charity curry night in aid of Super Sam Brain Tumour Charity, and was followed by a bingo evening from which the proceeds were donated too, raising a total of �555
Sunday was wet and windy, with white horses and waves dampening everyone’s enthusiasm for racing. After an initial postponement, racing was later cancelled for the day.
Monday’s forecast was for stronger, and gustier winds, but it was not to be. Having swung to the west, the winds were variable in strength, gusty and shifty, but proved to be sailable, and some took the precaution of of using smaller radial rigs, or even changed fleet to sail a Topper!
Nigel and Glenys were up to their old tricks and practising their capsize techniques, including Glenys falling out after successfully righting the boat, but they weren’t the only casualty of the day as Val and Ken, Hugh, Banter, and others, were caught out by the gusts/shifts as well.
Dave/Lynn won both races and the Aitken Cup ahead of Val/Ken in the GPs, while Bean/Naomi won the 1st handicap race in their RS200, and Scumper the 2nd in his RS100 which was enough to beat Zefer in his Laser Radial who had two 2nds. There was no racing in the F15s, or Mirror/Topper fleets.
As it was the start of the Holiday Weekend 20 boats turned out for this round of the Night Jar. �The course was 0-1-4-B which gave a fair length beat and two kite legs although the wind was doing strange things on the second. �The 400 of Phil & Robin pulled out a good lead leaving Dave & Lynn in the GP and Alex in a 100 to battle for second place.
They left the L2000 of James & Jenny astern, James wondering how a GP could be so speedy! �But, the stars of the evening were Nigel & Glenys who left Val & Ken trailing in their wake. �And Mike Cave in his Solo appeared to be sailing above his handicap.
After 2 laps the race was shortened for the Mirrors of Paul and Jon / Henry plus other slower boats. �The Bates crew had to ask the Tera helm who he was? �It turned out to be Matthew complete with a new bob style haircut!
Andy was on food duty and he got his priorities spot on. �No one got served until he had passed a meal to his lovely wife running the bar!
The weekend after Bass Week typically has a dearth of sailors, so on Saturday the Lakeland triathlon was operated from the club with approx 350 competitors split over short and long courses. Grey, overcast weather was accompanied by winds that whipped up a few waves for the swimming part of the competition, and making the cycling and running more challenging into various head winds.
Congratulations to all those that completed the courses between two and five hours!
Sunday started with uninviting mizzle over the lake, but there was a small contingent ready and raring to get on the water, apart form the race management team that opted to start proceedings from the shore. Sailing sec Joe led the fleet across the finishing line, winning on handicap and cementing his lead in the series.
The afternoon race was the Jimmy Lancaster Memorial Trophy pennant, typically raced around the lake, the course kept the fleet in the bay. Some close racing by the GPs concluded with AJ/Sue nipping in ahead of Nigel/Glenys, and winning on handicap
The race counts towards Sandra’s Salver for female crews which Kayla currently leads despite not sailing today
Although it was blowy in coastal and North Cumbria area, Bass� micro-climate came up with ideal conditions.
Only 7 boats started, probably due to the forecast and Bassweek exhaustion.
The figure of eight course 0-9-1-A gave three spinnaker legs. �But 9-1 was really too tight for a kite, only Val and Ken persevering with it after the first lap.
However, the three kite boats opened up a gap over the pursuing Radials. Val & Ken and James & Jenny were close throughout the GP just leading the 2000 over the line after 3 laps. Paul & Vicky had dropped back when they nearly missed the line out at the end of the first lap. �Paul reckoned this was due to YZ not being included throughout Bassweek!
Jon was the first Radial by some distance but Bob and Richard Hughes in his elderly but colourful boat had a very close battle. �Then it was back to the Club for Neil�s welcome supper.
For anyone not sailed out after a full programme of racing during Bass Week, you will be pleased to learn that the Night Jar series continues this Thursday, and Neil will be cooking the evening meal
Follow what’s happening at Bass Week 2018 on its dedicated website
With a new weather front moving in, the long hot spell was blown away by high winds overnight. The blustery winds continued into Saturday, and brought in numerous showers, but with little enthusiasm for sailing apart from Ant and Jo, racing was cancelled.
Although Sunday was not quite so windy, it remained showery with a lack of willing sailors, so sailing was cancelled again.
The GP14 Worlds are being held in Mounts Bay this week, and Bass have three boats entered Andy Smith/Phil Hodgkins, Dave Lawson/Joe Roberts and Alan Jones/Sue Watson. All the boats will have GPS trackers so it will be possible to track live racing action on the following link
It was Ladies, Crews, Juniors and Over 60s Race �this week. �Used to be just the Lady Helms� Race but we ran short of them! �Rhonwen would remember that? – She was back on Bass Lake for her first race in a long while crewing for Val. �Ken had jumped ship and was with Mike.
Conditions aboard the Bates were a bit cramped with Graham & Alan tracing the ongoing vibration � and getting the OD and Bates driver somewhat confused! �But the technicians aboard were successful and a new part will be fitted before Bassweek.
The start was a revelation. �Bob went for the line at speed in the Laser and was first away. Mike & Ken took water at the windward mark but Bob was still second up the fetch. �Then came Val & Rhonny trying to close in on their male GP rivals. �Olivia, with husband crewing, was also moving up the order in the 200.
Other good performances were Simon helming the L2000 this week and Rob Hedges who was getting the Ent moving. �Young Dave Reekie with father as crew in the Mirror also impressed, and Mathew was in contention in the Tera until he got into a hole which kept him stationary for a long while.
On shore Val & Ken returned to the Galley to make sure the many were fed.
Final results (when available)
There may have been a few showers through the week, but the lake and grounds show little sign of benefitting from them, with the lake at its lowest for many years. There was no rain on Saturday, and the sun broke through the clouds every now and again too.
The F1-2 SW wind strengthened throughout the afternoon more consistently towards F2, and although it was regularly swinging, it veered more to the W as the afternoon went on. In the first race this caused the beat to be a bit one sided, but the shifts still proved to challenging, especially for anyone on the wrong side of the shift/curving wind!
Nigel/Glenys were on the best lay line in the GP start, and gave AJ/Sue good warning that there was no room. AJ called their bluff, but didn’t manage to keep out of the way and had to do two turns (although he initially seemed to lose count all too quickly!). Nigel� wasn’t able to hold his lead, which he lost to Mike/Eric. Mike won the 2nd race as well, with AJ 2nd.
In the F15s, Ian/Lezli-Ann took the initial lead in both races, but the strengthening wind conditions suited Mike/Kayla, taking two wins, while Neil, with sister Liz crewing, got two 2nds.
Steve/Ruth in their Merlin pulled out a good lead in both races, but on handicap lost out to Tony in a Solo in race 1, and Joe in a Laser in race 2.
The Mirrors/Toppers were pushing the start line in race 2, with the Simpson brothers in a Mirror, and visitor Oliver in a Topper, both being OCS and had to return. Bean/Oliver won both races.
Sunday’s wind should have been stronger than Saturday, but it wasn’t to be, and there were light patches from time to time, and little sign of the sun.
With just two F15s racing, Mike/Kayla took no chances and covered Ian/Lezli-Ann whenever they could. Although this gave them wins in races 3 and 5, winning them the series Ian did manage to break cover a couple of times in race 4, and went on to win it, and finishing 2nd overall.
There was some close racing in the GPs in race 3, with AJ nipping into 2nd place ahead of Val/Ken on the final beat, but the series was won by Mike/Eric a clean sweep of with five wins, and AJ/Sue 2nd.
The lighter conditions proved challenging for Steve/Ruth in their Merlin, but they did finish the day with a 1st and 2nd, finishing 2nd overall behind Joe in his Laser who added two 1sts to his Saturday results.
Bean/Oliver finished the day with a couple of wins, and the series trophy, helped by squeezing others off the line in the first race. Mik was 2nd overall.
Former rescue driver Chris Hunt too to the water in his RS400, and while getting to grips with it became the only boat to capsize. James was keen to rush to his rescue, if only to mock and perhaps take photos…
On Saturday Neil Garrison won a Laser open meeting at South Shields partly after taking advantage of 180 degree wind shift that occurred at a time that suited him, but stopped others in their tracks as they lost the wind altogether!
If anyone is interested in taking part in this year’s 24 race at Southport contact Neil Garrison so that he can gauge interest and help determine whether we should enter the event this year.