Just in case you haven’t realised, you can catch up with The One Bassenthwaite Sailing Week at bassweek.org.uk
Expanding membership
Paul and Emily’s excuse for not doing Bass Week – William Alexander Clark, a brother for Evie, was born by elective caesarian this morning around 9:50 weighing 7lb 9oz. Both mother and baby are doing well.
Congratulations to them all!
If it’s light wind for the Grad northern then Paul has the perfect crew.
RIB Champion in our midst
James Moore represented Bassenthwaite SC in the North West Regional final of the Honda RYA Youth RIB Championship at Lancashire Power Boat Racing Club today.
He was successful and goes on to compete in the final at Southampton boat show on Sunday 13th September.
Well done, best of luck in the final James!
Weekend of two halves?
Saturday sunshine and a good wind were the order of the day for a fleet of 21 boats in Fleet Challenge B. Originally programmed as a pursuit series of 5 races, there was a last minute change to a four race series on fleet handicap.�There was a wide range of skills and handicaps within the fleet ranging from RS 400 though to Mirror.
The wind strength caused a few capsizes, and several retirements before the second race which only had 12 competitors. Tony was a premature starter, then had a collision returning, and�had to do a 720 before getting back into the race.
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Robbie D/Banter have a clear overnight lead with two 1sts, Joan/Jack are 2nd, but the next three boats (Tony, Joe W & AJ) are all on equal points.
Sunday started bright with a good southerly, nothing like the forecast! Perhaps the wet and windy forecast was too off-putting for some as the turnout was half that of Saturday. By the start of the race, there seemed to be two winds, but keeping the course out of the shadow of Sale Fell kept the boats in wind, if somewhat variable at times. Over lunchtime the clouds were more threatening, and the rain finally appeared just before racing started in a slightly lighter breeze.
Robbie D/Banter won the series with three 1sts, while Joan/Jack took second overall, neither boat opting to venture out in the rain soaked final race!
Bass Week starts next week, so your help at Tuesday’s working party would be appreciated – be at the club from 6.30pm
Ladies, Seniors, Juniors & Crews race – which category should I choose?
Getting competitors to sign on for this race was difficult. Many were waiting to see which category others were going in before deciding which Fleet was likely to bring them an award! When all had put their names on the sheet the OD took it on the water to establish who was sailing what. He chose a longer course consisting of 0-A-B-4 and 21 boats started. In the Handicap Fleet John Reekie sailing his Skiff misjudged it and got badly boxed in behind the Wayfarer of Chris Lloyd / David Furguson. Terry Hall had rig failure and spent some time on the lee shore before starting late along with three of Neil�s trainees.
The Skiff inevitably moved into the lead on the water with Olivia & Alex�s 200 and Joan & Jack�s GP in the following positions. The GP pair took the Seniors Award plus first overall in the race on boat handicap while Olivia took the Crews Prize.
Slightly further down the order were the battling GPs of Sue & AJ and Kath & Glenys. Sue just squeezed home first but had opted for the Crew Fleet allowing Kath to take the cherished Ladies Prize
Initially it was thought that Lottie, helming Jim�s Hartley, had won the Junior Prize but, after Hazel firmly pointed out she was not in a Handicap boat, she was correctly allocated the top spot.
When Josh�s brand new Tera had been retrieved from an inversion near 0 all hurried ashore and into the Clubhouse to avoid being drenched from the horrific looking storm clouds which were building overhead. Lynn & David had put on a great meal and it was good to see most relaxing and chatting afterwards. Not quite the �end of term� but, with a four week gap to the next Thursday race, it certainly looked like it!
Flying Fifteen and GP14 Open Meeting
The Flying Fifteen Open, part of the Waples Wine travellers series, and the GP Open, part of the Northern Bell, are taking place this weekend. The first race on Saturday was scheduled for 1300hrs but blustery winds were forecast to ease so proceedings were delayed an hour, by which time there was a lot more enthusiasm to give it a go!
The wind did ease but there were still squalls that would catch sailors out from time to time. Our own AJ was one of them, capsizing just before the start on the start line, getting stuck in the mud, eventually getting free and continuing his merry way only to capsize on the finish line after the 2nd race!
It was the GP fleet that suffered the most from the squalls which flattened three boats at the start of the first reach which shook up the positions.�Andy/Ginger Phil took the honours in the first race from Dave/Lynn, who won the 2nd race and take overnight lead.
In the F15s, Simon/Jon took an early lead but it was Andy McKee that would survive the longer races to finish the day with two wins. For consistency Steve Goacher took two 2nds, and Simon two 3rds.
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For the evening entertainment, and the Flying Fifteen sailors in particular, Steve Goacher will be providing some valuable input on “sniffing out the wind” (perhaps ‘snuffing out the wind’ might be more appropriate after todays weather!) and Phil Evans will give an insight into spinnaker handling.
After a very wet night for campers, winds eased a little as forecast for Sunday. There was still some great racing, close reaches, and a few broaches to challenge sailors, but most sailors raced all three races to the bitter end.
Not sure why, but the first race had two protest flags, and a 720 pirouette, in the F15 fleet. Apart from that, all 10 starts were clear, no known boat damage, so a good time was had by all.
Andy McKee and Rich Jones from Dovestone won the F15 trophy with 4 pts while Andy Smith and Flaming Ginger Phil won the GP trophy with 5 pts
Prizes were awarded by Commodore’s wife Kirstie Somerville.
Night Jar 12
It was a superb evening for racing. The wind was a southerly force 4 but it was constant. The course was A-B-1-0 with the finish line close upwind of the mark leading to some spectacular tacking close to the Bates.
Eighteen boats took the start but we were only two minutes in before Kath & Caroline turtled their Geep. They accepted a lift back to the Club and let the wind free the mast from the mud and drive the boat ashore with no obvious damage.
They weren�t the only ones to go swimming. Jon Anson inverted the Radial at A and Joe Watkins lost the 300 on the screaming reach from 1 to 0. Harry did likewise in the Aero a lap later describing it as an interesting death roll! Mike Fairlamb decided on a cautious approach and tacked his Streaker around the gybe mark.
The lead crew was Alex and Olivia relishing the planning conditions in the 200. Tony King with Radial Rig was 2nd with the Ent of seldom seen Mark Ninnim & Emma Smith, battling with Dave & Lynn�s Geep, close astern.
The other Geeps of Joan & Jack and AJ & Sue were next up in close company. David Haselden�s was the only Solo on the water this time and he was in close company with the impressively sailed Radial of Mike Hunter.
The Toppers of David and Izzie were finished on 2 laps but not before the 200 had gone through for its fourth. Tony was the leading boat on 3 laps to cross the line.
After recovering Kath�s boat all prepared for the meal prepared by Neil who was chef for the evening. Results showed Alex & Olivia, Tony, and Dave & Lynn in the podium positions on FH. But there were three Radials in the lead positions on PH with an excellent win by Mike Hunter from Tony and Paul Clark.
This was the last round of the Night Jar for a month. Next week it will be thrills all around with the Ladies, Crews, juniors and 60+ race. If you don�t fall into any of those categories come and race for the fun of it. It will be a mass start.
Garden Party Update
Toggle (the black flag man), thanks everyone that attended the garden party last night, and for their all help in moving boats, cutting the grass, and tidying the site ready for Bass Week. It was nice to see new faces and new members helping out.
Final Countdown
Bass Week 2015 is just weeks away. Yippee we hear you shout!
If you haven�t entered yet don�t forget to do so before the online bookings and discounts come to an end on 27 July.
Bass members that do not intend to sail are requested to move their boats, preferably off site, as soon as possible to ensure prime berths near the launching areas are available for�visiting sailors. Don’t forget that if they are not moved by their owners, they will be moved by enthusiastic, but weary, working party helpers…
While we are�talking of helpers, please try and make yourself available for at least some of the many tasks that need to be undertaken through the week such as
- Bar
- Clubhouse and site cleaning
- Rescue
- Race office
Weekend Series
This weekend some of our�Flying 15s are sailing away at the National Championships �being held at Rhu on the Clyde. Club racing comprises a 5 race championship series and started on Saturday in sunny, blustery conditions. Check latest results
There were many capsizes, and a few retirements as well, including our black flag man Toggle, and even F15s were flattened occasionally. There was a contingent of five Solos racing in the handicap fleet. Scumper/Zefer made the most of the gusts on the reaches gaining a strong lead to take first place on handicap in both races.�Similarly, Jim in his Hartley, Mike/Eric in their GP, and Neil/Nick a F15, led their fleets in both races and taking the overnight lead.�Our black flag man Toggle, despite missing a mark and having to return, took 2nd place in the handicap fleet in the first race, but his retirement in the second race led to David Haselden taking 2nd place on the overnight leader board for the handicap fleet.
Another three races were scheduled on Sunday, which started off drizzly and with lighter winds. Aj was keen to postpone the start in the expectation of drier weather, and although there wasn’t much of a delay, the drizzle soon stopped, and there were intermittent sunny spells.
There were no F15s racing which meant Neil could go home triumphant in winning the Scarness Cup after being overnight leader, and watch the Mens’ singles final at Wimbledon.�Keen to make the best of the good sailing conditions, two races were held back to back before lunch (even though Mike F was starting to feel peckish after the first race). By lunchtime the�other three winners were declared – Scumper/Joe in the�Wythop Trophy for the handicap fleet, Mike/Eric in the GP Graham Cup, and Jim C in the Reflection Trophy for the slow handicap fleet.
�After lunch three new additions to our training fleet in the form of RS Teras were launched. They were bought with support from a scheme by the Eric Twiname Trust. Eric, the son of a former member Alec Twiname, and author of Start to Win, sailed occasionally at the club. The wind had freshened a little and Josh was the first, but not only helm, to capsize one of the new boats! Other notable capsizes include one by Val/Ken just after the start – Ken is quick to tell how much of a lead they’d have had if they hadn’t tipped it in… With Jim C taking to his Supanova for the final race, Hazel/Izzie were pulling out a good lead in a Feva on Mik in his Mirror only to capsize at the�gybe mark and let him past.