Thursday evening was, yet again, unseasonal with grey skies and a chilly westerly force 3 breeze. Is it really the Summer Solstice this weekend? The OD decided on a figure of eight course for a change. 0-9-B-A was the order of the day for the twelve competing boats.
Alex and Olivia took an early lead in their 200 with Joan and Jack leading the pursuit from the fellow GP�s of Val & Ken and AJ and Sue. Mike�s Streaker was also in the mix. Into the second lap and gaps were extending between most of the boats. The exception being the Toppers of David Roger and Rosie Hogg which were in close company throughout although David eventually got the upper hand.
It was decided to finish the second half of the fleet after 2 laps and Harry in the Aero was first to receive the horn ahead of Jon Anson�s Radial and the 200 of Jeff Tweddle / Mike Siddall. Josh Hunter who had started late in his Topper was finished on one lap.
On lap 3 Alex / Olivia extended their lead with a plane on the broad kite leg into B and they finished ahead of the GP fleet�s lady helms. That plane had swung it their way and they were just classified first on FH ahead of Joan / Jack.
AJ / Sue took the win on PH ahead of Joan /Jack and they move into the series lead. However, Mike retains his prime place in the FH series.
Back ashore, there were appetising smells from the Galley. Also, a number of Bass� potential Swallows & Amazons film stars recounting their experiences from the selection get-together earlier in the day. We wait to hear the final outcome of which of them will be playing the sailing roles.
While other parts of the country were hiding from torrential rain showers, 41 entries in this weekend’s open meeting were praying for some wind, on an overcast Saturday afternoon.
Racing did get underway a little late though the winds were light. As the afternoon went on the wind swung, and faded from time to time. Despite the light winds, Isabel Wallwork hardened up at the start of race 2 and broke her mast! – she clearly doesn’t know her own strength…
With the risk of it disappearing altogether, the OD opted to do try and have three races back to back, but by the time the tailenders had finished race 2 the wind had gone. After a short break, the wind seemed to fill in sufficiently for a final race of the day. The wind was light but enabled the fleets to drift over the line. Within a few minutes the wind started to fill in from the SW and propelled the fleet around the course for an extra lap.
Team Bass mastered the Laser fleet taking the first six places overall. After problems with his outhaul in the first race, Dave Lawson made a great comeback winning the second race, and taking the lead in the final race at the penultimate mark, snatching the trophy from Tony King who had won the first race.
Winner Dave Lawson receiving trophy from Claire Duncan
In the Toppers, West Lancs’ Samuel Cooper held Molly Nixon at bay all afternoon to become overnight leader. The light winds prompted some protests for pumping, and one protest against Joe Baker was upheld removing one of his three first positions.
Club racing was playing second fiddle, and had to make do with whatever was thrown at them. First of all they started from the opposite side of the Bates, and then they had to sail a course that kept them outside the Laser/Topper racing area – it just happened to hug the shore in the area of least wind. The second race looked very ominous – could they get across the lake to 5 and back to 0 in very light conditions? Reminiscent of Thursday evening sailing perhaps? Six boats were prepared to try, and must have been relieved when the wind filled in from the SW….
On Sunday the wind swung to the NE and freshened to allow some great sailing conditions. Three further races were sailed in the TopperNW areas and Joe Baker continued to out perform the competition, even after returning, being one of two premature starters, he still worked his way back to 2nd. He won the series with four 1sts and a 2nd.
NW Area Champion Joe Baker receiving trophy from Kirstie SomervilleThe club racing was, well, different to say the least. Starting on time was unusual in itself but compounded by catching numerous sailors out. Then when they glanced at the unusually phrased course, it was funny to watch their second glance of disbelief! (For the uninitiated, the black space is read as the word ‘Then’)
How appropriate are OD Simon’s horns?!Graham/Elaine’s excuse was that they couldn’t get a lift out to their mooring, they did reach the line on time but spent too much time laughing at Mike/Eric not realising they should have started.. Peter Winfindale was out in plenty of time but had a poor start some 90 secs late. Others just didn’t realise that no boats and no flags meant the race was underway! The OD happily left the sailors to determine whether they’d sailed the correct number of laps and course in general
The afternoon race was back to normality (of sorts). The fleet had the lake to themselves, along with a good breeze, and a more usual course.
Joan/Jack Hardie mastered the variety of conditions and challenges (well it was a fleet challenge!) to take the series trophy clear ahead of 2nd placed Ian Hall in his Solo.
A basic resuscitation course for adults is being held in the clubhouse next Saturday 20 June from 10-12am. If you’re interested please let Mike Hunter know so that we have an idea on numbers.
A similar course for juniors will be held later in the season.
The seventh round of the Night Jar was similar in many ways to last week. There was a cloudless sky, warm sun but little wind. Only 16 boats were competing this week as some of the Topper and Radial helms were in exam prep mode.
At launching time the wind was a westerly and a course of 9-3-A was selected. But, just before the 6 minute signal, it swung through 90 degrees to the North. So the outer end of the line was moved round in the direction of A and the first mark was changed to 1. The inner mark was left slightly downwind of the Bates.
David with Lottie crewing in the GP went for a port end start but were over the line and signalled to return. The rest of the fleet continued on starboard with the exception of Peter Whipp who tacked off in the Laser soon after the start.
Robin, making a guest appearance in the 100, was first to round the windward mark and pulled out a lead from Alex and Olivia in their 200. The GPs tried to fly their kites on the next leg but without much success and by the time they, and the body of the fleet, reached 3 what little wind there now was had shifted North East resulting in a drifting log jam.
The first two boats were through well before this and heading for A where the shortened course flag was raised. They finished in 26 minutes and 32 minutes respectively. Ethan with his school mate crewing the second 200 was next up on the run to 3.
Then came the GPs of Val & Ken, AJ & Sue and a recovering Dave & Lottie. Val was through first. AJ had water on Dave at A and headed for the line between the distance marks, but Dave took the opportunity of squeezing between the inner mark and the Bates to cross the line a minute ahead.
All boats maintained momentum on the run up to A but the finishing time of the last finisher was three times that of the leader. Robin took the win from Alex & Olivia and Peter Whipp in both FH and PH categories
We know how much everyone enjoys the Thursday evening catering, so this weekend, to coincide with the Laser and Topper open meetings, Lucy’s team will be preparing some lasagne for evening supper. Of course this is available to visitors, campers and members alike.
High winds caused racing to be cancelled on Saturday.
Rather than have a two race series on Sunday it has been decided to sail the Celebrity Glass Pursuit as a one off race in the morning and then resail last Sunday’s cancelled pennant race in the afternoon
Though there wasn’t much happening at the club on Saturday, however it was slightly different in the Davenport household where our latest addition to the membership was brought into the world by Phil’s helm’s wife Becky! Nothing like keeping it in the Bass family. Congratulations to Phil and Emma on the birth of Rory, a brother for Oscar. All doing well.
Rory did finally make it to hospital after being born at homePerhaps Jim’s bad hair day affected his ability to sail the correct course?
Sunday’s weather was much more amenable, with strong, though sailable, winds and the sun nosing through the clouds from time to time. The Toppers were first to start in the pursuit race, but it wasn’t too long before Dave/Lynn took the lead. The strength of the wind was deceptive and resulted in various capsizes, subsequent retirements, and cleaning of mud stained sails… Capsizing wasn’t Jim/Poppy’s reason for retiring, it was Jim’s confusion as to where he should have been heading! Scumper/Zefer in their RS400 were last to start, but first to finish ahead of Bean/Naomi, having taken the lead in the final 15 mins of the race.
The afternoon race was the Albert Bates Retirement Trophy, postponed from last Sunday. As is usual, the course took the fleet down the lake, though only to 10. The SW wind was certain to enable Sale Fell to do its worst in terms of creating shadowy, shifting winds, and it did! After passing Scarness there were holes, shifts, down draughts, all intermingled with some good gusts. Scumper took an early lead which he held through to the end, but it was the battling GPs of Dave/Lynn and Val/Ken that would secure 1st and 2nd on handicap. Scumper was 3rd and Jim/Poppy 4th.
Not much to say about this one except At least we got a race in! With 21 boats on the water on a pleasant sunny evening it seemed a shame to abandon.
When the Bates went out there was a glimmer of hope. Start around A and then 0-B-A maybe? After asking a number of competitors where the wind was coming from it was decided to start at 0 and go A-B-O. But then B was removed and an asymmetric course was posted – but with the run first and a beat back!
After twenty minutes the postponement flag was lowered and all duly headed down wind. What wind?! Most of the boats with kites managed to get them – sort of – flying for a while. Most headed directly towards A but a few had noticed some disturbed water between B and A so headed left. It turned out to be a good move and a small group of Geeps and Lasers plus Toggle / Joan in their 200 gained from it.
Mike Fairlamb & Eric Smith rounded first and pulled out a lead on the water from Tony King. Eric Guillois / Chris Brookes were sailing their FF really well in the light airs and were pulling the lead boats in up the beat. The Solos of David Haselden and Richard Broughton were also in contention. Mike & Eric finished first on the water and took the FH win from David, Eric & Chris and Richard.
On PH Richard was classified first ahead of Mike & Eric, Tony King, David and then Eric & Chris. That meant that there were four different types of boat in the top five positions.
After six rounds we have had no less than forty helms entering the Night Jar series. What that number will be after the sixteenth and final round is anyone�s guess!
After a changeable week weatherwise for the Whit half term there was a great turnout, especially in the slow handicap fleet. Various Flying 15s were competing in the Northern championship being held at Windermere so Chris/Julie sailed in the handicap fleet.
Although the wind was not too strong on Saturday, there were massive wind shifts for sailors to contend with resulting in numerous capsizes, particularly, but not only, in the single handers, and some mixed fortunes positionwise.
Mik recalled that he was not sailing to his best (a more polite version of his description of his efforts!) and gave substantial distance away by heading for the wrong mark. Joan/Jack had similar issues after sailing a fantastic first beat only to finish 3rd in the first race, which was won by Val/Ken, after getting intermingled with other boats. They got their act fully together in the 2nd race and maintained their lead through to the finish.
All in all a good days racing.
The forecast for Sunday must have put many people off with the expectation of persistant rain. The two GPs led the campaign to not bother with the morning race but have an early afternoon pennant race, however, Harry’s interest in racing urged the OD to get racing underway, albeit a little later than scheduled. The two GPs of Val/Ken and Alan/Sue were on the line in time, as were Jim/Poppy and Izzy. When Harry/Josh reached the line in a Mirror he innocently asked ‘have we started’ with the other boats some minutes up the beat!
Late in the race a squall came through, along with pleading by Ken and Val for the S flag to be raised. Their wish was granted, but conditions were too much for Izzy who suffered a couple of capsizes before retiring. Harry retired after receiving assistance following a drooping mainsail, leaving Jim/Poppy to battle with the shifts to stay upright and finish.
For the afternoon race there were only two takers – Harry in his Aero, and Alan/Sue in their GP. An early squall had both boats upside down before the start, and opting for shore leave even before racing was underway. Harry was toying with death rolls on the beat on the return ashore (perhaps deliberately, or possibly due to the gusty conditions) which he seemed to beam all the way through.
So apart from some muddy sails, and dinted pride from a chipped tooth (nothing to do with the sailing), no harm was done, and all went home happy.
The fifth round of the Night Jar took place in a medium strength westerly wind. The forecast squalls went to the North and the South of Dubwath Bay but it was again chilly for late May.
The course was 0-B-A-3-4 so there were a few gybe marks to contend with.
The fourteen boats had a longer line this time and most went for a port end start. Alex & Olivia again led in their 200 followed by a gaggle of GP�s and Neil�s Radial. Val & Ken, as well as being the evenings chefs, were giving Mike with usual rival Dave as crew and then came Joan & Jack in close company with AJ & Sue. All were enjoying the planning kite reach across from A to 3 and the slightly broader leg up to 4.
Peter Winfindale pulled out on the first lap and Jack & Joan on the second when they touched a mark. Izzie spectacularly fell out of her Topper when she missed the toe strap during a tack. Meanwhile, Harry was teaching Josh Hunter the art of helming in one of the Club�s Mirrors.
The lead boats went on to complete three laps but Toppers and other boats with high PY Handicaps were finished after two. These included newcomer Sol White who is consistently sailing the Pico well above its handicap.
A wind shift to the south gave an interesting finishing line and time was gained by strategic tacking between 4 and YZ.
On the water, the first finisher was the 200 followed by Mike & Dave closely followed by Val & Ken who had been challenging all evening. This was the order on FH but nobody had foreseen a mega two lap performance by Hazel who took the win on PH ahead of Alex & Olivia with Sol�s Pico next up.
Online entries for The ONE Bassenthwaite Lake Sailing Week can be made at�
