Congratulations to Paul and Emily on becoming Mr & Mrs Clark. They picked a wonderful day for it!
Sunny Bank Holiday
Glorious sunny morning, but no wind led to a mirror like lake. Mid morning brought a light breeze which swung and strengthened from the west for some good sailing conditions. The sun was so tempting, many wore their summer shorts/gear despite the chill wind.
By starting on time, well almost, meant there were some stragglers with a bit of catching up to do!
Bean was trying his hand in an RS100 but he wasn’t spotted as one of the several boats that capsized at the gybe mark. There was some close racing in different areas of the different fleets, including Jamie Kerr keeping on Ethan’s tail in the Toppers.
A barbeque was an ideal way to top off a sunny day, and Commodore Andy used it to treat wife Emma to a celebratory meal on their wedding anniversary – burgers and champagne! The UEFA cup final was followed by an evening of bingo.
Sunday started bright and windless but fortunately it turned into another great racing day.
There were various capsizes in both races. Alastair probably has the bruises to prove it after he fell on to his centreboard during one of his capsizes. Alastair also trawled his gennaker at one stage which brought him to a sudden halt!
45 members and guests enjoyed a three course Spring dinner which was held in the clubhouse, and many spotted our local otter swimming just before dusk.
Was a sudoku toilet roll, won by Mike F, really the star prize in the raffle? No of course not! The GP fleet seemed to get the lion’s share of the prizes though, and Ian C was presented with a candle laden birthday cake (well a cup cake with a candle). Fortunately Steve’s fire raising was quickly quashed despite him not being prepared to douse the flames with his beer!
The forecast for Monday wasn’t looking good, but they’re not always right…�� ….except on a bank holiday! As forecast the rain moved in, and the wind strengthened, and there were various heavy squalls during the morning. However, it did prove to be sailable, and 11 boats took to the water and raced up the lake to mark 11. The squalls did not particularly appear, though one did catch Toggle out on a gybe mark. Alan/Alastair raced in a F15, and Alan found that the main sheet can be difficult to release in gusts resulting in them being flattened and having to bail out for the next few minutes up the beat! Simon/Jon led the fleet around the course winning the first race by 30 secs ahead of Dave/Lynn.
The damp conditions proved too much for some and they opted for an early finish after a long weekend rather than sail the final race which kept the boats in the main bay, though there were some flukey conditions as they rounded 7. One of the gusts passing through showed us that Alan hadn’t learned his lesson and was still struggling to release his main because he was again flattened. At least he was able to make a below the waterline inspection of his F15 as he stood on the keel!
This time Dave/Lynn took the honours from Simon/Jon, giving them each a 1st and a 2nd in the two race series, with the tie splitting in favour of Dave who had the best result in the last race.
Paul Carruthers Memorial Trophy Final results
Night Jar A5 � 23 May 13
The thought of tackling force 7 winds which were blowing around the Solway put a fair few off getting to the Club for tackling Round 5 of the Night Jar. Ten boats were readied but Martin Overend was without a crew and Alan Jones lost a halyard down the mast.
Julian Cruickshank and Ian Macpherson took the Bates out to set a course but, with a NW wind, finding a true beat was tricky. They decided on a start line upwind of 4 and 1-5-A-4 as an interesting, but little used course including two beats.
The GP of Dave & Lynn Lawson led at the first mark but they were overhauled by Graham Kirkpatrick / Kayla Sheard and then Tim Knowles / Martin Statter in their Fifteens. Joe Watkins� 300 was in touch with the lead group until a capsize dropped him back down the order.
Mike Fairlamb was finding that he was unable to flatten the Streaker�s sail sufficiently for the beats and he also dropped back, while the 200 of Mike & Joan Cowan went for a wide rounding of 1 and lost time in the wind shadow. On the second lap Joe again capsized and decided to retire.
Results showed Dave & Lynn finishing ahead of Graham & Kayla on both FH and PH. Tim & Martin were third on FH with Eric Guillois / Chris Brookes taking their FF into third place on PH.
Look who’s at the helm
A rare sight to see Alan, the Commodore’s dad, helming the Past Commodore’s dad’s boat in Lower Loch Fyne.
A day of mixed fortunes….
Where was the promised Sunday sunshine? Campers woke to a drizzly morning and guess what – no wind!
Miraculously some finally appeared and the rescue lads were called back urgently from their early lunch in Cockermouth. The OD started the race and spinnakers even managed to fly. The second lap caused confusion as B had been moved nearer to 9 to provide a better beat. In clear air Simon/Jon developed a significant lead leaving the rest of the fleet to jostle closely for position. Graham/Sally took B to port instead of starboard but were informed by kindly sailors, recovered quickly and soon regained their original position. Others were less fortunate and dropped down the fleet. Simon/Jon were deserved winners.
After lunch (tasty steak pie) a brave OD decided to try a second race. Unfortunately this quickly developed into a drifter and finished after three legs – even that was a struggle.
Graham McKee from Dovestone was the final overall winner with Simon/Jon second, John Hardisty third and Graham/Sally winning the Waples Wine silver fleet.
For some, it was a weekend’s sailing best forgotten!
Unlucky for some!
13 intrepid Flying Fifteens set off in the wet but unfortunately not wild conditions. After moving the Bates four times the OD decided that it was now or never and the postponement flag was dropped.
Yet again Ian/Lezli-Ann were over the line and the rest of the fleet whizzed off-ha ha!! Roy/Alan made good pace up the first leg, only to be the tail ender by the first mark. A wind shift at the death denied Graham/Sally the prestige of winning the windward mark and the word drifter subsequently sprang to mind. Perseverance was definitely the order of the day with only one boat retiring.
Dave McKee-F15 GBR was the lucky winner with Simon and a desperate Jon (don’t ask) gaining second and John x2 finishing third.
The OD then took pity and decided enough was enough and racing was abandoned for the day.
Guess what – the wind doesn’t look much better for tomorrow!!
Spring Cleaning?!
Following on from the trophy audit last year there are 12 trophies still outstanding. Could you please check your garages, lofts and chuck holes in case one is hiding under a pile of dust!
Also, it would be appreciated if everyone could engrave their trophy/trophies prior to return for the annual prizegiving as well as ensuring they are returned in a reasonable condition for the new recipient.
Many thanks
Lezli-Ann
Night Jar 4
Nothing could have been clearer. The wind immediately before the start of the race on Thursday evening was coming in from the NE. Forecasts, turbines and burgees clearly said so. OD Ian Macpherson was satisfied and set the start line after 0 with a course of 4-1-9-0.
Eleven boats beat out to the start line and the six minute signal was sounded. What happened? The wind swung 180 to SW! So it was off to go with kites flying: at least for a while. The light breeze progressively dropped and by 9 it had died completely. The OD considered finishing at the end of lap 1 but only twenty minutes had been sailed.
Then the wind kicked in again at 0 and from the original direction so lap two was as planned. Neil & Judith Currie�s 400 led over the line from Joan & Jack Hardie�s 200 and Joe Watkins� 300. RS rules! Then it was Dave and Lynn Lawson�s GP and Tim Knowles / Martin Statter in the first of the Fifteens.
Mike Fairlamb in the Streaker, who was well down the finishing order, was optimistic that he had done ok on FH. But who knows? Results were delayed as the Bates Driver�s calculator had packed in!
Ever been here?
Loved this email enquiry…
I am a 50 something empty nester looking for a mid life hobby to get me from under my wife�s feet this summer evenings and weekends. I want to learn how to windsurf. We live in Cockermouth and you are the closest water based club. I feel like I�m asking a Michelin star chef to cook me a Birds Eye ready meal….
Will we tempt this person into dinghy sailing?
and Then There Were Three..
Sunday’s forecast threatened to be wet and windy, fortunately there was not too much of the former, and it was not quite as blustery as Saturday either!
In the morning, a fleet of six in the handicap fleet was led by Steve, with guest appearance of Elaine (she obviously managed to unlock those bar chains!), who stayed upright, though most of his competition went swimming at some stage in the race. Banter finished second ahead of Alan/Sue in a GP.
Mike/Kayla found their pace again and led throughout the F15 race while Tim/Ian battled it out with Ian/Lezli-Ann for 2nd place.
For the afternoon pennant race, with Alan/Sue swapping into a F15, it was to be a F15 only race, all of which seemed keen (well apart from the female crews) to sail around the lake. Although Ian/Lezli-Ann were rigged for the race, they quickly opted out so they could save themselves for next weeks F15 open, so that left three F15s to race down to 10 and back. Although there were some light and flukey patches from time to time, Mike described a thrilling spinnaker leg back from 10 to the narrows on which they were travelling so fast the spray missed Kayla! Mike continued with his winning ways and Tim/Ian came 2nd.