On Sunday, the forecast wind came in and created many thrills and spills. Roy was quick to point out that his capsizes in the morning didn’t count – the first was before the start, and the second, during the race, was on purpose to avoid a collision. So for the afternoon was he going to make up for it? Another capsize before the start did not count (so he says), but the one (could have been more) during the race did. Ah well, practice makes perfect?!
It seems that many others were practicing as well. Neil Currie with Sam Hall crewing went swimming in the first race and in the second race they went trawling (followed by another capsize later on). Don’t know how many others capsized, but according to Gary on one of the rescue boats, they were playing bingo with each boat that capsized – he just needed William and Lesley to go in for a full house. No such luck there then!
Andy and Bean were due to sail the Yellow Peril’s (new nickname?) F15, but the dancing, or was it the Stella, took its toll and they weren’t quite ready for the morning race. They did make an appearance in the afternoon race, but only in the baby Bates on rescue cover (or perhaps just taking some snaps of the boats)
The strong winds, apart from proving hard work in the hour long races, did have many spectacular reaches to make it all worthwhile.
Monday’s forecast was for more wind, but things didn’t look promising at 11:15 when the heavens opened and there was a monsoon like downpour. However, it passed through and the wind seemed light until just after the start when the true north westerly started to hit home. As with Sunday, there were some scary spinnaker legs, and the beats were hard work, but there weren’t so many capsizes (was that because Roy didn’t venture out?! :). Instead of Joe falling out, it was Scumper’s turn this time, and he had to practice front crawl to get back towards the quickly disappearing boat! Neil bravely fended off Scumper by luffing him high on the penultimate mark only to be caught tacking in Scumper’s water as he rounded the mark resulting in a 720 penalty, and losing a place.
The GPs series was won, after close racing, by Dave and Lynn from Hugh and Rhonwen with three bullets.
After lunch the winds increased even more, and there was some more close racing in the handicap fleet, especially between Robbie D and Scumper, but it was Robbie who won the race and the series.
In the FF fleet, Mike Moore with a nervous birthday girl (well almost) crewing, had four straight wins, and a blown out spinnaker, over Keith Thomas who had coaxed Graham Kirkpatrick from retirement to crew on one of the windiest days of the season!
The Smith family had a fleet of their own for the final race of the weekend, when they took out five toppers. Brotherly love didn’t stop Bean having to do turns after the start. Emma recovered well from one near capsize, but not the second!
The cruising fleet from Southport seemed to enjoy their weekend, and some of them took part in the racing, some of whom got to know the rescue crews very well! Perhaps they’ll be back for more next year?
FLYING FREE
PN Boat Helm Class 1 2 3 4 Pts
1 3473 M MOORE FF 1 1 1 1 3
2 2504 K THOMAS FF 2 2 2 2 6
3 1901 J PRESTRIDGE FF DNS RTD DNS DNS 15
3 924 S MCCLENNAN FF DNS RTD DNS DNS 15
Points for RTD = 3 5 3 3
Points for DSQ = 3 5 3 3
Points for DNS = 5
3 races to count
AITKIN CUP
PN Boat Helm Class 1 2 3 4 Pts
1 13176 D LAWSON GP 1 1 1 DNS 2
2 13905 H GODFREY GP 2 2 2 DNS 4
3 13118 V BELL GP 3 3 3 DNS 6
4 13867 D NICHOLSON GP RTD RTD OD DNS 9
5 13733 A HODGKINS GP 4 DNS DNS DNS 11
6 11721 R RHODES GP DNS RTD DNS DNS 14
Points for RTD = 6 7 4 0
Points for DSQ = 6 7 4 0
Points for DNS = 7
2 races to count
AUGUST TROPHY
PN Boat Helm Class 1 2 3 4 Pts
1 1072 R DAWSON RS400 1 1 2 1 3
2 937 W CARRUTHERS RS400 2 2 5 4 8
3 1148 N CURRIE RS400 4 3 4 5 11
4 1298 S HUNT RS400 DNS DNS 1 3 17
5 1049 M SOMERVILLE RS400 DNS DNS 3 2 18
6 91029 R BLACKBURN RS400 3 RTD DNS DNS 21
7 338 R YARDLEY VARIO 5 RTD DNS DNS 23
8 1125 JoHALLIDAY RS400 RTD RTD DNS DNS 25
9 6905 N GARRISON DART DNS DNS 6 6 25
10 114 T FLYNN M16 DNS DNS 7 7 27
11 21863 D TODHUNTER MS 6 DNS DNS DNS 32
12 1140 J CHRISTIE LAS DNS DNS RTD DNS 35
Points for RTD = 7 5 9 8
Points for DSQ = 7 5 9 8
Points for DNS = 13
3 races to count
MJM
PN Boat Helm Class 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Pts
1 13905 H GODFREY GP DNS DNS 5 2 DNS DNS 2 1 1 3 14
2 13885 M FAIRLAMB GP DNS DNS 3 3 1 1 3 3 DNS DNS 14
3 1072 R DAWSON RS400 OD DNS 1 1 DNS DNS 5 6 5 1 16
4 3473 M MOORE FF 1 1 DNS DNS DNS DNS 6 2 3 7 20
5 937 W CARRUTHERS RS400 DNS DNS 2 4 DNS DNS 4 4 7 4 25
6 174889 S HALL LAS 3 2 6 8 5 2 RTD RTD 8 8 26
7 91029 R BLACKBURN RS400 2 DNS DNS DNS OD DNS DNS RTD 10 6 58
8 103 A NICHOLSON VARIO DNS DNS DNS DNS 7 5 DNS DNS 12 11 87
9 161866 M LORD LAS DNS DNS 8 9 DNS DNS DNS DNS 9 10 88
10 13733 A HODGKINS GP DNS DNS DNS 5 2 DNS DNS DNS 4 DNS 89
11 13867 D NICHOLSON GP DNS DNS DNS DNS DNS DNS 7 DNS 2 5 92
12 1125 JoHALLIDAY RS400 DNS DNS 7 7 DNS DNS DNS DNS RTD DNS 105
13 1298 S HUNT RS400 DNS DNS DNS DNS DNS DNS 1 5 DNS DNS 110
14 167828 I MACPHERSON LAS DNS DNS DNS DNS 4 3 DNS DNS DNS DNS 111
15 1049 M SOMERVILLE RS400 DNS DNS DNS DNS DNS DNS DNS DNS 6 2 112
16 3521 K JAMIESON FF DNS DNS DNS DNS 6 4 DNS DNS DNS DNS 114
17 9558 P HODGKINS B14 DNS DNS 4 6 DNS DNS DNS DNS DNS DNS 114
18 913467 M WRIGHT GP DNS DNS DNS DNS 8 6 DNS DNS DNS DNS 118
19 1140 J CHRISTIE LAS DNS DNS DNS DNS 3 DNS RTD DNS DNS DNS 119
20 173813 P BURNELL LAS DNS DNS DNS DNS DNS DNS 8 RTD DNS DNS 123
21 6905 N GARRISON DART DNS DNS DNS DNS DNS DNS DNS DNS 11 9 124
22 122174 P DILLON LAS DNS DNS DNS 10 DNS DNS DNS RTD DNS DNS 125
23 70142 T SMITH MS DNS DNS OD DNS DNS DNS DNS DNS DNS DNS 133
24 338 R YARDLEY VARIO DNS DNS DNS DNS DNS DNS DNS 7 DNS DNS 137
25 9130338 A ROBERTS LAS DNS DNS DNS DNS DNS DNS RTD DNS DNS DNS 142
Points for RTD = 4 3 9 11 9 7 12 11 13 12
Points for DSQ = 4 3 9 11 9 7 12 11 13 12
Points for DNS = 26
6 races to count