The weather forecast of strong winds and heavy rain deterred
many boats from the cvrda event at Baltic Wharf on Saturday where
dry weather with shifty winds, lighter than forecast, blowing
between the buildings greeted the three local boats, a Scorpion,
an Albacore and an old Solo who joined in to make up the race
together with one visitor, a Merlin Rocket.
The first race, to the head of the harbour, began
with the three double handed boats evenly matched, running, reaching
and tacking up the harbour as the wind bounced off buildings and
whistled through gaps in all directions. However, one particularly
awkward gust after passing the SS Great Britain, took the Albacore
for a swim, leaving the Merlin to round the top mark first, closely
followed by the Scorpion, whilst the Albacore and Solo diced for
third place. The final leg saw the Scorpion pull away to take
first place with the Merlin second, the Albacore third and the
Solo fourth on the water.
The second race was a short circular
course close to the club and the Merlin managed to be unusually
early at the line and had to turn away, leaving the Albacore to
establish a lead over the Scorpion in the increasingly gusty winds
and take line honours.
For the third race the competitors were
joined by other club members in two Wanderers and an Enterprise.
The Albacore retired and the Scorpion tangled with the Wanderers
on the start line to give the Merlin a clear half lap lead for
a while. The squally wind, now gusting from south to south westerly,
revived memories of the mast breaking at the 2006 event and with
the pouring rain made racing difficult, but the youngsters in
the Scorpion worked hard to take the lead and draw away to win
by half a lap from the Merlin and the Solo.
Thanks are especially
due to the Baltic Wharf club members who organised the racing
and manned the boat in the wet and windy conditions.
