Nine boats defied the poor weather forecast to sail the first race of the last meeting of 2018. However the day gave us light twitchy winds and the rain did it best to restrict itself to the rigging up time in the morning and lunchtime. The forecast I had seen suggested winds of twelve miles per hour gusting to well over twenty. That never happened but the very light winds from the south struggled through, over and round the SS Great Britain and the buildings that line the route to the head of the harbour – the traditional first race course of the day.
Race one. The Head of the Harbour.
Everyone struggled for the first hundred yard leg to mark no.1 before turning to head off toward the SS Great Britain. The Merlin, Javelin, Moths (all ‘Shelley’ designs) and two GP14 then began to break away little by little but it was a question of trying to second guess the wind all the way. Gradually the gap widened to give the following results:
1st Chris and Lois Barlow in the Merlin
2nd Colin Jarvis and Derek Jarvis in the Javelin,
3rd Ian Marshall, Moth,
4th Adrian Mac, GP14
5th Lyndon Beasley , Moth
6th Stuart Manders, Moth
Two boats DNF, the mirror of Roger Oliva-Knight and the Gull of Richard Jones.
Lunchtime brought another downpour!
Race two was a figure of eight course within the clubs usual race area. The light wind only just holding up for the last lap with two boats retiring. One being Stuart Manders in a Moth. On route to the first mark he was seen holding something and shouting “I’ve just found the bungs in by pocket…I don’t think that is where they are meant to be!” Fortunately he made it to the jetty as the bungs were for the false floor buoyancy. Possibly a Wingnut moment?
Results
1st Chris and Lois, Merlin.
2nd Ian Marshall, Moth
3rd Lyndon Beasley, Moth,
4th Colin and Derek, Javelin
5th Roger Oliva-Knight, Mirror.
6th Richard Jones, Gull.
Race three.
The wind having dropped right off this race saw only four starters. It was a real drift and only three boats stayed to completed the single lap.
1st Roger Oliva-Knight, Mirror.
2nd Richard Jones, Gull
3rd Colin and Derek, Javelin.
The overall results:
Chris and Lois Barlow, Merlin 507, 2 points
Colin Jarvis and Derek Jarvis, Javelin. 5 points,
Ian Marshall, Moth. 5 points
Roger Oliva Knight 6 points
Richard Jones, Gull. 8 points
Lyndon Beasley. Moth 8points
Adrian Mac. GP 14. 7th
Stuart Manders, Moth. 8th
Always a warm welcome at Baltic Wharf and a fascinating place to sail. Many thanks to Ben and all the race team for our traditional end to our season.