On Sunday 20 January the Dart 15 fleet visited Rutland for the third event of the Dart 15 winter series. There were 10 travellers (7 Grafham, 2 Beaver, 1 Queen Mary) who came to join the 2 locals until they saw the conditions. There was a force 5 South Westerly but the gusts were 30 - 40 knots and a sea of inverted 29ers, who were training at Rutland. These conditions put off a number of those present and in the end just 6 entered and set off to race.
The course was a starboard hand triangular course at the Club (sheltered) end of the lake but there were a number of capsizes on the way to the starting area and in the end just 2 competitors managed to cross the start line. Stuart Snell was first up the beat but by the wing mark George Carter had taken a small lead. He maintained this to the leeward mark where he pitch-poled and relinquished the lead to Snell once more. Snell then lead by a comfortable margin until he was forced to sail wide and avoid the gybe in a prolonged heavy gust on the broad reach of the second lap. Carter then led to the finish when the Race officer decided to call the proceedings to a premature halt for the day.
Thus it was all decided in one race with the majority of the fleet cowering on the shore. The next event of the series is 10 February at Queen Mary, where we hope the conditions will be better!
Bob Carter
| Overall Results | |||
| 1st | G. Carter | Grafham | 1 point |
| 2nd | S. Snell | Grafham | 2 points |
| 3rd | M. Aldridge | Grafham | 7 points |
| 3rd | C. Black | Grafham | 7 points |
| 3rd | G. Goldstone | Queen Mary | 7 points |
| 3rd | R. Carter | Grafham | 7 points |
The Grafham Convoy ready to go!
Even George takes a dip...
... but comes through to win
