Dart 15 Forums

Many thanks to the 18 travellers who came to join 6 of our club boats on a rather hairy weekend.

Day 2 saw a delay until the weather looked like following the forecast and easing. We started the second race on the limit with F5/6 but as we got underway gusts to top of F7 started to take their toll. 24 set out but only 23 started with John Bainbridge (747, SSC) retiring after a couple of capsizes and our of the patrol boat crew sailed him back.

A really fast race which we had to shorten due to an approaching weather front but we got 4 laps in - sorry it wasn't 7 Gordon. Kevin Dutch 1st pursued by Erling Holmberg with Robert Finch in close pursuit. Martyn Ellis, 4th kept ahead of a very close tussle between Nick Dewhirst, Gary Burrows and Keith Persin (only 10 seconds separating the 3).

I called everyone ashore for a rest and to keep an eye on the weather. After 40 minutes the skies looked like clearing so we set out in the committee boat to set the start for a seocnd race, only to find a huge black cloud arrive over the western skies. Thunder and a lightning strike in the distance led to abandoning the race just as everyone had set off from shore - sorry all but it wasn't worth the risk.

A good few capsizes and one injury to newcomer Simon Hare whose eyebrow had an argument with his mainsheet blocks on gybing (a quick visit to the local medical centre and he looked somewaht better).

Sailing on the limit but everyone seemed to enjoy it as with the S/SW winds we have nearly flat water execpt on the western side of the course.

Great to see old friends and also those new to SSC waters.

Thanks from all at SSC to all who came, despite the increasingly depressing weather forecasts.

Steve

Hi Steve - a big thanks for the weekend - really well organised racing in very challenging conditions and to the rescue crews who were kept quite busy.

I noticed on the club website I was down as a finnisher on the infamous third race - if only this were true I actually retired after starting and deciding the gybe mark really wasnt a hospitable place to be.

Thanks again for a really cracking weekends sailing.

Keith 1840

Many thanks for your comments Keith, and thanks for owning up to the retirement, it was good to see you.

I won't say I wil chastise the tower recorders as they were led by my other half - but we will put it right. I was told that there were 16 finishers but when I entered the results they gave you a finishing lap time; in all the activity making sure everyone got ashore safely all 3 of them had binoculars glued to their eyes.

I have sent the event report to Y&Y and to Martin for this website but we will have to wait a few days for all the photos as our man with the camera is working away from home.

Impressive sailing by everyone in the conditions.

We hope to see you and all the other travellers again - and would be happy if Queen Mary, or any other club, want to field a visiting team to join in our club sailing over a camping weekend sometime.

All the best

Steve

Public apology from me to Keith and to my wife. The team had 1840 as retired but I got the row and column mixed up when transferring the finish line info to Sailwave. I am sure suitable retribution will be effected upon me at SSC on our next sailing day (If not before).

Steve

I have adjusted the results both on this site and on SSC's site to reflect Keith's DNF. Keith now finishes the event in 22nd and Ian and Simon both move up 1 place.

Martin S.

Hi Steve

Thank to everyone for the weekend, awesome, brilliant !!!!!! Had a lot of fun and still smiling. Thanks also to the rest of the fleet for their help and advice.
Going to try and make the Nationals.


Thanks to everyone

Simon 1970

Thanks Simon,

Glad you enjoyed yourself, and I hope the bruise won't last too long !

I got caught by the blocks gybing a month or so ago and it knocked my glasses overboard, even though they were strapped on, it worried the others when I came ashore and told them I had done 1/2 the race unable to see anyone else properly.

Definitely get to the Nationals if you can, it is so much easier to learn how to get the best of out of the boat when you spend a few days with the fleet en masse.

best wishes

Steve

Hi Steve - no worries. After being bouced about in that dory at anchor I suspect that many would have trouble reading

Well done to Ian and Simon for finnishing.

Keith 1840