2013 Spring Series Day 1
Saturday 13th April 2013 - Glasson Sailing Club
Please click on the photos to see a larger one.
All photos by Steve Speakman - Steve's Video
Many Thanks to David Booth who manned the Patrol Boat in the atrocious conditions - F4 southerly winds gusting F5/6
Many thanks also to new helper, Steve Speakman, who did the OOD duty, also for taking some photos.
What a day! Fine but rather windy.
Five dinghies, a dayboat - Secret Water, and two cruisers, Dreamcatcher and Nick's Swift 18 turned out but only three boats raced. A fishing boat was also noticed.
Lovely sunshine, strong southerly wind - should we go out?
No doubts here! Roger and Mrs Roger launching their Leisure 17 Dreamcatcher; the fishing boat and Nick in his Swift 18. Roger has worked all through the wicked cold weather to get Dreamcatcher ready for the start of the season. They were planning to go to Piel but in view of the horrendous forecast decided to have a sail up river instead.
Jeff also sailed up river, Val helped him to get ready but where was she?
She'd elected to go in the Patrol Boat, once again thanks to David and Val, without them it definitely wouldn't have been safe to sail.
Ian preparing John's Bosun and me, Michael, trying to attach the clew to the boom - it was quite hairy, moments later the sail still unattached I'd capsized the boat and I hadn't even finished rigging it, never mind got into it. All winter I'd been sailing Jaja's Topper, Miranda, and at the moment I'm sailing Jaja's Mirror, Fire Girl. My GP14 needs some packings making for the mast but no way would I have tried to sail the GP today.
The course was Ss - Bs - Gs - Ap - 18s - Ss
Two laps, we were all 'slow' boats.
The wind was southerly F4 gusting F5-F6
Dave and Jack decided to get the 'feel' of their boats instead of racing. It was Dave's first sail in the ISO. He had removed a damaged panel from the mainsail, which made it less tippy, also without the jib. Jack's RS600 is a mean machine.
The three blue water sailors decided the conditions were too windy so they are just relaunching after putting a reef in the mainsail. Meanwhile Michael and Steve still aren't on the water.
The race started with a broad reach up to mark B. It was wild both Michael & Steve tacked round, should have gybed! Michael got in a mess and couldn't get the boat round for ages. John and Co. had a poor start but soon got into the lead where they had several moments of excitement. By now Michael was lagging well behind but Steve was keeping close to the well manned Bosun.
On the last leg Steve capsized when he was the certain winner but in trying to right the boat he did some damage and was towed in by the Patrol Boat.
John & Co. finished OK.
Should we have another race? No, too unpredictable, Michael still hadn't finished
Michael struggled on to finish, minutes later.
Meanwhile John's working on the next phose of his race-control system.
One of John's trial runs - shows the conditions
The course