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Photos by
Michael Swarbrick

The boats assembled for the briefing on Saturday

Steve giving the briefing, centre - white T shirt

The apron from the clubhouse front

Peter, who was first to rig his boat early in the morning, on the last minute because he'd been given the wrong start time.

The leaders in the second race manoeuvring to get to mark G. Left to right - Giles Ruel, Alec and Mark

Mark coming ashore have abandoned his attempt to get round G. Giles got round first to win followed by Alec minutes later - the only two boats to finish

Anne walking back all forlorn



Sunday. Alex approaching temporary mark I


Mark leading Alex


Peter following



Peter rounding temporary mark I


Heading for G


John, Robert & Gordon following





John


Gordon & Robert


Robert safely round the mark


Peter again - note abandoned tiller


Back in control


Storming into the lead


Gordon still leading Robert

Hoo Finch, she'd just freed herself, having run aground off Basil Point


Peter managed to cross in front of her, gaining further advantage

Saturday 11th June 2005.

We arrived at lunch time and found several visitors, some with their boats already rigged. The first race was at 1345 hours so there was plenty of time for more boats to turn up.

The sun was shining and the wind was easterly force 3 gusting 4, ideal strength but we'd have preferred a westerly - later on we'd have been delighted for the wind to have stayed as it was.

Snowhill Maiden was manoeuvring down the slipway on the winch ready for the incoming tide.

The dock gate opened and among the boats that left were Dun Na Mara, Wyrewind, with four on board, Vita, Cinque Mille and Troutbridge - a motor cruiser.

Steve Jones, Rear Commodore Racing, was the Officer of he Day (OOD) briefing the racers on the apron. Martin Topping and Peter Jones were milling around in the Patrol Boat

Meanwhile Two Shoes, Humbug and Helena were returning from the Isle of Man.

Fifteen sailing dinghies were on the water, thirteen of which started the first race, the other two Frank Bamber's Dart 15 and Michael Speight's Wanderer were just enjoying the sailing.

Most of them got away to a good start but a couple had difficulty getting to the line because the wind was dropping and the tide quite strong outside the club.

Snowhill Maiden launched and I noticed that SkylArk was on the water too. Paul Periwinkle was still strimming away round the cruiser park doing a sterling job way beyond the call of duty.

The course was Hp (H to port) - GP - Temp Is - Fs x 3 laps 2 for the Mini-Sail and Topper.

Sadly the wind dropped away to barely a breath and the course was shortened to two laps Mark Bamber - RS300 being the first to finish two laps followed by Giles Ruel - RS300 also. Alex Mamwell - Phantom, from Keilter Sailing Club, was third over the line. Fourth to finish was Gordon Kevan - Byte, from Blackpool and Fleetwood Sailing Club, followed by Peter Milston - Toy. Robert Holmes - Topper, Delph Sailing Club (Robert is also a member of GSC but does most of his racing at Delph SC where he can compete regularly against similar boats), had completed one lap earlier. These were the sailors who were to go from strength to strength over the meeting.

The second race started optimistically, course Bs Fs Gs but Peter decided not to bother and only Giles and Alec managed to finish, the race having been shortened from three laps to one.

Periwinkle had by now left her mooring and motored through the struggling fleet on her way to Piel. As she got to the lighthouse she found a northerly wind and had to sail into it all the way. Perhaps we should have raced outside the lighthouse? We would have need a couple of powerful motor cruisers to tow our boats out and none had been put on stand by, not thinking the wind would drop.

However at the end of the first day and two races Giles Ruel was leading with 2.75 points followed by Alec Mumwell on 5 points.

Sunday arrived with a westerly force 4 gusting 5, a bit strong but almost ideal conditions, not much sun though and the promise of rain.

Two boats were missing, Giles Ruel - possibly having to work and Giles Stothert - Laser Vortex who could only race on the Saturday.

The Pilot Boat left the dock, which mean a big boat coming in? Wyrewind, Troutbridge, Cinq Mille, Periwinkle and Snowhill Maiden were all returning.

The first race got underway, Cs Basil Perch Buoy s Temp Ip GP x 3 laps. This time the boats shot round! No shortage of wind today, perhaps too much for comfort. Silver River stormed in from the Isle of Man but didn't seem to affect the racing. A new star was shining today! First to finish three laps was Peter - Toy, closely followed by Mark - RS300 with Alec - Phantom not far behind. Robert - Topper had finished his two laps ahead of them all. Ross Simpson - Laser Radial, Morecambe and Heysham Yacht Club retired missed out a mark. Liam Bibby - Mini-Sail retired with a broken rudder and Anne Bourner - Comet found the conditions too demanding but nevertheless she had performed creditably over the two days. Frank was also out again today, spending some time capsized!

Steve, the OOD, had decided that we could fit in three races today so the second race was started without due delay. Today the Patrol Boat was manned by Andy Holmes and Peter Jones.

The fleet was now down to nine. Course - Bs Fs Temp Ip GP x 3 laps. The wind was now quite strong and increasing. The second race got underway and another commercial vessel, Hoo Finch, a new one to me, appeared round the corner and disrupted the fleet, all except the leader, Peter - Toy. The weather was deteriorating and there was a sudden wind shift, veering ninety degrees, and a torrential downpour as a cold front appeared to pass over. Ross - Laser Radial decide to retire. Peter - Toy again finished first closely followed by Alec- Phantom and Mark - RS300, who were only a length apart. Robert - Topper improving to come third on handicap.

The sailors were now freezing, being dressed for summer which had suddenly turned into winter, so Steve brewed up and made them al a hot cup of tea before the last race.

The last race, course Cs Fs Temp Ip GP x 2 laps, saw the fleet reduced even further to seven, Ian Little -Phantom of Keilter SC and Ross - Laser Radial deciding to call it a day no doubt because the wind was howling from the frozen north and the rain was driving in their faces.

Tension was mounting. Three boats had a chance of winning, Peter - Toy, Mark - RS300 and Alec - Phantom. It all depended on this final race. Peter shot into the lead again and Mark and Alec were vying for position when Mark appeared to touch G and retired disconsolate with now no chance of the trophy. Peter finished ahead of alec but lost to him on handicap but Robert - Topper surprised them all by winning the race on handicap with Gordon - Byte taking second place. Although Peter finished first Alec finished ahead of him on handicap in third place which was go enough to make him the overall winner his managing to finish the second race on day one proving significant.

Overall Result (GSC unless stated)

1st - Alec Mumwell - Phantom - Keilter SC
2nd - Peter Milston - Toy
3rd - Robert Holmes - Topper - Delph SC
4th - Mark Bamber - RS300
5th - Gordon Kevan - Byte - Blackpool & Fleetwood SC
=6th - John Gibbitson - Laser Radial - Morecambe & Heysham YC
=6th - Paul Reid - Contender
8th - Ian Little - Phantom - Keilter SC
9th - Giles Ruel - RS300
10th - Ross Simpson - Laser Radial - Morecambe & Heysham YC
11th - Anne Bourner - Comet
12th - Liam Bibby - Mini-Sail - Keilter SC
13th - Giles Stothert - Laser Vortex
DNS - Frank Bamber - Dart 15

Leading Glasson boat - Peter Milston
Leading Woman - Anne Bourner
Leading Junior - Robert Holmes

At the presentation afterwards Alec thanked the Club for hosting the event and particularly thanked Steve for preparing the breakfasts, lunches and organizing the racing and particularly Frank for putting up with his possible inebriated ramblings on Friday night. He also thanked the Patrol Boat crews - Peter Jones, Martin Topping and Andy Holmes and all the others who had helped to make the weekend a success.

Anne commented "Why don't more women take part?". Who is going to answer that one? You may have noticed too that the average age of the fleet was well into the fifties!

Michael Swarbrick - 17th June 2005

           
Alec mastering the conditions

all the boats were
fairly close together

               
The slower handicap boats competing amongst themselves

                
Paul, sailing well all weekend but not catching up

              
Robert receiving his prize from Steve on the left and Peter getting his


Alec thanking everyone
after receiving his prize
for winning overall
after handicap

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Photos by
Michael Swarbrick

Martin, temporary mark aboard, waiting for Peter

Peter struggling to sort out the VHF

The temporary buoy anchored but it refused to stay put and couldn't be used

Giles Stothert receiving help back to the apron having abandoned the second race on Saturday

Casting off for the last few yards

Gordon being helped back

Sunday, a different world, Mark leading


Mark after rounding the mark


Sorted and heading for mark G


Paul leading Ian in hot pursuit


safely round with Ian struggling below




Meanwhile Frank had capsized








Up and away with no harm done


Frank just checking before he continued


Gordon following Ross & Ian


John pressing on




Anne making a valiant attempt to catch up


Alec


Mark