Slow Sunday Sailing
Kirk Marcolina
Despite the cold, rainy weather, 22 boats turned out for Sunday’s Winter Championship heats, including visitors from MHASC and VYC. As Tim Heath reported on The Top Mark, it was a “morning of collective madness.”
It was indeed an unusual winter morning, with the normal westerly wind overridden by a rain affected breeze that came from all directions, seeing the fleet sailing in great pressure at times, and parked at others. You can check out some of the riveting high speed action captured by Diana Chen on The Top Mark here.
The on-water team of Daryl Lawrence (PRO Instructor), John Vasey and David Murphy (Learn to Run a Race) and Hadrien Bourely and Diana Chen (COTD / Co-COTD) did a great job setting fair courses and getting starts away in the difficult conditions.
The course was adjusted and shortened after the first race, but with the rain killing the breeze, the second race still required an S-flag finish at the bottom mark after only two beats, and the third race had to be abandoned.
Can you call this a “beat”? GPS tracks from Race 2, Beat 2. Courtesy Brett Beyer.
In the first race, Andrew Cox and James Tudball, arrived at the start almost four minutes late (Andrew having just landed from China, James having not yet landed from his “worst ever” hangover). They exchanged banter with Daryl on the start boat as to whether there was any point even attempting to race from so far behind. Daryl quipped that all it would take was a big shift and you never know. So, off they went, starting to race with the whole fleet almost at the top mark. Luckily they went right, just as the left breeze shut down and parked the entire fleet early on the first reach. James and Andrew found themselves out in the new right pressure, and ended up a few minutes later very much back in the game! Daryl has agreed to accept the mantle of club prophet.
The winners of the heats were: Standards – Geoff Kirk and Jules Hall; Radials – Mina Ferguson and Sylvie Stannage. We look forward to the next instalment of the Winter Championships on Sunday, June 30.