Race Report - Saturday 2 November 2024

Club Championship Races 7 & 8

Although the forecast promised a 15 kt nor’easter, when we arrived at the club the breeze was essentially nil. Nevertheless, our trusty COTD team dropped the marks for a course to suit where the wind was supposed to be. This was also about “staking out our turf” on the harbour.

Craig Ryan and special guest PRO Mark Bethwaite on station. All photos by Chris Tattersall (except the BBQ).

The breeze did arrive more-or-less as predicted, perhaps a little more easterly, and so after tweaking the marks we started getting Race 7 underway with a total of 47 Lasers. With six ILCA-4’s afloat, we ran three separate starts. The 4’s got away cleanly, followed by the Radials. The Standards proved a little less well-behaved, and needed a general recall followed by a black flag sequence to get them away cleanly.

The course was long and the wind shifty enough to provide “passing lanes”. The breeze did freshen over the course of the afternoon to and a everyone had a good workout.

For Race 8 the length was reduced to ensure sailors got ashore in time for the BBQ. At the start, the 7’s again showed their enthusiasm by requiring another general recall and black flag start. The other two fleets were better behaved.

Race winners:

Thanks to the on-water team: PRO Mark Bethwaite assisted by LTRaR Chris Tattersall and Elisabeth Tattersall in the Jazzman, with COTD Pia Hattersley and Craig Ryan in the Bergman. In the canteen Shirley and Paul were assisted by Yves Stening and Hadrien Bourely. Special thanks to all those that assisted with the BBQ and clean-up.

Winners get to cook! Photo by Steve London.