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harry
Damp
135 Posts |
 Posted - 08 Mar 2010 : 3:04:58 PM
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Sunday 7th March.
There seems to be no end to the cold spell and again with a maximum apparent temperature of 3C only four F/Fs were tempted out in the morning and only three in the afternoon. Hopefully the Spring Series will coincide with the return of warmer weather and bring about the return of the Freds. (Sounds like the title of a Sci Fi film)
Race 1.
With the Winter Series coming to a close a number of boats still have everything to race for and the Easterly wind of 7mph and a course of OL J D H N meant that this was always going to be a very tight race. The boats that banged the corners of the first beat gained a temporary advantage over those that worked the middle but the four boats closed up on the off-wind leg to give a tight race on the succeeding legs. Places changed regularly throughout the race and on the last beat from N to OL it was anybodys to win. The four boats approached the finish with only a whisker between them with 3327 in the lead but the fat lady had not finished singing. 3327 tacked onto starboard to protect her position but 3712 ducked her stern and with the extra boat speed won by a couple of boat lengths. The final placings were 3712, 3327 3434 and 3465.
Race 2.
The wind remained pretty much the same as the mornings but the OD, to give some variation, changed the course to T S N OL J Y. Two boats, 3327 and 3434 had been hauled out after the morning race and 3561 had been launched. 3465 got the best of the start followed by 3712 and 3561. This set the pattern for the race and the order remained the same to the finish. The new suit of Goachers sported by 3465 look superb and are clearly very competitive. It looks as if it might be open wallet time in the near future.
harry |
Edited by - harry on 08 Mar 2010 3:07:07 PM |
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rodgerwebb
Completely dry
29 Posts |
Posted - 09 Mar 2010 : 3:48:04 PM
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Harry,
Our new found success has nothing to do with new sails and everything to do with skill and talent. You should all keep your old sails, there is absolutely no advantage in buying new, spend your money behind the bar, give it to me.......
Rodger |
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harry
Damp
135 Posts |
Posted - 15 Mar 2010 : 5:43:19 PM
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Sunday 14th March.
Two weeks to go to the beginning of the Spring Series and spring like weather it was not. The forecast for a Northerly of 17mph gusting 35mph was spot on as was the realfeel temperature of 2C. Just to put the icing on the cake the lake is so cold it hurts to put your hand in it (As I am reliably informed by the rescue guys. Bless 'em all  )
Race 1.
Three Freds came to the start line in what was described by the PRO as a NW force 4 - gusting 6. The course was D Y T E K OL J. 3327, helmed by Pete and crewed by Stuart, started on a long port tack which initially looked the wrong way to go but when the boats crossed they were totally vindicated in their choice, having a good lead. 3795, with the two Simons, settled down to their task and with their extra power (weight  ),ground down 3327 to then revel in the demanding off-wind legs. The wind was shifty as well as strong and with legs going from broad to tight there was the occasional rooster tail (and cheers from the watchers in the clubhouse  ). 3327 continued to harry (no pun intended) 3795 but 3712 with Keith and Geoff looked to be having spinnaker problems and gradually lost touch with the first two boats. The final placings were 3795, 3327 and 3712. Pete is performing consistently well in 3327 and is proving to be the boat to watch. (why on earth would anyone want to sell a Windi 10 )
Race 2.
As is Petes practice he hauled out after the morning race leaving 3795 and 3712 to compete for the honours in the afternoon. The wind remained unabated, if anything the gusts were stronger and the water took on the appearance of the North Atlantic in a storm, and had veered to the North. The course was D Y H E K OL J. on the demanding first beat to D 3795 set the pace and rounded first with 3712, this time with Geoff at the helm, in hot pursuit. On some of the tighter legs Geoff elected not to hoist the kite and was not losing out to badly to 3795 with their spinni set. After a tight spinni reach from E to K 3795 gybed the kite expecting to find a broad leg, but, by some quirk of the shore effect, found the leg through OL to J even tighter still and by J 3712 without the kite was snapping at their heels. Hardening up after J 3712 was in the dirty wind of 3795 and tried to sail out from underneath them but with their pointing ability and boat speed 3795 ground out to weather and it was game over. At the end of the next gruelling lap it was 3795 first followed by 3712.
harry |
Edited by - harry on 15 Mar 2010 5:45:05 PM |
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harry
Damp
135 Posts |
Posted - 22 Mar 2010 : 3:53:20 PM
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Sunday 21st March.
What a glorious day in every respect. Sunshine, sensible temperature and not a bad breeze. If this is a portent of things to come then roll on. Seven Freds were tempted out for the morning race which, after taking half an hour trying to remember which bit of string did what when rigging , included, after a three month layoff, Jessica, complete in elegant pink wellies  , and me.
Race 1.
With a wind of 7mph from the SW the OD set a course of A B OL P S. Even I could remember that without having to write it down. After a very shifty first beat with no one side paying the fleet arrived at the weather mark A in fairly tight order. What appeared to be a spinnaker reach to B very quickly tightened up and only two boats managed to carry for the whole leg. The one or two that elected to reach on two sails lost nothing and even gained a bit of ground  . A nice long broad spinni. leg to OL and big smiles all round with a nice battle beginning up front between 3434, 3922 and 3632. A spinni. drop, gybe at Ol, a gybe and off to P. The leading boats rehoisted their kites after going high and then bearing off but those that left the kite in the chute and headed straight for the mark did not lose a lot. Another gybe at P and a broad spinnaker leg to S. The leading boats gradually went higher and higher to protect their wind leaving the following boats to again sail directly for the mark and close the gap. And so onto the second lap. Again a shifty beat but this time with the occassional gust (and squeal from Jessica  ) and the odd hole and the leading boats started to pull away. 3632 started to lose ground and 3795 joined the fray at the front,the three leading boats 3434 3922 and 3795 sharing the lead at one time or another. And so onto what was to become the last leg of the race, the spinni leg to OL. These three leading boats approached OL preparing to gybe for the next leg, and with only fifty minutes on the clock the OD decided to finish the race without sound signal nor flag S. The result was after a slight coming together 3922 in the lead followed by 3434, 3795, 3712, 3696 3632 and 3583.
Race 2.
The wind veered slightly to become WSW and the OD set a new course of A M D B OL X. Six F/Fs approached a very port biased start line which could just about be crossed on starboard. The fleet split tacks for the long beat to A to find lots of shifts and lots of holes. At A 3632 led followed by 3922 and 3712 showing well with the rest of the fleet having chosen the wrong tack or found the worst holes resulting in a considerable spread of boats. A short spinnaker leg to M. a gybe and a long spinnaker leg to D by which time it was game over for the tail enders  . On the beat to B 3922 had gained the lead never to relinquish it chased hard by 3712, 3795 and 3632 with 3696 and 3561 having lost touch and bringing up the rear. A long broad spinni leg to OL followed by a reach to X and a tight leg to T. Although T was to be left to port the natural rounding was to starboard and in a senior moment 3696 did exactly that . (Did every one else round it correctly ?) The next lap was very much a repeat of the first with no place changes except that 3696 acknowledged the incorrect rounding of T and followed the fleet round the course for the enjoyment of the sail. At the finish the order was 3922 3712 3795 3632 3561 and 3696(RTD).
The Club Summer Season starts next week, the 28th, with the earlier start times, but it is the last race of the Fleet Winter Series. Let us see if we can continue to improve on the numbers turning out and make the coming Spring Series the best ever. There is the promise of a barbeque summer, again.
harry |
Edited by - harry on 22 Mar 2010 3:55:25 PM |
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robbersdog
Drenched
1427 Posts |
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harry
Damp
135 Posts |
Posted - 29 Mar 2010 : 11:34:02 AM
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Sunday 28th March.
The first day of the Club Summer Season and the last day of the FF fleet Winter Series.
It was a quetion of choosing the weather forecast which best suited you as all the web sites were giving wlldly differing readings. As it turned out the Met Office was the most accurate with a forecast of a Westerly of 15mph gusting 25mph.
Race 1.
Seven Freds hit the water for perhaps one of the longest courses of the Winter Series. In a Westerly wind of 12/15mph the start was at X for a course of B C L OL S P H. The new SIs require the start area to be avoided after the first beat so as to accomodate the newly introduced windward/leeward course. After the beat from X to B immediately after the start, a beam reach to C was followed by a long, long spinni. leg to J, a short beat through OL, a tight reach to S and then two offwind legs to P and then H. And then the course started to bite with the long beat back to B. Caught out by stronger winds than they expected a couple of crews struggled after a winter layoff but four boats 3392, 3327, 3712 and 3434 revelled in the tight competition at the front. Disaster, 3392 headed for a wrong mark, and sailing fast gave herself too much of a handicap to recover her first place. At the finish after a long exhausting course the placings were 3327, 3922, 3712, 3434, 3622 3583 and 3398.
Race 2.
Five boats hauled out during lunch leaving 3392 and 3712 to battle it out in the second race. The wind remained pretty much the same but for the occassional stronger gust. The OD set a course of B M K P J OL X. A beat to B was followed by a spinnaker reach to M and then a dead run to K. At OL 3922 and 3712 were only a whisker apart but with a tight beam reach to P decisions had to be made whether or not to continue flying the kite. 3922 elected to carry the kite and 3712 dropped it and although 3922 occassionally struggled in the gusty wind she slowly increased her lead. This set the pattern for the rest of the race and at the finish 3922 had a very healthy lead over 3712.
Well that's it folks. The end of the Winter Series. After a long gruelling winter all there is to do now is to keep an eye on the results board to see the overall result. Next week is the start of the Spring Series so let's hope for a rapid improvement in the weather (the forecast is that winter is having a last fling) and more Freds coming out of mothballs.
harry |
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robbersdog
Drenched
1427 Posts |
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Winter Series 2009/2010
