Report – 24th March

An inconsistent westerly breeze meant short beats, long reaches and increased the importance of a good start at Rollebsy on Sunday 24th March. With the mutlisail series already sorting themselves out the tighter competition is with the single-handers , where the winners are still open to several sailors with only one more week to go.

Close Racing

The Solos were again to the fore, but not exclusively so. Roger Wilson and Ian Ayres led at the first mark with Daniel Bull in his Laser for company. On the first reach Mike McNamara took his rightful place in front in his Harrier, eventually being joined by Dave Frary in his Finn. Neither they or Bull could pull out enough from the two Solos who appeared to be tied together, they were generally so close to each other; with Wilson taking the win. Steve Whitby kept his Minisail in touch with the pack to take fourth on handicap.

Twenty seconds before the start of race 2 Clive Girling (Laser) managed to capsize and lasso the windward line marker causing complete mayhem at that end of the line. Wilson was the only boat with a clear run and led by around 10 lengths at the first mark from Ayres, Matt Boreham and Bull. Bull charged down the first full reach and as the fleet tried to sort itself out, Chris Codling showed a good turn of speed to bring his Laser into fourth with Phil Highfield’s Streaker in close pursuit. Bull gained just enough to win by 3 seconds from Wilson and Ayres who finished over lapped.

Multisail Race 1 Start

Dave Houghton & Jon Symonds won both multisail races from Pete & Rachel Smith. These two sailed well clear of the six Wayfarers in race 1, but had to get past Bob Sparrow & Steve Gibbons who started late but in the right place and tacked off first to lead round the first mark and the first lap in race 2.

The bright conditions encouraged 13 craft back out after lunch though the wind direction altered slightly making the race somewhat processional with Wilson and Keith Sykes (Laser) splitting the Wayfarers of Houghton & Sparrow from the Terry Palmer led (7 strong) Solo pack.

Multisails
Race 1 (7 entries)

  1. Dave Houghton & John Symonds (Wayfarer)
  2. Pete & Rachel Smith (Wayfarer)
  3. Bob Sparrow & Steve Gibbons (Wayfarer)

Race 2 (7)

  1. Dave Houghton & John Symonds (Wayfarer)
  2. Pete & Rachel Smith (Wayfarer)
  3. Bob Sparrow & Steve Gibbons (Wayfarer)

SingleHanders
Race 1 (20 entries)

  1. RogerWilson (Solo)
  2. Ian Ayres (Solo)
  3. Mike McNamara (Harrier)
  4. Steve Whitby (MiniSail)

Race 2 (17)

  1. Daniel Bull (Laser)
  2. RogerWilson (Solo)
  3. Ian Ayres (Solo)
  4. Phil Highfield (Streaker)

PM Mixed Fleet (13)

  1. Dave Houghton & John Symonds (Wayfarer)
  2. Roger Wilson (Solo)
  3. Bob Sparrow & Steve Gibbons (Wayfarer)
  4. Terry Palmer (Solo)