Category: Sailing

A strong westerly breeze coming over the trees on the west bank meant conditions were tricky at Rollesby Broad on Sunday 18^th March, indeed given the number of capsizes it was impressive that there were only two retirements amongst the 15 starters.

The Solos were dominant in the single handed fleet; Roger Wilson started fast in race 1 having shut out Daniel Bull in his Laser; to round the first mark on a lifting wind-shift and gain an already good lead from Ian Ayres. Bull worked hard to catch up but capsized both times that he looked like putting in a serious challenge; meanwhile Tamsin Highfield in her Streaker was leading the pack with Terry Palmer in close attendance. Palmer was close enough at the finish to give the Solos a clean sweep of the podium places.

In race 2 Wilson was again away first but infringed Steve Whitby in his Minisail and had to do turns. Phil Highfield, having taken over the Streaker, led up the second beat pursued closely by Ayres; however a large shift coming through the trees turned the top six upside down and it was the lasers of Keith Sykes and Stuart Highfield who led the rapid charge back down the broad with Kevin Postlethwaite leading the Solos. Alas the Lasers could not cope so well upwind and Ayres spotted an early wind-shift to take the lead up the next beat; Phil slowly closed in, especially downwind, but despite splitting the Solos on the water could not beat Wilson on handicap.

Despite a capsize in race 1 Dave Houghton & Jon Symonds (Wayfarer) won both multi-sail races. John Saddington & Dennis Manning retired after suffering the same fate, whilst Bob Sparrow & Steve Gibbons sacrificed speed for safety flying their jib rather than genoa and took (an albeit distant) second in both races.

Multisails
Race 1 (4 entries)

1. Dave Houghton & John Symonds (Wayfarer)
2. Bob Sparrow & Steve Gibbons (Wayfarer)
3. Steve Gray (D-One)

Race 2 (2)

1. Dave Houghton & John Symonds (Wayfarer)
2. Bob Sparrow & Steve Gibbons (Wayfarer)

SingleHanders
Race 1 (11 entries)

1. Roger Wilson (Solo)
2. Ian Ayres (Solo)
3. Terry Palmer (Solo)

Race 2 (10)

1. Ian Ayres (Solo)
2. Roger Wilson (Solo)
3. Phil Highfield (Streaker)

It was definitely a game of two halves; to mix sporting metaphors; at Rollesby Broad this Sunday (3^rd March). Race officer Matt Boreham chose to set 4 gybes on a downwind slalom as opposed to the three previous weeks of long runs.

Race one was bit of a damp squib (literally) as the gentle force 2 the race started in came down the broad in varying puffs accompanied by occasional drizzle. Dave Houghton & John Symonds won the Wayfarer race by a margin from Bob Sparrow & Steve Gibbons who only just pipped John Saddington & Dennis Manning for second. In the single-handers David Frary in his Finn, slowly pulled away from the fleet of 14 led by the Solos of Robert Hawkins and Ian Ayres to take the win.

As the noon start time for the second race approached the postponement flag was raised and hung limply from its hoist as the sailors wandered around ashore quaffing coffee and pondering whether or not to give-up and go home! At 12.15 a few ripples appeared on the water, the flag was lowered and launching commenced. The first capsize (Keith Sykes in his Laser) was less than 5 minutes away as the anticipated storm Freya arrived with aplomb.

Only three Wayfarers started; Houghton wobbled down the first short run with Saddington in pursuit; Sparrow already on third, decided to wear round at the first gybe, only to end up in the reeds. Houghton took a somewhat cautious approach from there on but was able to hold on for a narrow win from Saddington.

Meanwhile the single-handers were either relishing the breeze or stretching the rescue services. More than one sailor was seen to head ashore even before the start. Ayres went for the port start in a cloud of spray, he had to duck a couple of transoms, but only the Laser of Daniel Bull went with him to the right. Thomas suffered the indignity of his mast coming down recovering from a capsize after only 100yds. Bull led round the windward mark, but then put in a double capsize at the first gybe mark. Phil Highfield took the lead in his Streaker only to lose his mainsheet at the last (fourth) gybe of the lap; yes they were all still in the course. Ayres took the lead as a charging James Letts (Laser) flew into second before a wipeout broach at the leeward mark. The next beat proved less eventful but as the fleet turned downwind on lap two the wind was rising; Ayres capsized briefly at the first gybe this time, giving the lead back to Bull and Phil with Stuart Highfield bringing his Laser into contention. By lap 3 the hardy few left racing hard were starting to manage the conditions; but they were still glad to hear the shorten course signal! Bull led Phil across the line but not by far enough; Ayres was third with Stuart fourth on the water, but with Hawkins – the first finisher to stay upright close enough to take him on handicap.

Multisails
Race 1 (4 entries)

1. Dave Houghton & John Symonds (Wayfarer)
2. Bob Sparrow & Steve Gibbons (Wayfarer)
3. John Saddington & Dennis Manning (Wayfarer)

Race 2 (3)

1. Dave Houghton & John Symonds (Wayfarer)
2. John Saddington & Dennis Manning (Wayfarer)

SingleHanders
Race 1 (18 entries)

1. David Frary (Finn)
2. Robert Hawkins (Solo)
3. Ian Ayres (Solo)

Race 2 (17)

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

Two things happened with the fleets at Rollesby this week; that were almost as rare as the un-February like weather. Firstly the multis-sails outnumbered the single-handers an event no-one can recall in recent years, and secondly the singlehanded fleet was entirely a Solo fleet in race 2 after the single Phantom who joined them in race 1 stayed ashore, the Lasers had already decided there was insufficient wind; which may have been true at 10.30 but there was a comfortable breeze by midday!

And so whilst Gareth Thomas (Phantom) did for a while lead the single-handers round in race 1, it was winter member Terry Palmer who took the win for the Solos from John Saddington and Steve Leigh. In race 2 Kevin Postlethwaite had a good lead at the first leeward mark with the remainder of the fleet rounding four abreast. However unable to defend both sides of the beat Saddington and Palmer were both able to get close to Postlethwaite and take full advantage of a perfectly timed (for them) gust at the windward mark to catch and pass him on the run back down the broad.

In the Multisails it was spinnakers to the fore in race 1; the three boats with, coming out on top. Ian & Sharon Ayres in their Leader were able to use their greater tacking agility to keep in touch with the faster straight line speed of Dave Houghton & John Symonds and Peter and Eileen Dearnley in their Wayfarers. However as the wind slowly rotated to the east giving less options upwind, the Wayfarers took the spoils. In race 2 Val & Chris Hanson along with Pete & Rachel Smith both started at the less obvious but breezier leeward end of the line and as those at the windward end succumbed to a hole, were able to sail out underneath them and create a tight top four at the windward mark. As the wind had shifted to stop ‘goose-winging’ the spinnakers of Dearnley and Houghton paid even more and they slowly pulled away with the Smiths leading home the rest of the pack.

In the afternoon it looked like Saddington and Leigh might hold on the Wayfarers and for a lap they were certainly close enough to challenge, but once again the lopsided upwind leg saw the Houghton and Dearnley pull away to take the top two spots.

Multisails
Race 1 (8 entries)

1. Dave Houghton & John Symonds (Wayfarer)
2. Peter & Eileen Dearnley (Wayfarer)
3. Ian & Sharon Ayres (Leader)

Race 2 (8)

1. Peter & Eileen Dearnley (Wayfarer)
2. Dave Houghton & John Symonds (Wayfarer)
3. Peter & Rachel Smith (Wayfarer)

SingleHanders
Race 1 (5 entries)

1. Terry Palmer (Solo)
2. John Saddington (Solo)
3. Steve Leigh (Solo)

Race 2 (5)

1. John Saddington (Solo)
2. Terry Palmer (Solo)
3. Kevin Postlethwaite (Solo)

Mixed PM Race 3 (9)

1. Dave Houghton & John Symonds (Wayfarer)
2. Peter & Eileen Dearnley (Wayfarer)
3. John Saddington (Solo)

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Courses will run on Saturdays
April 27th
May 11th
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From 10:00 to 16:00

Please pass on to any interested parties.  

The course will be run by club members in both members’ boats and our own club boats.

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