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Hi again everyone,
Sunday 14th June 2009
Well it really doesn’t get any better than that! Glorious sunshine, a beautiful venue, a fantastic sailing breeze of between a minimum of 8.15k and a maximum of 17.6k with an average of 12.8k from a reasonably steady direction and a fleet of 6 High Performance boats doing their thing. Rod foiled his way to the front on every race making a review of his handicap an increasing matter of urgency, but he was the best sailed boat on the day so I think he probably deserved it anyway, with Sean and Eileen coming in second in every race to keep their second place on the overall leader board, only 5 points behind Dave Culshaw. It was nice to see the Cherub out and to see two “Skiff Chicks” sailing the 49ers against each other, well done Georgie and Nici both of whom flew off the back of the boats as they bore away onto the run, unfortunately the shock cord proved too weak to hang onto Nici and Pete and her had to retire from the last race. For the record Rod would have had to sail off 580 in the first race to be beaten into second and 550 in the last two races!
Thanks to Jane Montgomery for lending us Suzie as Committee boat, to Ruth for her excellent time keeping and Joshua for doing the hard work thereby relieving my broken rib of further punishment.
Sunday 31st May 2009
I don't know what happened when I was away on the 17th but someone obviously prayed to the wrong God as it blew old boots and the racing was cancelled. My thanks to Martin Pearson (Parkstone YC Hon. Sailing Sec.) for offering to stand in for me. This Sunday all was back on track with glorious sunshine and a very difficult, but just sailable, breeze. Between 14:30 and 16:00 we had wind which varied from 003 to 108 degrees with a strength from 3.66 to 17.01 knots! I would have been better off to leave the marks alone as they were right some of the time as they were originally laid! A good turnout from Poole YC saw a total entry of 7 with one 49er missing due to "'A' level revision" and the Moth on "home duties" with a number of new Moths still under construction and the foiling 600 still in training. Dave Culshaw, with one 2nd and two firsts, has strengthened his lead with Shaun and Eileen keeping hold of third place despite an unfortunate incident on the last run where they had a coming together with Pete and Nici on the 49er. Well done to all of you who took part, it was very tricky conditions for these high performance "machines" and there was a toll on equipment which showed up in the retirement of two competitors during the racing due to gear failure. My thanks to the lovely ladies and to Adrian, a friend of Peter Flanders, who got roped in from his "quiet day at the seaside" to do my heavy work due to a back injury. Next outing due on the 14th June. See you all there I hope
Sunday 26th April 2009
Well anyone who missed the racing missed another glorious afternoon. The Weather God is undoubtedly a High Performance sailor! Average wind direction for the duration of the races was between 122˚ and 134˚ and average wind speed between 10.4k and 13.5k in glorious sunshine. Peter Flanders and Nici Hoyle decided it was a little strong for only their second outing in the 49er so provided safety boat cover, which meant no delay for the third race of the day, despite a 15˚ shift of the course to starboard. There were signs of fatigue setting in for the last of three races so I think everyone was happy when we called it a day, even though the quick race management meant we could have got a fourth race in. Peter Lawrance celebrated his 18th Birthday on Saturday night, “helped” by Miles, so there were signs of missing brain cells as they blasted round the course. No such issues on the foiling Moth though with Rod showing the benefits of all his hard work tuning his boat and competing on the circuit. He arrived fresh from his recent success at Hayling Island and gave us a pretty impressive demonstration of high performance sailing, scoring three bullets in the process. Dave however maintains his position at the top of the leader board albeit on level points with the “boys” on the 49er.
Sunday 12th April 2009
The weather man said rain and the weather Gods gave us glorious sunshine. The forecast was F1-3 from the West and we got from 2 to 10 knots, with every angle from 14 to 188 degrees. On a number of occasions the fleet was pretty much split 50/50, with half running under kite and the other half beating, all within 100 yards and on the same leg of the course! At the end of the first one lap race I was checking the Rule Book to see if I could disqualify anyone crossing the line with their kite up for taking the P-ss out of the Race Officer. A hectic relaying of the course before the second race saw the wind veer another 15 degrees before the start making for a rather frustrating double reach. I think everyone, except Stuart Swan and Bob Holdway, on their new 49er, were happy to call it quits and give the day to the Weather Gods.
Well done again to Dave Culshaw in his RS700 for taking the first race and to newcomers Mark Reynell and Susie Burnham, in their Laser 5000, for taking the second. It is great to see so many new faces and new boats this year. The RS600 Foiler was rigging up for some practice when we got back to Parkstone, so I look forward to seeing that strut its stuff on the race course soon.
The fleet was depleted this Sunday with Easter providing a mix of competing Regattas, Weddings and skiing holidays, so well done to those of you who showed up.
I am looking for volunteer crews for 3 Safety boats for the Dart Open meeting on Saturday and Sunday 18th and 19th July. I also have a problem with the races in July as I am taking my XOD to Cowes for the whole Month and hoping to compete in Cowes on the Sundays. So anyone who can stand in for me on the 12th and 26th would be very welcome.
Happy Yotting and hope to see you all on the water Sunday April 26th.
Sunday 29th March 2009
Well for those of you who missed it, the day was as near perfect as it could be. Beautiful sunshine, enough water in the harbour and a glorious breeze, even for those of you who have taken the plunge and gone for an even Higher Performance Option this year. We welcomed two teams from last year with new machines, both 49ers, last year’s series winners, Stuart Swan and Bob Holdway and last year’s Powermann Trophy winners, Nici Hoyle and Peter Flanders as well as the new team of Richard Devereaux, sailing with his daughter Kate, in their recently acquired RS800. Rod arrived late for the first start, in his fully sorted, or so he thought, Foiling Moth, but, despite a cavitating wand (we have to learn a whole new language for these foilers) managed to show everyone a clean pair of heels in the second race. The Laser 5000, 5068 (sorry but still haven’t noted the crews’ names) sailed a controlled race and won through to take the first bullet of the season. The kids, Miles and Peter, in their 49er managed a gentle tour of the harbour sorting out their kite set up in the first race and took a swim at the windward mark in the second, thereby blowing the benefits of a Winter’s training!. Consistency was, as always, the answer and Dave Culshaw, in his RS700 managed two second places and is currently leading the series.
Rock on guys and girls! Let’s hope this augurs well for a great season. There are some other newcomers in the background, including a foiling RS600, so please spread the word, the High Performance Fleet is THE place to be, with the best racing, bar none, in Poole harbour. |
