Birkenhead Radio Sailing & Power Club
A lovely sunny day at Birkenhead with light winds that decided to do a 180 degree pirouette after race 3!
As usual, the Rg65s and Dragonforces raced together, but the results are split.
RG65s
Dragonforce DF65s
12 races sailed.
This coming Easter Weekend sees the start of our IOM series on Saturday 31st March (10 days in series, 6 best to count). A reminder that this year this is an Open Series and members from other MYA Clubs are welcome to attend (£2 on the day). Racing starts at 13.00 prompt.
For those with RG65s and DF65s, our friends at Fleetwood have announced a pop-up Open Event on Easter Monday starting at 09.45 Full details are available on the Fleetwood Website
Unfortunately the wind blew more from the East than the South East, that gave the 10 skippers quite a challenge ahead of them, it did blow about 12mph though with some 90degree gusts up to 18mph and some snow flurries to add to the fun.
With 6 RG65s and 4 DF65s taking to the start it was a good fleet although more was hoped for. Maybe a mixture of the rugby, the freezing weather or Malta had kept a few away but still, we had fun in the snow.
Everybody chose their middle rig to start and this seemed to be the correct choice with big holes in the wind. A long course was set with a nice gate at the leeward end and a finish in the middle.
Early pace setters were, Taylor from Scotland, Elliott and Baldwin sailing RGs and Lincoln sailing his DF. The wind was at best an enigma to all and made the most experienced skippers looked stupid at times, good old Birkenhead pox as Paul Jones would call it.
Race winners were John Taylor, Dave Williams and Graham Elliott with Roger Lincoln winning the DF race and Graham Elliott winning the RG race overall. 14 completed long races and no on water incidents all day, just cold fingers.
Thanks to our resident double act of Jack and Bernie for running the entire race and making tea in the freezing conditions.
14 races sailed
This coming weekend sees the final race in our highly successful Winter IOM Series with the final result still very finely in the balance. 26 different competitors have taken part and any of the top 6 look to be possible winners.
On 17th March the main season starts with the first day of the DF65/RG65 series (See Calendar for full details). Sailing starts at 11.00 and last race will start before 16.45
A reminder that this is an Open Series, so competitors from other clubs are welcome (entry £2 on the day). Four days in total with the best 3 to count towards the final result.
RG65s and DF65s will race together over the same course, but the DF65s will be scored separately, so it doesn’t matter if you have the latest RG65 design or a MK1 Dragonforce, you can win!
IOM and M series races start on 31st March and 12th May respectively and again these will be Open races with the M Class sailing at West Kirby Marine Lake.
We are also delighted to be hosting the DF65 Northern District Championships on Saturday September 15th and holding an RG65 Traveller Series Open the following week.
Despite the weather forecast of snow and ice it was good to see 16 sailors turn up at the lake for the “Popup” Open.
They were greeted with flat calm, followed not much later by a hailstorm, but fortunately after that the wind filled in from the end of the lake allowing racing to start. By the second race, a squally shower ran through causing many of the fleet to go running for their “B” rigs – only to see the wind drop slightly for race 3.
This was a pattern that repeated itself throughout the day until racing was finally concluded with both wind and light fading.
Current RG65 National Champion Graham Elliott sailing another borrowed boat managed to win overall, although he didn’t have it all his own way, winning ‘only’ 3 of the 8 races sailed.
Roger Lincoln headed up the Dragonforce fleet in a very tight finish which required a countback on places to confirm the win.
As usual, huge thanks to Bernie for officiating in the cold, and to Joyce for supplying us with hot drinks in the breaks, and many thanks to John Brierley for organising and promoting the event and providing the prizes.
We are holding an RG65/DF65 pop-up open day at the Birkenhead lake on 9th December.
With the current RG65 National Champion intending to compete along with many of the clubs Dragonforce 65 sailors, good competition should be available at all levels.
Racing will start promptly at 11:30 and the club will be open from 10.30 for practice.
Entry is £1 for all and is open to non-members.
Prizes for best RG65 and DF65.
Tea/coffee and light refreshments will be available but you should bring your own lunch.
Pay on the day, but please email John Brierley (john@atoma.co.uk) with your entry ASAP.
Confirmed Entries
Graham Elliott
Martin Roberts
Roger Lincoln
John Brierley
Sally Collings
Andrew Peter
Ernie Rice
Alan Watkinson
Sue Parkington
Mike Parkington
Damian Ackroyd
Derek Priestley
David Williams
Garry Benson
Dave Pickup
Chris Chatfield
Roy Stevens