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Author: Peter Baldwin

RG/DF65 Summer Series 2022 #2 (7/5/22)

What a days sailing today at Birkenhead for the second RG/DF 65 Summer series. Wall to wall sunshine with a steady top suit from the North West (with significant shifts causing a number of snakes and ladder place changes).  With the lake seemingly divided into two wind patterns it was essential to get in the right lane quickly. With just two DF65s, the boats were sailed in some races by young members of Graham Reeves family, and it was good to see there enthusiasm and capabilities.

In the RG class, the racing was being used as a tune up for the National Championships next week in Eastbourne and any small mistakes were certainly pounced upon. In the first race John covering Graham did not focus on Peter who threaded his way through for the win. It was certainly going to be that close all afternoon.

The other races up to the tea break were shared between Martin and Graham and after the break these two had to withdraw for pressing family commitments leaving John to take the afternoon session with 5 of the 6 wins . The racing between the other Unos was very close and great to see Alan having a good first outing with his new boat.  Neil and Charles were also having moments at the sharp end which resulted in a great and close days sailing.

Thanks to Bernie for running the event and Jack for our drinks at the break.

  1. ​John Brierley             84     uno                       18pts   5 wins
  2. Peter Baldwin           63     uno                       21pts    3 wins
  3. Neil Westbrook        03     uno                       38pts
  4. Alan Watkinson        23     scurry                 42pts
  5. Graham Elliott           09    electronica       43pts   3 wins 
  6. Martin Roberts          33    pocket rocket   51pts    1 win
  7. Charles Legg               26    uno                       52pts
 
DFs
  1. Andrew Peter         919          22pts  4 wins
  2. Graham Reeves      187          24pts  1 win
After 12 races

DF65 Social Racing #18 (4/5/22)

It was a cold damp day at the lake with the wind blowing straight down from the top end. Due to John C injuring his leg whilst dinghy sailing, and having mobility problems, wishing to assist our RO Sally, a course was set starting from the middle and finishing in the middle. Windward mark to port, spreader to port then down through the gate to finish at middle.

For the racing, A+ was the suit of choice but as the racing progressed ‘A’ would have been more appropriate as positions changed several times with boats overwhelmed on the downward run. There was very close racing between Alan and Neil with James putting in some very good results until gear failure dropped him out of three races, leaving Alan the winner by only two points. Thanks to Sally for organising the ten races and to John her assistant for clerical duties.

  1. Alan Watkinson       373  16 pts 4wins
  2. Neil Westbrook          03  18 pts 3wins
  3. Dave Williams          233  20 pts 2 wins
  4. Simon Bates                69 31 pts
  5. Richard Walker          39  35 pts
  6. James Douglas            73  39 pts 1 win
  7. Stan Metcalf                46  39 pts
  8. Charles Legg                21  63 pts
  9. John Beech                   80  68 pts

Open Sailing Day (30/4/22)

The Open Sailing Event on Saturday 30th April, a new addition to the calendar, turned out to be a very sociable and enjoyable affair.

Commencing at 12.00 noon, a dozen or more Club Members, along with several guests and family members spent a most enjoyable afternoon sailing a wide selection of boats. From a 20” Soling, through DF65’s, RG65’s, DF95’s, IOM’s, Bill’s magnificent Marblehead and Mike’s impressive 20 tonner, there was a mixed fleet of over 20 boats on the lake for most of the afternoon, until finishing at almost 5.00 pm .

The weather was kind, a gentle westerly breeze enabling mostly genteel sailing, which enabled the children to enjoy the day’s sailing as much as the adults. Just as much fun was to be had in the Clubhouse, with Jack and Bernie in attendance, endless tea, coffee and chatter, and boat rigging and tuning advice available all day long.

Everyone agreed that the day was a great success, and expressed the wish to repeat the event at least once or twice more throughout the year.

DF65 Social Racing 2022 #17 (27/4/22)

A rather cold and shifty easterly wind greeted the nine DF 65 racers today, and enabled a course using the full length of the lake to a windward mark at the clubhouse end.

As always racing was close, and was dominated initially by John Brierley who won races 2,3, and 4 but then had to leave for a work appointment. There were four race winners during the day, with Alan Watkinson steadily improving his “spare” boat to win by a point from Richard Walker who had tied on points with Andrew Potter but ended up ahead with two wins to Andrews one.

The fleet became slightly depleted as other sailors had to follow John due to commitments elsewhere, and as the breeze went progressively left and became even more shifty eight races was judged to be enough for the day.

  1. Alan Watkinson   373   14pts 2 wins
  2. Richard Walker      39   15pts 2 wins
  3. Andrew Potter      194   15pts 1 win
  4.  Dave Williams     233    18pts
  5. John Brierley           84   27pts 3 wins, 4 races sailed
  6. Sally Collings       829   28pts, 6 races sailed
  7. Charles Legg           21    35pts, three 5ths
  8. John Beech               80   35pts
  9. Malcolm Harvey  1019 49pts

IOM Summer Series #2 (23/4/22)

Well, Charles was right, it was indeed a 2nd suit wind, having arrived earlier than most Charles rigged his boat with 2nd suit but everyone else opted for top suit so Charles followed suit and changed up. The wind was trying to come from Gautby Road but it was all about the strength of the gusts that could come from anywhere from Gautby Road to the factories.
After the first race and not one boat managing to survive the gusts we took a fleet decision to all change down to 2nd suit, our PRO for the day, Dave Williams gave us 15 minutes to do so and this was indeed just enough time.
The racing at the front of the fleet was nip and tuck for the first 3 races with Darin, Martin and Graham swapping places but after race 4 it was Graham that began to make to make his move, winning races 4 and 5 with Darin slipping out of the top 3 for these 2 races.
7 races before a short break and a cup of tea supplied by the ever present Jack and back out on the water for race 8. Andrea had now blown the cobwebs off and getting to grips with her chartered BritPOP! and her results showed this with podium finishes in all but one race in races 5 through to 10.
A challenging and thoroughly enjoyable afternoons racing with 12 races completed and many thanks to Dave Williams for starting and finishing us (and taking a couple of photos), Jack for making the tea (great tea maker but at 92yrs old he has had plenty of practice) and Martin who put the waders on to move a few buoys and give us a great start line.
Good luck to all Birkenhead skippers that make the journey up to Loch Winnoch for next weekends IOM National Championships.
!st      Graham Elliott        13points            BritPOP!         7 race wins
2nd     Darin Ballington    22points           BritPOP!         3 race wins
3rd      Martin Roberts      24points            Vanilla             2 race wins
4th      Andrea Roberts     39points            BritPOP!
5th      Alan Watkinson    49points            BritPOP!
6th      Graham Birkett     51points            Widget
7th      Charles Legg           75points            K2

DF65 Social Racing #16 (20/4/22)

Another lovely sunny late spring day – ideal for gardeners, but not much use for sailors.  A very light and variable South to South East whisper of a breeze started the days racing, with 13 sailors choosing the A Plus Rig.  Dave Williams as Race Officer set a full and sometimes challenging course for the fleet, when reading the wind shifts, even off the start line, proved to be the hardest part of the day.

We managed 10 races, with some sailors giving up early in the difficult conditions, but as seems frequent with Birkenhead lake, as the day progressed, the wind filled and steadied, and we ended the day with glorious weather and a steady breeze, and a 2 lap race to finish.

  1. Alan Watkinson      373  14 pts
  2. John Carlin                   11  16 pts
  3. Andrew Potter         194  25 pts
  4. Andrew Peter           919  32 pts
  5. James Douglas           73  34 pts
  6. Richard Walker          39  42 pts
  7. Charles Legg               21  49 pts 1 x 2nd
  8. Stan Metcalf               46  49 pts
  9. Sally Collings           829  69 pts (after being Cinderella for the last 4 races)
  10. John Beech                   80  74 pts
  11. Malcolm Harvey     1019  80 pts
  12. Graham Reeves         187  93 pts
  13. Paul Whalley                53 103 pts