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Author: Peter Baldwin

DF65 Social Racing 2022 #14 (5/4/22)

A very light and shifty breeze started the day, coming mostly from ‘over the houses’, which as we all know makes for difficult conditions for racing. After a difference of opinion over which rigs to sail in Race 1, we all changed up to A Plus sails for the rest of the day. The breeze decided to fill in from the West for the last scored race, making sailing downwind a challenge, and only seven races were scored and counted. We did finish the day with a 2 lap un-scored race, but a mixture of poor wind conditions and equipment failures meant we only managed 7 races to count.

Thanks to Paul Whalley for Race officer duties today, and to Graham Reeves for the loan of a new Race Starter timer, as the old one seems to have disappeared for good.

  1. Mike de St Paer       35  11 pts
  2. James Douglas        73  13 pts
  3. Andrew Peter        919  28 pts
  4. Dave Williams      233  29 pts
  5. Richard Walker      39  32 pts
  6. Charles Legg            21  36 pts
  7. John Carlin                11  37 pts
  8. Andrew Potter      194  39 pts  (1 x 2nd)
  9. Malcolm Harvey 1019  39 pts
  10. Alan Watkinson    373  48 pts
  11. Paul Little                  45   51 pts
  12. John Beech                80   66 pts

DF65 Social Racing 2022 #13

Whoever said ‘in like a lion, out like a lamb’ didn’t have today’s weather in mind, as the end of March brought bitter cold, occasional sleet and a fickle breeze that tested the fleet to its limit.  A course was set along the pond, with the start at the western end, a port-hand windward mark and separator at the east, a gate at the far western end for the downwind leg and a beat up to the finish at middle of the course.  At least that was the plan, but the wind didn’t always cooperate, turning the start into a reach on port at some moments and heading and lifting sailors unpredictably at the windward end. Just to make life really difficult, it looked as if the finish could be fetched on a single tack until many boats got headed just before the line. Despite the vagaries of the wind, competition was close, as the results after 8 races show.

  1. John Carlin                 11       8 pts
  2. Paul Little                  45     11 pts
  3. Paul Hounslow         82    13 pts
  4. Stan Metcalfe          146   19 pts
  5. Malcolm Harvey   1019  28 pts
  6. John Beech                  80  34 pts

IOM Winter Series 2021 #6 (26/3/22)

The last IOM Winter series of 2021/22 was met today with temperatures more suited to high summer. Shorts and sunglasses instead of waterproofs and thermals.

A small turnout due to COVID, sailors away and family commitments meant that the three competitors were left to battle out the racing in perfect sailing conditions.  The fleet so evenly matched produced some close racing. John Brierley got off to a flyer winning five out of the first six races and then with the tea-break all was to change.

Graham Birkett, with a hot drink now won two races and after Bill Culshaw put his jacket on he was unstoppable, winning the last three races.  Close racing in perfect sailing conditions.

Thanks to Bernie as always running the races and Jack with the hot drinks and encouragement to all the sailors.

  1. John Brierley      Britpop    84  11pts 5 wins
  2. Bill Culshaw        Britpop   21   15pts 3 wins
  3. Graham Birkett Widget    133  16pts 2 wins

10 races sailed.

DF65 Social Racing #12 (23/3/22)

A beautiful spring morning, with brilliant sunshine and a light southerly breeze greeted 14 sailors for race 12 of the DF65 Social racing series. A plus rigs were chosen, and as the designated race officer Dave Williams had unfortunately taken to his bed with Covid, Paul Little stepped up and did a grand job of running 10 races, with a two lap race to finish the day, despite having no starter clock.

Another very enjoyable Wednesday’s racing, with very good competition and close results across the fleet.

  1. Mike de St Paer          35  18 pts – 3 wins
  2. Neil Westbrook          03 24 pts – 2 wins
  3. Richard Robinson   901  24 pts – 1 win
  4. Andrew Peter            919  30 pts – 2 wins
  5. Simon Bates                69  33 pts – 1 win
  6. Andrew Potter          194 39 pts – 1 win
  7. John Carlin                   11  40 pts
  8. Martin James            813  50 pts
  9. John Beech                  80  66 pts
  10. Charles Legg               21  68 pts
  11. Malcolm Harvey    1019 72 pts
  12. Stan Metcalf                46 79 pts
  13. Paul Whalley               53  98 pts

Our best wishes to Dave Williams for a speedy recovery, and if anyone has the DF race starter clock hidden away, please return it to the normal locker in the clubhouse.

DF/RG65 Winter Series 2021 #7 (19/3/22)

Today’s racing was the last round of the RG65 Winter series, five skippers entered and were greeted to the best weather of the year so far, with wall to wall sunshine and a good blow down the middle of the lake from the car park.
All skippers opted for their B rigs, but soon found out this was too much after the first race and nobody successfully managed to get downwind. The gusts were just too big, so we took a quick break to all change down. Unfortunately Graham, with his newly acquired Argon, did not have a smaller rig so had to persevere, Martin had the perfect size rig that he had made in the week for these conditions and his Pocket Rocket relished the conditions after missing the first race due to a failing receiver, but then was able to borrow one from Graham.
The racing was closer than the scores suggest with Alan, Dave and Neil getting the most out of their boats and all sailing well, unfortunately Graham suffered receiver problems and missed quite a few races until he managed to fix Martins old receiver and get back on the water but still in the wrong rig.
Martin won 7 races out of the 9 he sailed in with Alan getting 2 wins with his ever improving Scurry and Graham with just 1 win, 10 races sailed in all before we all agreed the wind was still increasing and to call it a day.
Many thanks to Bernie for starting and finishing the fleet and Jack for supplying the tea and coffee at intervals.
  1. Martin Roberts       133      pocket rocket        9pts, 7 wins
  2. Alan Watkinson      23        scurry                     17pts, 2 wins
  3. Neil Westbrook       03        uno                          19pts
  4. Dave Williams          33        uno                          33pts
  5. Graham Elliott         29        argon                     35pts,1 win
After 10 races
This leaves the overall results for the RG65 Winter Series as follows, With Graham Elliott the winner by a clear margin.

DF65 Social Racing #11 (16/3/22)

On arrival at the the lake today our RO, Neil Westbrook thought he was going to have problems setting a course due to the lack of wind, but within 15 mins it miraculously filled in to a good A+ choice. Donning the waders he was able to set a good start line with only a couple of eager starters being caught out.

Up to the windward mark, spreader, down through the gate to the usual finish halfway up the lake. Richard started with a win but the following races were taken between Mike and John with James allowed to take just one.

The final two lap race, saw John Carlin after his TT race weekend away romp ahead to win by half a lake distance. The overall winner Mike, was so consistent his lowest position after discards was 3rd. Thanks again to Neil for keeping the race moving and managing ten races.

  1. Mike de St Paer        12 pts 5wins
  2. John Carlin                14 pts 3wins
  3. Richard Robinson  20 pts 1win
  4. Andrew Potter         27 pts
  5. James Douglas        40 pts 1 win
  6. Paul Little                 50 pts
  7. David Williams       56 pts
  8. Martin Allan            59 pts
  9. Charles Legg           62 pts 1 x 5th
  10. Stan Metcalf            62 pts
  11. Don Mackinnon     73 pts
  12. John Beech               86 pts