c

Author: Peter Baldwin

DF65 Social Racing 2023 – 19/7/23

Today’s sailors were met with a firm breeze from the North West which blew more or less constantly straight down the lake and the 12 sailors opted for a “B” rig.  Racing was competitive and very close especially in the mid-fleet battles that took place throughout the session but Andrew Peter seemed to have set up his boat and rig better than everyone else and had a “magic day” winning 6 of the 10 races.

Alan Watkinson finished second on the day without winning a race having been consistently placed in the top half of the fleet and John Carlin took third place with results that included 2 firsts.

Other race winners on the day were Charles Legg and James Douglas.

Here are the full results and overall positions courtesy of Malcolm

Five sailors stayed on for an afternoon session with DF95’s when the conditions were much sunnier and warmer but the wind had become less constant.  They had 6 social races of 2 laps each over the now regular course up and down the lake and had a thoroughly enjoyable time, although no scores were kept.

DF95 Summer 2023 – #2 (8/7/23)

Eight DF95 Sailors arrived for an afternoon’s racing, but the Weather God’s had other ideas.  We got started on time in a light SE breeze, although lighter in strength than the forecast.  However, during the second race, a complete 180 degree wind-shift occurred accompanied by a drop in temperature, causing confusion to those in the lead thing they had finished before rounding the leeward gate (which was now a windward gate!).  Unfortunately it also created lots of wind-blown lake debris moving down the lake, causing trouble for many over the  next three races, in addition to fins and rudders being coated by the ever increasing algae bloom after a lack of rain.

We did manage to complete 5 races before a break and then the anticipated rain storm arrived and a deluge commenced accompanied by thunder and lightning.  After sheltering in the clubhouse for an hour watching the rain continue to pound the ground (and start to top up the lake!), everyone agreed to pack up and got extremely wet just packing their cars.  Hopefully everyone got home safely as there were widespread large puddles and flooding on some roads, which didn’t help.

John Brierley took the afternoon with 3 race wins to one apiece for Neil and Peter.  The next afternoon of racing for the DF95’s takes place on the 12th August.

  1. John Brierley                84   7pts
  2. Neil Westbrook           03   9pts
  3. Peter Baldwin             172  11pts
  4. Andrew Peter              179  14pts
  5. Alan Watkinson           23  15pts
  6. John Beech                   288  22pts 1x2nd
  7. Clive Warren                 93   22pts
  8. Frans King                     59  24pts

DF65 Social Racing 2023 – 5/7/23

The wind was a gusty 10 knots and so A rigs were the choice today and even then some nose diving and loss of control could happen to the unlucky few.  A windward leeward course over a good part and starting at the Clubhouse end of the lake was setup, with a gate to give more options to the 10 sailors out today.

There were 5 different winners of the races, although John Brierley took the lions share of 5, with Andrew Potter on 2, followed by Heil Westbrook, Dave Williams and Peter on one each.

John Brierley easily took the winners spot, with Neil just pipping Peter by one point for second and third places.  Racing is getting closer each week with one race seeing the whole fleet fighting for their place between the first mark and spreader which were only 6 metres apart.

Thanks go to Alan for dropping out after the first race and being RO for the remainder of the day.  More fun and close racing next Wednesday at 11.

  1. John Brierley             84   11pts
  2. Neil Westbrook        03    23pts
  3. Peter Baldwin            63   24pts
  4. Andrew Potter         194  30pts
  5. Andrew Peter           919  35.3pts
  6. Dave Williams            33  43pts  1x1st
  7. Mike De St Paer         35  43 pts
  8. Frans King                   95  49pts
  9. John Beech                   80  65pts
  10. Paul Little                     45  66pts

DF65 Social Racing 2023 – 28/6/23

In an ideal world the wind blows consistently along the pond and the race officer can set a course with an unbiased start line, a satisfying beat to a windward mark, a reach down to a separator at which boats turn onto a downwind leg and sail happy to the leeward gate or mark. Today was not such a day. As we gathered at the pondside we scratched our heads trying to work out the wind direction, while the wind shifted around us, turning beats into runs and back again.

In the face of this wayward wind, it was decided to set a course starting at the clubhouse end, sailing to the far end and rounding the two furthest buoys to port before turning back to a mark at the clubhouse end and finishing halfway up the pond. After a few races the race officer, Dave Williams (who generously acted as RO throughout the racing) added a separator at the clubhouse end. Despite the fluky winds several boats managed consistent performance with Mike de St. Paer taking the honours, followed by Alan Watkinson. The full results after 8 races were:

  1. Mike de St. Paer                          10
  2. Alan Watkinson                           15
  3. Clive Warren                                 17
  4. Jon Whitehead                             21
  5. Andrew Peter                               30
  6. Neil Westbrook                            31
  7. John Carlin                                    32
  8. John Beech                                     47
  9. Paul Little                                       48
  10. Charles Legg                                  53
  11. Martin Whitingham-Jones     54
  12. Frans King                                      55
  13. Dave Warren                                  66
  14. Richard Walker                             83*

* Retired early owing to technical problems