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Category: dragonforce

DF/RG65 Summer 2023 #9

There was a keen 10 knot WNW breeze down the lake as everyone arrived for the afternoon.  Although the sun was out the weather had turned decidedly cooler this week and initially it looked like A rig conventional for the RG65 and A for the DF65.  However, a heavy rain/hail shower killed the wind for a while before the start and a number opted for A swing rigs on the RG and most for the A+ on the DF.  The wind soon returned as racing started and led to some changes of rig (enforced by gear failure in some instances) and most RG were using A or low aspect A whilst a few hardy souls kept with the A+ on the DF.

The first session of 10 races for the fleet of 7 RG65’s Peter Baldwin made the best of the conditions in his Uno and took 3 wins, with Alan Bennett (Ivy) and Bill Culshaw (Ivy) who had one each.  After the break Alan had the best run of 4 wins and Bill who took the other.  This left Peter with the overall win by just one point and Alan 3 points further back in third.

In the DF fleet of 4 boats, wins were shared between Neil Westbrook and Tony Sedgwick with 4 each and Clive Warren with 2.  Neil and Tony were tied on scored races and so the overall win went to Tony due to his win in the last race.

A good day  with thanks to Dave Williams for organising the score card and scoring the fleet, plus starting and finishing in the second half.

RG65

  1. Peter Baldwin            Uno     63  15pts
  2. Bill Culshaw                Ivy       21  16pts
  3. Alan Bennett              Ivy        68  19pts
  4. John Carlin                  Uno     97  33pts
  5. Alan Watkinson         Uno     23  34pts
  6. Dave Williams            Uno     33  52pts
  7. John Brierley               Uno     84  54pts

DF65

  1. Tony Sedwick                        318  13pts  (winner last race)
  2. Neil Westbrook                      03  13pts
  3. Clive Warren                           53  20pts
  4. John Berry                                04  27pts

Next weekend is the two day Traveller Series event for the DF65, entry via the MYA Events page.  Closing date is Tuesday evening, although late entries by agreement with the organisers can be made.

DF65 Social Racing 2023 – 11/10/23

Incessant rain, with very light winds greeted the 11 keen sailors.

Sally decided to take her turn at RO for which all were grateful. A+ was the only choice of rig, the course the same as the previous week so racing started with eagle eyed Sally calling a general recall on the first race, with a reminder that the start is on the bell not ‘one’. Several individual recalls occurred during the morning. The conditions suited John C. who took five wins but he did not have it his own way with Andrew and Alan on his stern.

Our new ex dinghy sailing members, Jon and Tony, were having their own battle with Tony finishing on top due to more 2nd places. After 10 races and the wind easing it was decided to call it a day. Many thanks to Sally for her RO duties.

  1. John Carlin                                 13pts 5 wins
  2. Andrew Potter                           19pts 2 wins
  3. Alan Watkinson                        26pts 1 win
  4. Tony Sedgwick                          27 pts 1 win 2 x 2nds
  5. Jon Whitehead                           27pts 1 win 1 x 2nd
  6. Dave Williams                            45pts
  7. Richard Walker                         51pts 1 x 4th
  8. Paul Little                                    51pts
  9. Dave Howard                              66pts
  10. Martin Whittington-Jones   73pts

DF95 Summer Series 2023 #4 – 7/10/23

An un-seasonally warm and bright day greeted the 10 skippers who attended for the fourth round of the DF-95 Summer Series at Gautby Road. The wind(?) was very light and coming from the west over the houses giving conditions that were more suited to “a glass of Pimms on the terrace” than sailing, but our skippers decided to go for it with “A” rigs.

From the onset the conditions were very challenging with the almost none existent wind swirling, gusting(?) then dropping and full of holes but all the boats made the best of them that they could.

Given that the wind could gust and be gone faster than you could say the words there were few recalls at the starts which was at the Clubhouse end of the lake with the course going up to the top end of the lake and back over two laps with a finish half way up the lake.

John Brierley made the most of the conditions seeming to catch a wind that was not available to the boats alongside and often being half a lap ahead of the trailing fleet which gave him 5 wins and 2 seconds. Although John was a convincing winner on the day he did not have it all his own way with Alan Watkinson (1), Clive Warren (2) and John Carlin (1) winning races.

A break was welcomed by all the skippers after 5 races after which racing continued for a further 4 races before everyone agreed that conditions were just too flat to continue.

Paul Little came along to watch the racing and offered to be RO for the day which was greatly appreciated by all the skippers.

DF65 Social Racing 2023 4/10/23

A large turnout of 17 (technically 18 – see later) sailors today, who were greeted by the merest ripple on a glassy lake, even though the forecast suggested there could be as much as 15mph.  Reports from West Kirby were of 10-15mph, so there was hope.  Unfortunately, our biggest problem that the wind was SW again and so would come from anywhere in the range W to SE and so it proved.  Peter donned the waders and set out a proposed course using the South Bank and suggested a Starboard rounding so that we didn’t end up tacking to the spreader.  Sailor No 18 was Dave Williams who very kindly offered to be RO with the large turnout.

The first race was a long one with very light and shifty winds, with Mike De St Paer coming out on top.  At least the long race gave Peter time to sort Dave H’s A+ rig out and compete from Race 2 onwards.  Race 2 went to James Douglas, with Peter putting his boat on the water with 10 seconds to go, but unfortunately little wind to get to the start line.  Peter then managed 5 wins in the remaining races, although it wasn’t all plain sailing with John Carlin putting together a consistent set of results with one win  and Richard Walker taking the remaining win, whilst worrying that his batteries were going to run out before the finish, but fortunately they held up.  James Douglas, Tony Sedgewick, Andrew Potter Clive Warren and Jon Whitehead all had a number of good results in the 9 races completed.

Peter took the morning helped by the 5 wins with consistent John Carlin second, only a couple of points behind, then James Douglas rounding out the podium.  Very many thanks go to Dave for both running the morning and scoring the results, ably assisted by Neil later on who helped with calling the finish, which was very close at times.

  1. Peter Baldwin                            63  17pts
  2. John Carlin                                  11  19pts
  3. James Douglas                          73  24pts
  4. Tony Sedgewick                       19  29pts
  5. Andrew Potter                        194  30pts
  6. Clive Warren                              53  33pts
  7. Jon Whitehead                         770  37pts
  8. Sally Collings                           829  43pts
  9. Richard Walker                          39  50pts
  10. Don McKinnon                         933  56pts
  11. John Beech                                   80  67pts
  12. Frans King                                    95  70pts
  13. Mike De St Paer                           35  77pts   (left early)
  14. Charles Legg                                 21  80pts
  15. Malcolm Harvey                     1019  87pts
  16. Martin Whittingham-Jones  54  102pts
  17. Dave Howard                               00  106pts

DF65 Social Racing 2023 – 20/3/23

Eight skippers came along to sail on a lake with a light breeze and reduced algae levels after the recent rain.  The decision was to go with an A+ set up and everyone rigged up their boats and this is where the day set its course when David Howard realised that tensioning his back stay had caused the jib crane to split his mast and he had no replacement.

It was intended to race a course set over the familiar pattern with the wind from the club house, however before the start of the first race it had switched to blowing down the lake towards the club house and back again.  The first race demonstrated how difficult the day would be with the light wind switching, gusting and disappearing as is swirled around the lake.  The course was revised to have the start at the club house end and the finish half way up the lake from race 2 onwards.

As the races progressed, frustration with the conditions seemed to be the main feeling of all the skippers and Malcolm called it a day after race 3 with sail winch creep.  Only 8 races were completed with Alan Wilkinson winning overall having 4 wins and 2 seconds and Dave Williams was second with 1 win and 4 seconds.  Other winners on the day were Richard Walker, Clive Warren and John Carlin who managed to win race 7 after struggling in the first 6 races.

DF65 Social racing 2023 – 13/9/23

With a nice warm day but very little wind from the Clubhouse end, eight sailors arrived ready to compete. Whilst Clive and Paul did a litter pick Dave returned the pristine clean finish mark to its normal position.(thanks Andrew).

Sailing got under way on the usual course with Clive showing his intent for the day. With low numbers the first over the finish line scored. Start line discipline was very good resulting in only one general recall. Clive had writers cramp with his five wins, Alan two and Dave W the other one.

Paul finally sorted his tuning and had close battles with Clive and Alan. The highlight of the morning was new sailor Dave H taking a fourth place on the final race.

  1. Clive Warren            7pts 5 wins
  2. Alan Watkinson    17pts 2 wins
  3. Paul Little                17pts
  4. Richard Walker     19pts
  5. Dave Williams       21pts 1 win
  6. John Beech              32pts 1 x 3rd
  7. Malcolm Harvey  32pts
  8. Dave Howard         42pts