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Category: dragonforce

DF65 Social Racing 2023 – 2/8/23

There was a light but fickle breeze from the clubhouse end and so we set off for two races using a start line at the far end and approximately a windward leg (and occasionally a fetch) to the far end.  The wind then decided to switch direction mid race for a while and we ended up having a running start for a couple of races before our volunteer RO Dave Williams (our heavy weather sailor) switched start lines to sail from the clubhouse end.

Peter had a good start to the day in the light conditions and took the first two races by a fair margin, such that Dave was thinking of giving him a starting penalty and the rest of the fleet a chance.  However, with some rig setup advice for some sailors, and improvements across the fleet, racing became a little closer with Neil and Andrew Potter each taking a win before Peter took the final two races.

The light conditions meant that only 6 races were sailed with nobody pushing to do a longer two lap race to finish the morning off.  This also allowed an earlier start to the working party for the seven that remained behind.  Many thanks to Dave for running the morning yet again.

  1. Peter Baldwin                                 6pts
  2. Neil Westbrook                             13pts
  3. Andrew Potter                               19pts
  4. Simon Bates                                   21pts
  5. Jon Whitehead                               26pts
  6. John Carlin                                     32pts (1x5th)
  7. Alan Watkinson                            32pts
  8. Andrew Peter                                 33pts
  9. Charles Legg                                   44pts (1x8th)
  10. Richard Walker                              44pts
  11. Martin Whittingham-Jones   46pts
  12. Frans King                                       52pts
  13. John Beech                                      54pts

DF/RG65 Summer Series 2023 #6 (29/7/23)

Sunshine and no rain, unusual so far for July, if only the wind had straightened it would of been perfect conditions for the 8 skippers sailing RG65’s, the wind was blowing from the top left which means at times it bends around the houses, through the houses, over the houses, you get the picture.
The choices for which end of the start line to start, start low in the slightly more consistent wind and hope for a shift or a lift to take you into the windward mark or start high and hope you don’t sail into a hole, middle to bottom seem to work best if you played the averages.
All 8 skippers chose a reduced height full area rig to try and cope with the gusty conditions, 6 conventional rigs and 2 swing rigs, the conventional rig definitely having the advantage.
Unfortunately we lost Dave Williams before the start due to a defunct rudder servo but as always Dave willingly volunteered to stick around and start and score the fleet, thanks Dave. We also lost John Brierley after 6 races, after putting on the waders on retrieving his boat attached to a mark warp with something.  We also had other skippers missing the odd race due to running repairs or rig changes or even one skipper launching his boat but forgetting to switch it on, always worth waggling your rudder before releasing I find.
Most races saw the fleet quite spread out due to the conditions but at least 4 races were hotly contested where any one of 4 boats could have got the win.
After 12 races we had 4 race winners, Graham (Elestronica) 8 wins, Bill (Ivy) 2 wins, Peter (Uno) 1 win and John B (Uno) 1 win.
Scores after 12 races with 2 discards….
  1. Graham Elliott      Electronica  09  12pts
  2. Bill Culshaw           Ivy                    21  23pts
  3. Peter Baldwin        Uno                  63  29pts
  4. Alan Watkinson    Uno                  23  34pts
  5. John Brierley          Uno                  84  52pts
  6. Charles Legg          Uno                   26  55pts
  7. John Carlin             Uno                   87  61pts

Many thanks to Dave Williams for running the day and keeping us all in line.

DF65 Social Racing 2023 – 26/7/23

16 sailors turned out to sail on this warm Wednesday, but as there was little evidence of much wind we were down to 15 when Dave Williams opted to be RO for the morning.  One comment heard was that conditions were bad even for a Gautby road day with the wind over the houses.  Most wind directions were seen from NE through to NW, although most of them were present for only a short period before it all changed again.

Dave set a course using the start line at the Clubhouse end as it looked as if we were going to get a sea breeze forming, but that never really happened and we ended up reaching or running off the line.  In total eight races were sailed by 12:45 and everyone was happy to finish for the day. Only 8 boats were still sailing, mostly due to frustration with the conditions and one rudder servo that had failed early on.

Peter had a good start winning the first four races, before Mike took two wins and Andrew one, but Peter was fortunate enough to take second in all of those races other three.  Alan and Jon also had some time at the front of the fleet, but in the end not enough time to make it onto the podium.  Peter took the day with Mike second and Andrew third.  Many thanks to Dave for being RO – his eagle eye caught several boats out who had to return and re-start with at least one general recall as well!

  1. Peter Baldwin                           63   7pts
  2. Mike De St Paer                       35  16pts
  3. Andrew Peter                          919  19pts
  4. Alan Watkinson                     373  24pts
  5. Jon Whitehead                       707  25pts
  6. Neil Westbrook                         03  28pts
  7. Clive Warren                              53  32pts
  8. Frans King                                  95  49pts
  9. Don McKinnon                          33  50pts
  10. Richard Walker                         39  55pts
  11. John Carlin                                  11   73pts
  12. Martin Whitingham-Jones  54 76pts
  13. James Douglas                           73  77pts (1x3rd)
  14. Paul Little                                    45  77pts
  15. Charles                                          28  94pts

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.

DF65 Social Racing 2023 – 12/7/23

  • A blustery day with plenty of incidents, 10 sailors optimistically rigged A+ for the first race, which was subsequently voided, because the score sheet had blown away!  After Race 2, it was obvious a change down to A Rigs was needed, as the gusts increased.  Then after Race 5 a further reduction to B Rig was the only sensible option.

Even so, several sailors suffered Mechanical , Electrical and Rig problems, with a total of 23 RTD’s across the days 8 races.  The Top Marks proved to be a Snagging Ground for many, so we shortened the course for the last 3 races, but made them 2 laps apiece.

After racing, John Carlin donned the waders and discovered over 20 metres of fishing line wound round the top two marks – with a large Carp still unfortunately hooked!  To cap it off – we recovered some domestic waste materials floating in the lake.  Certainly a day to remember – though not necessarily for the best of reasons.

  1. John Carlin                11   7 pts
  2. Neil Westbrook       03 10 pts 2 x 1st
  3. Clive Warren            53 10 pts 1 x 1st
  4. Andrew Peter           19 16 pts 1 x 1st
  5. Jon Whitehead      770 16 pts
  6. Charles Legg             21 24 pts
  7. John Beech                80 30 pts
  8. Frans King                95 43 pts
  9. Richard Walker       39 55 pts
  10. Malcolm Harvey 1019 63 pts

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