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Category: iom

IOM Summer Series 2022 #3 (21/5/22)

Due to a series of unfortunate events  3 off the original 6 made it to the start line.  A rig down the middle, with a funny turn around tea break.
All had their moment in the sun.
Thanks to Bernie, Dave and a mug of tea from Jack
  1. Martin Roberts         22    vanilla      10 pts     6  wins
  2. Bill Culshaw               21    britpop     15 pts     2 wins
  3. Alan Watkinson        23    britpop     19 pts     2 wins

The series figures have now been updated here which show Martin currently with a commanding lead.

 

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

IOM Summer Series 2022 #1 (9/4/22)

A lovely shifting, gusting wind from the North West, sun out all afternoon and 11 competitors including 1 visitor in Darin Ballington.
After a midday club committee meeting, we commenced sailing at 1pm with the wind strength staying consistent ly throughout the afternoon, right at the top end of ‘A’ rig with a few nose dives thrown in during the stronger gusts.
7 races completed before a 20 minute break and 5 afterwards giving us a total of 12 and therefore 2 discards. Positions changed continuously in every race due to the wind shifts but in the end it was Brad Gibson sailing Victoria’s BritPOP! that ran out the winner with Darin Ballington just 2 points behind and Martin Roberts in 3rd sailing his Vanilla design.
It was great to see 11 IOM’s sailing a club race again, many taking the opportunity to blow the dust off before the Nationals in a few weeks.
Race winners today were, Brad Gibson (5), Darin Ballington (4) and Graham Elliott (3).
Many thanks to Peter for setting the course, Jack for manning the canteen with Dave and Bernie starting and finishing us (with a little help from Jack).
Brad Gibson                62      Britpop!           20pts   5 wins
Darren Ballington    98      Britpop!           22pts  4 wins
Martin Roberts          22       Vanilla             30pts
Graham Elliott           09      Britpop!           31pts   3 wins
Bill Culshaw                21       Britpop!           51pts   3 x 3rds
John Brierley              84      Britpop!           51pts   1 x 3rds
Andrea Roberts         27       Britpop!          54pts
Peter Baldwin            63       Lintel mmx   66pts
Graham Birkett       133       Widget             79pts
Paul Stubbs                 91       Widget             87pts
Charles Legg               25      Kantun2          98pts

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.

IOM Winter Series 2021 #5 (5/3/22)

An excellent afternoons sailing at Birkenhead for the fifth IOM Winter series.  The wind, out of the north, made conditions at the windward mark interesting but the wind over the rest of the lake was predominantly down the centre of the lake.

Charles launched his new bright yellow K2 today, which showed it will be a quick boat. John and Martin were to fight it out at the front and with the rest of the fleet having their moments at the sharp end, the racing was extremely close.

After the tea break Graham, after bringing the wrong keel for his Widget last week, brought two this week and found the black Widget is very quick, giving him a win in  two races.  In addition, Bill, Alan and Neil were always in the mix giving a really competitive afternoon’s sailing.

Once again, thanks to Bernie and Dave for running the racing and Jack supplying the hot drinks.

  1. John Brierley        84   Britpop  16pts  4 wins
  2. Martin Roberts    22   Vanilla   17pts  5 wins
  3. Bill Culshaw          21   Britpop  33pts
  4. Alan Watkinson   23  Britpop  36pts  1win
  5. Graham Birkett  133  Widget   39pts  2wins
  6. Neil Westbrook    03  Widget   46pts
  7. Charles Legg         25   K2            69pts

Overall Series positions are available on the Current standings page, with one event left in the series on 26th March.

IOM Winter Series 2021 #4 (19/2/22)

Well you could not have written the script for the 4th IOM Winter race at Birkenhead today. With the stormy weather still about (but much less wind), six hardy competitors arrived in pouring rain with a steady top suit wind from the clubhouse end.

The club marks were relaid after the extreme weather and all was well. Now the problems started. One no show and Charles Legg’s boat did not arrive, so five left. Graham Birkett then found he had left the right keel at home. A few humorous comments – then there were four. Peter Baldwin’s winch packed up (well actually never  even started)  leaving only three to race.

Now to the racing. The wind for two races stayed from the clubhouse end but then went through 180 degrees during one race, the sun came out and we finished the ten races with the wind steady from the west. Alan Watkinson and Neil Westbrook had a good competitive afternoon with Neil sacrificing a few places trying to recover an “object” in the lake. Once again thanks to Bernie and Dave Williams on the line and Jack for supplying warm drinks and encouragement. The spirit of Radio Sailing certainly once again shone through today at Birkenhead.

  1. John Brierley        84     Britpop     8 pts 8 wins
  2. Alan Watkinson  23      Britpop   17 pts 1 win
  3. Neil Westbrook   03      Widget   18 pts  1win

After 10 races