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Category: iom

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

IOM Winter Series 2021 #3 (5/2/22)

Everyone was surprised to see so little wind on the water whilst selecting their No1 rigs after a forecast of winds in the high teens and gusts in the 30’s.  Helped by a WSW breeze giving some shelter from the houses and a spell of rain allowed everyone to stay in No1 rig for all 12 races.  There were some difficult times during the afternoon if you caught the gust in the wrong place, but the gusts were always short lived and the wind could soon abate leaving you almost becalmed for a short while.  There were 9 club sailors and one visitor in Colin McGinnis all the way from Dundee joining us for the afternoon.
John Brierley won the first race and followed it with a second in Race 2, when Martin Roberts took his first of three consecutive wins.  He looked to have the measure of the conditions before John won Race 5, but with Martin 2nd.  Bill Culshaw then had his first win in Race 6 after a slower start, then John had another win in Race 7 before the break.  After the break, it seems that Jack must have given Bill a little something extra in his tea as he scored three wins and two seconds in the final 5 races, with his run spoilt only by wins for John and Peter Baldwin.
This left Bill with an unassailable lead with that final run of form to take the day, with Martin in second three points behind and John two further points back in third.
Thanks must go to Dave Williams and Bernie for running the racing and of course Jack for making a brew at half time.
Bill Culshaw            21   britpop!           20pts   4wins
Martin Roberts      22   vanilla             23pts   3 wins
John Brierley          84   britpop!           25pts   4 wins
Peter Baldwin        63   Lintel mmx     45pts   1 win
Colin McGinnis      45   Buzz 3c             52pts   1 X 2
John Berry              123   Lintel mmx     52pts
Graham Birkett     133  Widget              54pts
Neil Westbrook       03   Widget             58pts
Alan Watkinson      23   britpop!           63pts
Charles Legg             32   Slimtel           125pts (retired race 5)
After 12 races

IOM Winter Series 2021 #2 (15/1/22)

A bright afternoon with the wind from the clubhouse end, met the six competitors in the second IOM Winter series. Alan Watkinson started of strongly with a win and continued to show he had set a perfect trim.

Martin Roberts then got into his stride with 3 wins with the other competitors close behind in the variable but generally stable wind. Charles Legg was having problems with a borrowed boat leaking badly, his new K2 should solve that problem. Bill Culshaw and John Berry were also in the mix at times, then John Brierley managed two wins to round off the six races sailed before tea break. When the competitors came out for the afternoon session, there was – nothing. The wind had disappeared completely and RO Dave Williams after consulting the sailors called time on the days proceedings. Thanks go to Dave and Bernie along with Jack for running the afternoons racing.

  1. Martin Roberts         Vanilla              7 pts    3 wins
  2. John Brierley             Britpop             9 pts    2 wins
  3. Alan Watkinson        Britpop           12 pts    1 win
  4. Bill Culshaw               Britpop           18 pts
  5. John Berry                  Lintel MMX  23 pts
  6. Charles Legg              A2                     30 pts
After 6 races

IOM Xmas Race 2021

14 skippers gathered for our annual Christmas race for IOM’s on the 18th December, with a start at 10.30 to give skippers an extra 30 minutes in bed for this race.  The wind was perfect, straight down the lake from the clubhouse end, middle of top suit, shifts that could make you look like a fool or a hero, shifts that could take you from a decent top 3 to bottom 3 in a blink of an eye, the way to sail in these conditions is not to paint yourself into a corner.

15 races were completed on the day with race winners being Brad Gibson (BritPOP!) with 7 wins, Peter Baldwin (Lintel MMX) with 3 wins, Martin Roberts (Vanilla) with 2 wins and a single race win for Darin Ballington, Bill Culshaw and the hungover Paul Allen.

As normal there was no entry fee for the race but a Secret Santa (wrapped gift but no bottles) but before the gifts were handed out we had a bigger presentation, John Brierley our commodore presented Derek Priestley with the Acersail “Top Club” shield that had been residing at Birkenhead for quite a few years, as Fleetwood had pipped Birkenhead for the trophy in the 2021 season.

Many thanks to all competitors for supporting this serious but fun light hearted race and to John Brierley who gave up his sail to run the race with Bernie and Dave Williams and last but by no means least, Jack who opted to stay in the clubhouse and supply everyone with hot drinks.

Have a great Christmas and all the best for the new year.

Stay Safe

Graham Elliott All photos by Dave Williams