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DF/RG65 Summer Series 2024 #1 – 13/4/24

8 skippers all sailing RG65’s turned up for a 1pm start, we all sailed the first race in swing A rigs but with some really vicious gusts appearing everyone decided to go down a rig for race 2. The direction the wind was coming from was from all points of the compass or as we like to say at Birkenhead, Tescos, clubhouse, factories and houses winds.
We sailed another 4 races until calling a tea break in the hope the wind direction would settle, it didnt.
Another 2 races after tea and we were all sent back to the clubhouse to change down yet again.
The racing was close in most races and resembled a piece of elastic as the leaders fell into holes allowing the chasing pack to catch up.
Graham sailing his Electronica had the lions share of the wins (7) with John sailing his Ivy winning the other 3, Bill who normally challenges for the lead was unfortunately not getting used to his new radio gear and had a bit of a miserable day for his standards, Alan suffered in the final 5 races with rig size but George sailing an Uno really turned it round in the final 5 races with a 6,4,2,2,5 finish, well done George in very trying conditions, George is only 9years old by the way.
  1. Graham Elliott       ELECTRONICA   9POINTS
  2. John Brierley           IVY                         15
  3. Alan Bennet             IVY                         20
  4. Bill Culshaw             IVY                         37
  5. Alan Watkinson      UNO                      38
  6. George Bennet        UNO                       43
  7. Dave Williams         UNO                       50
  8. Charles Legg            UNO                       55

DF/RG65 Winter Series 2023 #4 – 27/1/24

There were 6 RG65 sailors today for Round 4 of the Winter Series, with a few regulars missing for a variety of reasons.  The breeze was forecast to be an 8-10mph Southerly which would have been an unpleasant and shifty wind over the top of the houses.  However, we were fortunate to have something that was more like ESE or SE, although lighter at around 3 to 6 mph with occasional 8mph gusts and so mostly down the lake from the clubhouse.

We got away a little late after Peter had moved quite a few marks around to produce a reasonable course in the conditions and with young George Bennett acting as our Race Officer.  The first race looked to be safe for Alan Bennett, until Alan Watkinson picked up a good lifting shift around the left hand final gate mark and powered across the line ahead of Alan.  Alanbennett got his revenge by winning the next 4 races before the break, giving him a commanding lead at the halfway stage, ahead of Bill Culshaw who had picked up a number of seconds.

In the second half, Bill had three wins and Alan picked up another two, with John Brierley and Peter Baldwin also taking the occasional second from the two front runners.  After 10 races, Alan was a clear winner on 10 points, five ahead of Bill, with John Brierley picking up third place.

Our thanks must go to George for acting as RO and scorer (with a bit of help from Dave Williams).

  1. Alan Bennett          Ivy  10pts  (6 x first)
  2. Bill Culshaw           Ivy  15pts  (3 x first)
  3. John Brierley        Uno  23pts
  4. Peter Baldwin       Uno  26pts
  5. Alan Watkinson   Uno  36pts  (1 x first)
  6. Dave Williams      Uno  39pts

RG65 Winter Series 2023 #2 – 9/12/23

Well, we had a little rain today and plenty of wind but unfortunately it was blowing from over the houses and veering towards the top corner. The sail choice was in some cases, ‘this is all I have so it will have to do’. The majority using low A, and some using B which appeared to be the wrong choice.

The course was set starting from the Clubhouse end, to the windward mark with a port rounding at the very top of the lake, to a spreader then down to the outer start buoy mark with again a port rounding.  The timing of gusts on the start line caused many call backs spotted with the eagle eye of our assistant race officer George (Alan Bennett’s son).

Racing to the first mark was very close throughout the fleet but it was to the spreader that Alan B and John B were able to pull away. The downwind leg was disastrous for many with clear rudders showing in the nosedives. After four races with the wind picking up a break was called, for dinner and a change of rigs. Unfortunately Charles and Martin had suffered damaged and were not able to continue.

With the wind picking up and white horses on the lake, C rig was used by most boats which certainly made the downwind leg more manageable. With the wind increasing in strength even further, it was decided after the ninth race to finish the day before any more failures could occur.

Our thanks to Clive and George for acting as race officials and giving us nine long races.

  1. Alan Bennett       Ivy                          9pts 5wins
  2. John Brierley       Uno                      13pts 3wins
  3. Bill Culshaw         Ivy                       21pts 1win
  4. Alan Watkinson  Uno                     29pts
  5. John Carlin            Uno                     32pts  1x2nd
  6. Dave Williams      Uno                     32pts
  7. Martin Roberts    Pocket Rocket 38pts
  8. Charles Legg         Uno                      51pts

DF/RG65 Winter 2023/4 #1 – 4/11/23

Five sailors arrived to take part in the first of the Winter RG65 series, a few of the absentees sailing elsewhere. The day started with rain and did not let up, the light wind was very inconsistent blowing from over the factory, making the course difficult to sail. The start line was very biased until Bill’s boat caught a start line buoy and then having donned the waders, reset the start line to a more favourable position.

Most of the boats had top A, which was the right choice as the boats were controllable during the frequent gusts. John B and Bill were at the front most of the time with all the wins between them, John mastering the conditions taking seven wins from Bill’s three. Alan and John C both managed to take second places with Dave sailing consistently to take third and fourth places.

Ten races completed and it was decided the rain and cold was too much so a halt was called. Thanks to Dave for organising the racing and scoring.

  1. John Brierley         Uno  9pts
  2. Bill Culshaw           Ivy   23pts
  3. Alan Watkinson   Uno  25pts
  4. Dave Williams      Uno  30pts
  5. John Carlin            Uno   31pts

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.