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Category: rg65

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.

RG65 Summer 2023 #7 – 19/8/23

Unfortunately it was more of the same as the last RG65 Saturday racing with the wind predominantly from the SW,  so over the houses, round the houses etc etc.  A strong gusty 2 to 15 knots tested the sailors in choosing the right rig and most opted for a low aspect A conventional, unless you only had swing rigs that is.

Peter setup a course starting from the far side in more breeze and with an easier sighting of the start line to a mark and spreader just past halfway across and back to a gate.  It was mostly a beat or fetch to the first mark, although may start as a broad reach and end up as a beat with no real indication on which tack you would finally take into the mark.

Martin and John shared the wins in the first session of 6 races, until Johns’ winch broke loose from its mount and he had to retire for the day.  This left Martin to take the remaining wins, with Alan, Bill and Peter chasing hard and occasionally in front, but never quite keeping the win from Martin.

So Martin won the day comfortably on only 7 points from the 10 races, with Bill second on countback from Peter in third.  The countback went all the way to their result in the last race, so a very close day for this pair, with Alan almost causing a 3 way tie just one point behind them.

  1. Martin Roberts            133  Pocket Rocket   7pts
  2. Bill Culshaw                    21  Ivy                         25pts
  3. Peter Baldwin                63  Uno                       25pts
  4. Alan Watkinson            23  Uno                        26pts
  5. John Brierley                 84  Uno                        32pts
  6. Dave Williams               33  Uno                        47pts
  7. Charles Legg                 26  Uno                         61pts

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.