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Category: news

Calendar for Summer 2023 has been posted

The Calendar for Summer 2023 has been posted and new events now exist on Saturdays.  Wednesday sailing will continue as Social racing with no entry requirements.

There is a small change to the programme for 2023 with the introduction of a short series for the DF95 on a limited number of Saturdays.  These are in addition to events for the DF/RG65 and IOM with a small number of events for the VMYG which will also operate as Open Sailing Days where members are encouraged to sail any boat on the lake in the company of others.

You may see the whole planned programme in the Calendar.

RG65 Winter Series 2022/23 #7 (11/3/23)

Cold, Cold and Cold, all with a capital C, probably one of the coldest days racing we have ever had, and all in mid March, the good points were that we had 8 RG’s and a lovely East South East wind of around 10mph gusting to 15mph. It was great to see Vernon who had made the journey up North to try his new boat out before the TT series starts in April, still some work to do on her but I am sure he will get it there soon.
All 8 opted for their B rigs, full area but lower aspect, mostly conventional rigs but 2 with swing rig, after a few races the wind did die a little (with the arrival of the rain) so Martin changed up to his full height rig, the rest of the fleet were either too cold to change up or just lazy. It was Peter Baldwin sailing his newly wrapped Uno that led the fleet home in the first 2 races but the next 5 before tea all went to Graham Elliott sailing his Electronica.
After tea, the wind did pick up again and Peter and Graham shared the wins between them, 2-3. Unfortunately we lost John for the last 4 races as he had an appointment watching the Welsh beat Italy in the rugby.
Great days sailing and well done to all who braved the elements but most of all, Bernie, who started and finished us in all 12 races and coping well with a soggy results sheet.  Photos are courtesy of photographer Dave Williams.
  1. Graham Elliott        electronica         12pts     7 wins
  2. Peter Baldwin         uno                         17pts     4 wins
  3. Martin Roberts      pocket rocket     38pts
  4. John Brierley            uno                       46pts     2 x 2nd 
  5. Alan Watkinson     uno                        46pts
  6. Neil Westbrook      uno                        52pts
  7. Dave Williams         uno                        57pts
  8. Vernon Appleton   Shadow                62pts

DF65 & DF95 Social Racing 2023 (1/3/23)

With the wind coming over the factory from the top end of the lake, Peter donned the waders to move the marks around setting the windward mark near the far wall, a port rounding to the spreader and then down through a gate at the Clubhouse corner of the lake and the usual finish half way up the lake.
A good turnout of fifteen sailors including new members Dave and Steve from Southport decided the rig to use was A+. Racing was to be with each competitor dropping out of a race to act as race officer. Peter took the first race with John and Andrew close behind. Many of the sailors had trouble judging the windward mark with many appointments being made at Specsavers after racing. Peter dropped out of two races to assist on the start line and finish line.  Five other skippers skippers managed to be first over the finish line but nobody managed to get the better of  Peter, who had the highest number of wins today.
Eleven races were held before lunch was called.

1st   Peter Baldwin        12.6 pts 4wins
2nd James Douglas      25.8 pts 2 wins
3rd  Andrew Potter       30 pts 2 wins
4th  Alan Watkinson    32.6 pts 1 win
5th  Neil Westbrook      37.1 pts. 1 win
6th  John Carlin              38.2 pts. 2 x 2nds
7th  Clive Warren           38.2 pts
8th  Don MacKinnon    45 pts 1 win
9th  Simon Bates            70.8 pts
10th Frans King              76.4 pts
11th Dave Williams        78.3 pts
12th Malcolm Harvey    86 pts
13th Dave Jessop            100.1 pts
14th Steve Jessop           101.2 pts
15th Stan Metcalf          108 pts

There was then a short set of races as a DF95 tune up race for the TT this weekend at Southport.

The same course was used but with two laps. Alan unfortunately had battery problems and was unable to compete with his 95, but took over Dave’s boat.
John took the first race but Peter then managed the next four, with Neil having a good sail taking two seconds and two thirds.

1st   Peter Baldwin               4 pts 4 wins
2nd John Brierley                 7 pts 1 win
3rd  Neil Westbrook           12 pts
4th  John Carlin                    16 pts
5th  Clive Warren                  17 pts
6th  Williams/Watkinson  19pts

Many thanks to Dave for working out the scores, which had to include averaging for most of the fleet with 2 sailors who didn’t do a duty.

IOM Winter 2022/3 #6 (25/2/23)

The wind for today’s race came from a very unusual direction for the lake, a Northerly that moved more towards the North East as the afternoon went on.
A decent fleet of 8 skippers that included , TS2, Fractel, Widget and BritPOP! designs, all skippers sailed in the A rig. The course was adjusted by Peter Baldwin, thanks Peter, and it proved to be a really decent course given the wind direction.
It was all about sniffing out the very few and very short Port shifts for the first 7 races before the break, after the break the wind swung around a touch more towards the East that gave more of reaching first leg and it was then about how you handled the gusts.
With 12 races completed, it was Brad Gibson sailing a Craig Smith designed TS2 with 3 wins that won the day, other race winners were, Martin Roberts (4), Graham Elliott (2), and Bill Culshaw, Peter Baldwin and Alan Watkinson all with one win each.
Many thanks to Bernie for running the show yet again.
1st      Brad Gibson                 TS2                 23pts      3 wins
2nd     Graham Elliott           Fractel          24pts     2wins
3rd      Martin Roberts          Widget          27pts     4wins
4th      Bill Culshaw                Britpop!       30pts      1win
5th     Peter Baldwin              Britpop!       40pts      1win
6th     Andrew Peter               V9                  48pts
7th     Alan Watkinson           Britpop!      64pts     1win
8th     Neil Westbrook            Widget         66pts
after 12 races

DF65 Social Racing 2023 (22/2/23)

A 15-20kt north-westerly breeze blowing straight down the lake encouraged a good turnout of 15 boats to put their A rigs to the test today. By Birkenhead standards the wind was reasonably stable in direction, but with enough bends and shifts to allow the lucky/clever to pick up places or the unlucky to lose them quickly. At the start, the A rig choice appeared a bit optimistic but once racing started the wind moderated slightly and there were only a couple of significant gusts that caused minor mayhem on the downwind legs

The standard course of beat followed by port rounding of the windward and spreader marks, downwind through the gate and back to the finishing line, was used for all races

John C got off to a flyer winning the first 3 races and then fatally fiddled with something for the next 2. He won 2 more races which gave him an overall win on countback despite a bit of inconsistency due to further fiddling

John B showed greater consistency never being out of the top 4 after discards but placed 2nd overall with 3 wins

Mike also showed great consistency to come 3rd with all top 4 finishes after discards, only a point behind the first 2 and with 1 race win

  1. John Carlin            19pts (5 wins)
  2. John Brierley        19pts (3 wins)
  3. Mike St Paer.        20pts ((1 win)
  4. Neil Westbrook   28pts (1 win)
  5. Andrew Peter       35pts
  6. Alan Watkinson   41pts
  7. James Douglas     51pts
  8. Paul Little              59pts
  9. Malcolm Harvey 61pts
  10. Richard Walker   62pts
  11. Dave Williams     75pts
  12. Charles Legg        80pts
  13. Stan Metcalf       101pts
  14. John Beech          111pts

DF/RG65 Winter 2022/3 #6 (18/2/23)

A great wind, straight down the middle from the top of the lake for today’s RG65 club race.
All 6 skippers started in there 3rd rig, reduced area and conventional but after just one race the vicious gusts had disappeared so we all dived back in the club to move up a rig, for most this was a full area rig.
Martin unfortunately had to retire his Pocket Rocket after race 5 due to intermittent radio problems but took the helm of Daves Uno for the remaining races. Alan and Charles both enjoyed good boat speed, coupled with good sailing, this gave them quite a few decent positions throughout the day.
The RG is a great class to sail in these conditions but just one small mistake in the tack or at the start can lose you 10 boat lengths.  In the end it was Graham sailing his Brad Gibson designed Electronica who took the day, winning all 11 races.
Thanks go to Bernie for starting and finishing us and Dave for the few photos.
  1. Graham Elliott         electronica                    9pts     11 wins
  2. Alan Watkinson       Uno                                26pts
  3. Martin Roberts        PocketRocket/Uno  29pts
  4. Charles Legg             Uno                                36pts
  5. Neil Westbrook        Uno                                39pts
  6. Dave Williams           Uno                               44pts