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Category: news

DF65 Social Racing #15 (13/4/22)

Sunshine and 5-10Kt north-west wind greeted the 10 competitors for today’s DF65 racing.  A+ rigs were order of the day with only the occasional gust causing problems on the downwind legs. With the wind blowing straight down the lake, it enabled the full length of the lake to be used with all races going through a gate for the windward marks followed by a run and through a leeward gate then to the finish. For the last 5 races the course was changed slightly to provide a better beat to the finish with the leeward gate being switched for a starboard handed mark.

With the clock ticking for the first start, one (to remain nameless!) competitor decided his transmitter needed a quick wash and dropped it in the lake effectively ending his day before it had even started

Mike looked unbeatable winning the first 3 races and following it up with another 2,1,2. Not content with beating everybody by sailing quickly, he then tried starting over the line, and crashing into various other boats in the subsequent races which put him back down the fleet, but not by enough to stop him winning the day.

John sailed consistently to win a couple of races and a multitude of seconds and thirds to come second overall while Dave managed to get his act in gear after a ropey first 3 races to sail consistently enough to beat a more inconsistent James by a single point for 3rd place.  Thanks to Andrew Potter for being Race Officer today.

Saturday is a combined RG65 and DF65 racing afternoon with a start time of 13:00.

  1. Mike de St Paer   14 pts (4 wins)
  2. John Carlin            17 pts (2 wins)
  3. Dave Williams     21 pts (2 wins)
  4. James Douglas    22 pts (2 wins)
  5. Richard Walker   30 pts
  6. Martin James       37 pts
  7. John Beech            54 pts
  8. Paul Whalley        61 pts
  9. Malcolm Harvey 65 pts
  10. Mister Mystery    RTD ……… to the clubhouse to dry out!

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

DF65 Social Racing 2022 #14 (5/4/22)

A very light and shifty breeze started the day, coming mostly from ‘over the houses’, which as we all know makes for difficult conditions for racing. After a difference of opinion over which rigs to sail in Race 1, we all changed up to A Plus sails for the rest of the day. The breeze decided to fill in from the West for the last scored race, making sailing downwind a challenge, and only seven races were scored and counted. We did finish the day with a 2 lap un-scored race, but a mixture of poor wind conditions and equipment failures meant we only managed 7 races to count.

Thanks to Paul Whalley for Race officer duties today, and to Graham Reeves for the loan of a new Race Starter timer, as the old one seems to have disappeared for good.

  1. Mike de St Paer       35  11 pts
  2. James Douglas        73  13 pts
  3. Andrew Peter        919  28 pts
  4. Dave Williams      233  29 pts
  5. Richard Walker      39  32 pts
  6. Charles Legg            21  36 pts
  7. John Carlin                11  37 pts
  8. Andrew Potter      194  39 pts  (1 x 2nd)
  9. Malcolm Harvey 1019  39 pts
  10. Alan Watkinson    373  48 pts
  11. Paul Little                  45   51 pts
  12. John Beech                80   66 pts

DF65 Social Racing 2022 #13

Whoever said ‘in like a lion, out like a lamb’ didn’t have today’s weather in mind, as the end of March brought bitter cold, occasional sleet and a fickle breeze that tested the fleet to its limit.  A course was set along the pond, with the start at the western end, a port-hand windward mark and separator at the east, a gate at the far western end for the downwind leg and a beat up to the finish at middle of the course.  At least that was the plan, but the wind didn’t always cooperate, turning the start into a reach on port at some moments and heading and lifting sailors unpredictably at the windward end. Just to make life really difficult, it looked as if the finish could be fetched on a single tack until many boats got headed just before the line. Despite the vagaries of the wind, competition was close, as the results after 8 races show.

  1. John Carlin                 11       8 pts
  2. Paul Little                  45     11 pts
  3. Paul Hounslow         82    13 pts
  4. Stan Metcalfe          146   19 pts
  5. Malcolm Harvey   1019  28 pts
  6. John Beech                  80  34 pts

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.

DF65 Social Racing #12 (23/3/22)

A beautiful spring morning, with brilliant sunshine and a light southerly breeze greeted 14 sailors for race 12 of the DF65 Social racing series. A plus rigs were chosen, and as the designated race officer Dave Williams had unfortunately taken to his bed with Covid, Paul Little stepped up and did a grand job of running 10 races, with a two lap race to finish the day, despite having no starter clock.

Another very enjoyable Wednesday’s racing, with very good competition and close results across the fleet.

  1. Mike de St Paer          35  18 pts – 3 wins
  2. Neil Westbrook          03 24 pts – 2 wins
  3. Richard Robinson   901  24 pts – 1 win
  4. Andrew Peter            919  30 pts – 2 wins
  5. Simon Bates                69  33 pts – 1 win
  6. Andrew Potter          194 39 pts – 1 win
  7. John Carlin                   11  40 pts
  8. Martin James            813  50 pts
  9. John Beech                  80  66 pts
  10. Charles Legg               21  68 pts
  11. Malcolm Harvey    1019 72 pts
  12. Stan Metcalf                46 79 pts
  13. Paul Whalley               53  98 pts

Our best wishes to Dave Williams for a speedy recovery, and if anyone has the DF race starter clock hidden away, please return it to the normal locker in the clubhouse.