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Category: news

DragonForce Winter Series #10 11/3/20

With the breeze coming from the SW or WSW, the course was once again setup to sail from the North bank.  All 13 sailors opted to use the A rig as the breeze varied anywhere between 2 and 15 knots, together with big shifts as it came over the houses.

There was a fair bit of equipment failure today, both electronic and boat rigging causing races to be missed.  Alan never got started unfortunately and John B only managed two races before his transmitter stopped working.

Wins were shared around again with Peter and David Potter taking four each, Andrew two (one a tie with Peter) and Mike one.  As is usually the case, consistency in each race was the key to overall success and so Peter took the day, with David second and Andrew third.  Thanks once again to Ernie for running the racing and keeping everyone in order.

  1. Peter Baldwin                    63     13 pts
  2. David Potter                      946   19pts
  3. Andrew Peter                    919    21pts
  4. Richard Robinson             01    30pts
  5. Neil Westbrook                  03    31pts
  6. Mike St Paer                        35     43pts
  7. Dave Williams                  233    60pts
  8. John Carlin                           11     62pts
  9. Richard Walker                  39    65pts
  10. Tony Marsden                 947    69pts
  11. Charles Legg                       21     70pts
  12. Chris Weston                    194    73pts
  13. John Brierley                       84    91pts

10 races sailed

RG65 Rounds 1 and 2

This weekend (14/15th March) sees the return of the RG65 fleet for a double header of two one day Traveller events on Saturday and Sunday.  Entry officially closes on Thursday and so far 19 have entered sailing 8 different designs.  Will there be 20 or more entries by the weekend?  Entry is via the MYA here and further details available on the Event page.

The view will be a little different this year compared with the photo above from last years event after the trees were removed at the beginning of the year.  We look forward to giving everyone a warm welcome and some great racing.

IOM Winter 2019 #7 7/3/20

The seventh Winter IOM race saw 11 boats commence battle in todays racing. The wind was a fickle and gusty South-Westerly blowing over the houses, with frequent and large shifts anywhere from the West to the South throughout the day. The interest of the very shifty conditions was occasionally complicated with strong and localised gusts that might flatten boats sailing a few metres away from others completely unaffected.
The course was set with 2 close reaches/diagonal beats and 2 runs on each lap, making best use of the lake and 11 races were completed. The racing was challenging with many people in mid fleet gaining or losing multiple places from wind shifts, while the top skippers were starting and sailing consistently well. Graham Elliot dominated the day with 7 wins, followed by Bill Culshaw in 2nd, and John Brierley taking 3rd and a notable 4th from John Berry who also won a race.

Many thanks to Bernie and Jack for officiating, and Dave Williams for calling the start.

Here’s hoping the final winter series race on the 21 st , will have some warm sunshine and a decent wind blowing along the length of the lake, as that would make a nice change.

  1. Graham Elliott          27              12pts   7 wins
  2. Bill Culshaw               21               33pts    1 win
  3. John Brierley              84             33pts
  4. John Berry                   112            40pts    1 win
  5. Neil Westbrook           03           41pts
  6. Peter Baldwin              63           50pts    2 wins
  7. Lawrence Drennen    57           50pts
  8. Howard Garner           67           53pts
  9. Dave Burke                   30           55pts
  10. Charles Legg                25           75pts
  11. Ken Jones                      71            82pts      

After 11 races

DragonForce Winter Series #9 4/3/20

With a gentle breeze from the ESE/SE Neil opted to set a long course on the Northern side of the lake where there was a better breeze. With Ernie in charge as RO again, racing got underway promptly at 11:00 with 12 skippers all in A+ rigs.  Three different skippers took the first three races, with John B, followed by Peter and then Alan.  New to the DF65 David P joined us in Race 4 and promptly won four of the next six races, with only Peter and Alan managing to take the other two wins from him.  He then had to leave  before the last race and this left the way clear for Alan to take the last win in the 2 lap final race.  We also saw another new skipper (Tony Marsden from West Kirby) join us for a few races today.

After ten races, first place came down to breaking a tie based upon first places which Alan took with 3 wins to Peters 2, with John B in third.  Thanks to Ernie for acting as RO and scoring every race.

  1. Alan Watkinson           373         18pts  3 wins
  2. Peter Baldwin                  63        18pts  2 wins
  3. John Brierley                    84       24pts
  4. Richard Robinson          01        36pts
  5. Neil Westbrook               03        38pts
  6. David Potter                  946        46pts
  7. Mike St Paer                     35        48pts
  8. Sally Collings                 829       56pts  1x2nd
  9. Andrew Peter                 919        56pts  0x2nd
  10. John Carlin                        11         60pts
  11. Dave Williams                233       67pts
  12. Charles Legg                      21       86pts
  13. Don MacKinnon              933     89pts
  14. Tony Marsden                  947    103pts

DragonForce Winter Series #8 26/2/20

This week there was a good 10 to 15 knots with estimated 20 knot gusts passing through occasionally and 13 boats taking to the water.  The rig of choice was “B” this week which proved to be the best for the conditions, coping well for the average wind and on the point of being overpowered in the gusts both upwind and down.  Unfortunately one newcomer to the fleet didn’t have a  rig smaller than A and so had to sit out the morning vowing to get some additional rigs for the future.

John showed his capability in coping with the conditions rarely succumbing to the gusts downwind and having a boat setup that also made good speed upwind.  He took the lions share of 7 wins today, with only Peter (two) and Dave Williams (one) stopping him making a clean sweep.  John ended up a clear winner overall, with Peter in second.  They were both well ahead on points of Alan (third), Neil (fourth) and Richard Robinson (fifth) in a tight bunch with only five points separating them.  Once again we have to thank Ernie for running the racing in what was a cool westerly breeze.

  1. John Brierley             84     9pts
  2. Peter Baldwin            63    15pts
  3. Alan Watkinson      373    34pts
  4. Neil Westbrook          03   35pts
  5. Richard Robinson     01    39pts
  6. Richard Walker          39    51pts
  7. Dave Williams          233    52pts
  8. Andrew Peter               19    56pts
  9. Sally Collings            129    60pts
  10. John Carlin                   11     63pts
  11. Mike St Paer                35     65pts
  12. Chris Weston             194    85pts
  13. Don MacKinnon         33    86pts

10 races sailed

IOM Winter 2019 #6 22/2/20

Twelve boats arrived for the 6th IOM Winter Race with the chosen rig being B today.  The wind at times was very strong at times but the competitors still enjoyed twelve races.
Wins were shared among the fleet,  but Martin Roberts’ three wins in only five completed races was outstanding and Bill Culshaws late charge, after winning the opening race, of two more wins at the end moved him into third place.
At the pointy end of the fleet it was the “two heavy weights” of Graham Elliott and Brad Gibson, who fought for the overall win with Graham securing the top spot.
The biggest smile today came from Alan Watkinson who gained a well fought win in race 7 and a 2nd in race 8.
The conditions did take its toll with Damian Ackroyd breaking his B rig jib boom and sailing in C rig for the rest of the day and Dave Burke suffering breakage that forced an early retirement.

Big thanks goes to our race team of Bernie and Jack, assisted today by the eagle eye of Dave Williams not letting any sailors jump the start line.

  1. Graham Elliott              27              23pts     2 wins
  2. Brad Gibson                     2               25pts     2 wins
  3. Bill Culshaw                    21              32pts     3 wins
  4. John Brierley                  84              37pts     1 win
  5. Alan Watkinson            23               45pts     1 win
  6. Lawrence Drennan      57               70pts
  7. Dave Burke                      30               72pts
  8. Andrew Peter                 66               73pts
  9. Damian Ackroyd          101              75pts
  10. Martin Roberts              55              78pts    3wins
  11. Chris Chatfield                 7               85pts
  12. Neil  Westbrook             03             127pts

After 12 races