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Day 1 - Monday - variable SW Force 2/3 Club Buoys

 

Race 1 - A reaching start with the tide and wind shifts of 30 degrees off the land made tactics difficult but Harris and Toft hit the start line on time. At the first mark Harris just led Toft and were 200 plus metres clear of Dorks and Higgins . This margin was held throughout the rest of the race with Harris winning the final beat to the line by about 20 meters.

Race 2 - The same conditions prevailed for the afternoon race but with a stronger ebb tide. Just on the start gun a large wind shift caused both Harris and Toft to be carried on the wrong side of the outer line mark allowing Dorks to lead at the first mark before either of the other boats had crossed the line. He maintained this 400 metre lead for the rest of the race. Behind him Ivor and Peter resumed the mornings battle and finally Peter just edged out Ivor on the penultimate beat to achieve second position.

Day 2 Tuesday - variable NW Force 3/4 Committee Boat Start 'P' course

Race 3 - A Port biased line which both Dorks and Harris used to good effect while Toft and Higgins tried the more conventional Starboard start. At the first windward mark Dorks rounded first just ahead of Harris and Toft. The next two reaching legs saw Toft use the tide to good effect achieving the leading position at the start of the 'P' leg. The next windward leg saw Harris take a commanding lead which he held for the rest of the lap. The next windward leg was sailed well by both Dorks and Toft who made up the 100 plus metre deficiency to round the mark ahead of Harris who was swept onto the mark by the strong tide. On the downwind legs Dorks and Toft swapped places several times but Dorks edged Toft out on the final beat with Harris third and Higgins fourth.

Race 4 - Dorks, Harris and Toft made a good timely Port start while Higgins persisted with the Starboard end. At the windward mark Harris led Dorks and Toft by about 100 metres using the windshifts to good effect. He held this position for the remainder of the lap but found a hole in the wind just after the beginning of the next windward leg. This allowed both Dorks and Toft close up the 100 plus metre deficiency and round the mark ahead of Harris who was swept onto the mark by the strong tide. The downwind legs were again strongly contested by Dorks and Toft changing the lead position several times. The next beat saw the two leading boats take diverse courses to try and obtain an advantage but at the windward mark Dorks lead Toft by about one boat length. This situation was maintained to the final mark but a wind shift on the final beat allowed Toft to tack and gain an advantage in laying the line. Dorks failed to cover this tactic and ended up beating across the tide on the finishing line and hit the outer mark while Toft gained line honors. Dorks rerounded the mark to finished second just ahead of Harris and Higgins.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 3 - Wednesday Westerly Force 6/7. The Unicorns enjoy a rest day and the renowned B B Q at lunch time. Afternoon racing was canceled with winds up to 30 mph.

Day 4 - Thursday SW 3/4 Club Marks

Race 5 - All four boats were starting in shore with a making tide and a high risk of being over the line, which ultimately was the penalty paid by Higgins. Toft lead at the first mark closely followed by Harris and Dorks. The fleet split with Toft and Harris choosing to cross the tide early to the far bank and then run / reach against the slacker water, while Dorks and Higgins kept to the near bank before crossing the tide. This proved to be the better option with Dorks just beating Toft to the next mark followed by Harris and Higgins. On the next reaching leg against the tide Higgins showed exceptional boat speed overtaking both Harris and Dorks but he could not gain an advantage over Toft who rounded the mark first. The next beat / fetch due to windshifts and velocity changes was sailed well by Toft who pulled out a 100 metre lead by the windward mark. Toft held this advantage for the downwind legs. A windshift on the next windward leg forced the leading boats to put in extra tacks but Higgins found his own wind and sailed directly to the mark passing both Harris and Dorks finishing just 50 metres behind Toft at the windward mark. The downwind legs saw the fleet split again with Toft taking the near bank followed by Higgins while Harris and Dorks tried the far bank. Toft lead Higgins by a few metres only at the next mark but both were 200 metres in front of the others. Toft sailed away from Higgins on the next reach and the final beat to win by a clear margin with Higgins second, Harris third and Dorks fourth.

Race 6 - A thunder storm broke at the end of the mornings racing While the competitors were taking lunch in the marquee on the lawn a direct lightening strike hit the tent supporting poles passing through one woman leaning against a pole, throwing her and several children to the ground. The woman was taken to hospital for treatment to burns and shock but the children involved required comforting and other competitors in the tent including the Unicorners suffered ringing in the ears due to the force and noise. Inspection of the 30 foot tent poles showed one to have split from top to bottom with wood splinters up to a foot in length scattered over the tent floor and embedded in the canvas roof. Afternoon racing was canceled.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 5 - Friday NW 3/4 Overcast Club Buoy's.

At this point Toft led the series by one point from Dorks.

Race 7 - A good windward start by all boats with Harris reaching the first mark just ahead of Dorks , Toft & Higgins. Harris tacked immediately across the river while the other boats held their course against the strong ebbing tide to lay the next mark in one tack. During this tack Toft capsized when his main sheet became entangled with the footstraps on the wrong side of the boat!!! Dorks tactics paid off reaching the next mark ahead of Harris. At the end of the downwind leg Dorks still lead the fleet but both Harris and Higgins decided to round the mark in the wrong direction. This left Dorks with a substantial lead which he held to the line followed by Harris second and Higgins third.

Race 8 - Toft made a good windward start close to the outer mark a lead which he held to the first mark followed by Dorks, Harris & Higgins. With the wind force reducing and more variable in direction the off wind legs allowed the whole fleet to close and position changes at the front were frequent. The next windward leg Toft just led Dorks but split tacks in very light airs and strong tide favored the Dorks who just beat Toft to the next mark. A close battle for the leading position followed for the next four marks but Dorks finally took the gun less than one boat length ahead from Toft. Harris was third and Higgins fourth some distance behind.

Race 9 - In very light winds the fleet made a good start but at the windward mark Toft led the field followed by Higgins, Harris & Dorks. During the downwind legs the field again closed and position changes occurred frequently but Higgins and Toft eventually managed to draw clear of the fleet. Higgins led for the next five marks with Toft close behind while Harris was about 100 metres adrift and Dorks became becalmed somewhere on the South shore !! On the final windward legs Toft first and Harris second managed to edge past Higgins third while Dorks retired.

Final Positions :- with 8 races sailed therefore 6 to count

1^st Bob Dorks - 9 points ( includes 4 firsts )

2^nd Peter Toft - 9 points ( includes 3 firsts )

3^rd Ivor Harris - 14 points

4^th Bob Higgins - 20 points

A very closely contested series decided on highest placing. This was supplemented by a full Social programme including live groups, discos and games evening. The final prize giving dinner completed a very successful and enjoyable week. All are welcome next year.

Peter Toft 1074