Race Report: Wacky Races Summer 1: Race 2 (5/6/19)
Race 2 of the wacky races was an interesting affair with 4 boats competing on a fairly still evening. OOD Andy McRoberts selected the shortest possible course and although Seascape and Hunters Moon found a zephyr of wind to get off the line towards Lappock the slightly later starting boats struggled to cross the lines despite flying their spinnakers due to the mid flow ebb tide. (At one point due to the ebbing tide Green kestrel re-crossed the start line with kite still flying going astern!)
All persevered for around an hour but ultimately time was against completing the course in the 2 hour 10 minute time limit so the sensible decision to retire was made by all to allow some dry socialising ashore.
Race Report: Wacky Races Summer 1: Race 3 (12/6/19)
A lively forecast of 14-18 knots with gusts of up to 28 knots was hotly discussed in anticipation of racing on Wednesday night. Four boats competed with Connor McGaughey being responsible for OOD, ability assisted by Jim Hood. Given the forecast from a NE direct it was decided to keep the course inshore so start Lappock, Irvine Buoy and home all to port was the challenge.
Seascape jumped the line by 20 seconds so had a running start on the remainder of the fleet which started at 19:20 together. Stuart Powrie sporting his new sails for the season got the jump on the Penn Player and Storm of these starters although sailing solo Iain Gairns on Storm had an argument with his furler pre start making his job all the more challenging!
Storm made it to Lappock and subsequently Beecham’s Bouy first but unfortunately for reasons only known to Iain misread the course and headed to the finish line from here forfeiting his finish. A competitive beat with multiple lead changes occurred between Green Kestrel and Penn Player.
Picture one: Penn Player to port and beneath Green Kestrel …
Picture 2: Now above to windward. There were allegations that Andy was leaning in to run his engine off at this point but these turned out to be unfounded!
After a beam reach from Lappock to Irvine Buoy Green Kestrel showed no lack of downwind speed and finesse to hold her kite on an increasingly tight reach to the finish to clinch first by just over a minute from Penn Player on corrected time.
Unfortunately Seascape & crew found a hole in the wind around the size of a small continent and were stranded at Irvine Buoy for a considerable time. None the less due to Storm’s mistake they still earned a respectable 3rd for the evenings work.
Next race: Wednesday 19th June 2019. OOD Bill Anderson.
Meet clubhouse 18:15 for course, update on any predicted harbour traffic and forecast/ tide.
