Training-partner-Claire muses on a weekends racing

I was away at the weekend, so Claire has given a report from the local racing scene.  Kudos to Claire for sailing a 2.5 hour race in winds up to 32 knots and keeping the boat upright!

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Saturday saw the first down harbour and short course races. This, along with a good breeze, meant there were many eager sailors in the dinghy park, diligently taping their course cards down and generally bimbling around. Our happy sailing mood plummeted when we got to the start line and found the race officer had opted for an S (for secret or surprise) course for the down harbour race. In common with many of the other prospective starters I was pleased with my organisation in actually remembering the course cards and hadn’t got as far as bringing a pen. And with my memory not being what it was I managed to memorise the first 3 marks and that was it. Still, I thought, good incentive to keep up with the faster boats so I have someone to follow. Some of the other racers sensibly opted for the short course instead. 

So 13 boats set off down harbour, with a northerly wind blowing 15-23 knots it was a speedy downwind leg to Mill Rythe then some fun reaching across to Johns Folly and back, then upwind to Channel. Though I did have in the back of my mind all the time that the upwind all the way back was really going to hurt...Having no idea where I was going and having lost sight of the 29er, 400s and Finn,   I was pleased when I saw John and Simon in their Stratos, and the Lasers of Max and Lester ahead go to Channel, assuming we were then heading for home. But no, there was another lap to Johns Folly to go – more fun reaching though so no complaints. I was just starting the loooong upwind home when an ominously dark cloud appeared overhead and it became proper windy (32 knots when we looked later). John and Simon had their ‘maiden capsize’ but managed to right the boat in about a millisecond thanks to super speedy reactions! It was pretty wavy, my laser was being a bit battered around, and Emsworth looked an awfully long way away, but the wind calmed down a bit after a while – still  I have never been so pleased to see our ‘home buoys’ of Tye/Shepherd etc. So my race took 2hrs 40 mins – definitely needed a long afternoon nap after that one. Big thanks to the patrol boats who kept an eye on us and a good win for the 29er ladies who got home 50 minutes before me.

The more sensible racers who had chosen the short course also enjoyed gusty close racing around the more local buoys. Great to see 9 Slipper boats out for this race all racking up points for the short course series which is sure to be hotly contested. 

Sunday saw a pleasant force 4ish breeze and a 3 race series hosted by race officer supremo James Mant and a crack team. They set a nice long start line for the 25 starters and a triangle/sausage course. There was close competition particularly in the RS200s – just 20 seconds separated these 3 in Race 2, and in the Laser fleet with 13 Lasers out. The race team, with judicious use of the shorten course flag managed to get 3 good races in, and they only needed to use the black flag once. A great result for Paul and Caroline Fisk in their RS200 who were third overall and first Slipper boat. 

So a really fantastic weekends racing – many thanks to all the race officers, and patrol boat people who made it possible. Next races are the Pine Out of Harbour Race on the 11^th May – this normally requires pre-registration – more details nearer the time – and Marsh 3 on the 12^th May.

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