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Update December 17th
After 2 weeks of gales the winds finally dropped with the arrival of high pressure and a v cold F4 wind from the NE for the last of the Autumn Series
Saturday was dull and only two ventured out. Zyg got in a muddle at the start so it was left for Tony to sail around to solitary victory
Sunday and the sun shone but the same cold NE F4 persuaded only 5 wooly bears to venture out. Tony was enrobed in his two wet suits and other people were entirely unrecognisable! Tony arrived at the first mark 1st in front of Nick who then passed Tony on the next reach. Chris Powles came up to 2nd place but fell in on the gybe so ended up last. Tony reached past Nick again in the final stages and George was 3rd and Barry 4th
Overall results - Saturday it was Tony, Barry and then Ted, who is loitering around the Caribbean and Sunday, Nick was 1st, followed by Tony and Chris Powles
Update November 25th
Saturday was a bit cold with a wind of 20 -25 knots from the WSW and no sun. Only 6 Solos ventured out and only three finished, Zyg ,Cliff and David Colebrook deciding, after launching, that it was not a day for them. Barry and Tony had a good battle with Barry getting past Tony when the latter overstood the first mark - not allowing for the frantic ebb - and Tony regaining the lead on the run. Tony did the same thing on the next beat so Barry won and Ted gallantly bought up the rearguard.
Sunday and the wind had dropped to about 15 knots and veered to the NW, and the sun was out! This encouraged 11 starters amongst whom was yet another new arrival - David MacGregor - winner of FED week in a borrowed boat - now in his own new Boon boat - 4832. Apparently he is a bit disappointed as there are already 5 later boats than his on the water already. He was first over the finishing line but there are some worries about the starting procedure as the line seemed to be set at about 45’ to the wind and rather a lot of boats all wanted to start at the CB end before the gun went. Nick started half a boat length behind George; thought he was over so went back. He then finished half a boat length behind George! We shall have to wait for published results for this one
Meanwhile the Yachts and Yachting Trophy has had its new plates and engraving done and has been handed over to Nick as winner of the Saturday Points. It does look a little bit like a wedding cake. Picture published shortly on appropriate page
Update November 17th
Thursday afternoon and an idyllic meander up to Bosham. Unfortunately, the sea became mirror like on the way back and Frank, who seems to keep an eye out for us, came out and towed two back. Valerie C has been delegated to make the fruit cake this time.
Saturday and at 10 am the wind slammed in from nothing to 25 knots. It dropped to a reasonable level for the start of the race and 6 Solos went out with a bit of fun planing up the Mengham channel to warm up before the race. Then the course was from the Club line Start and out to Treloar where the water was horrible and the wind decided to gust to 30 knots for the gybe! Tony, in the lead, fell in, David Sayce screamed off towards the Bracklesham breakers waiting for a lull. Barry, next, thought better of it and wore round - but rather slowly - as David eventually made it and kept the lead. The remaining three got round but David Colebrook washed his sails at Gardener and came home. He was trying out his new device made of Velcro for keeping the tack attached to the mast - much easier to undo in a hurry when coming ashore! Zyg also called it a day at some stage which left Ted to follow up round the rest of the course via a black buoy near Sandy and round Treloar again.
It was noted that Nick, in his 700, was towed in - it is not known what broke
Sunday and there are no results so presume nothing happened; too much wind and rain!
Update November 11th
Saturday was a bit windy but the water was not too rough as it was wind with tide in the critical bits, i.e. near Dunes. The course was Dunes to Mill Rythe and then Sandy. Barry won and Zyg was fifth with Tony, David M and Ted in the middle. David picked up the wrong bag - again - and had to sail round in his summer shorty which he admitted was a bit cold towards the end of the race!
A small huddle was observed around Melvyn’s boat where Bob Smith and Dave Allen were having a bit of an auction. Bob won and now Melvyn has enough money to complete buying 4444 and Dave has had to rethink and has set his sights on ‘Pretty Fly’. Dave came along and vented a bit of frustration on sorting out the puzzle of the ‘interlocking matting’- it helps to have a feeling for ‘Killer Sudoku. Roy Barnes, although actually trying to track down his bottle of Blue Sapphire, due to Mutoli from the Mini Olympics, also got involved and a lovely ‘Buggy Run’ across the sand covered path behind the winches was laid - with some satisfaction.
The East exit from the north dinghy park is beyond redemption at the moment - we are waiting for all the tenders to be removed and the sand to blow away (!) before anything can be thought out. Fortunately the West exit is fine.
During the week, Zyg arranged for some sand sweepers to come and do a demo; they couldn’t cope - we need something more powerful - and expensive. But is is a start and the Management Committee has been advised that money will need to be spent.
In the evening was the ‘Laying up Supper and Prize Review’, somewhat unsupported, but Tony had the most mentions - 5 - and Barry collected - again - the ‘Cup for the most Active Fleet’ - another of Donald’s gifts to the club
Sunday, and the 30 knots westerly dropped just after the start and veered to the NW as the rain arrived. This left Rob Hack, trying out his Plan B, with not enough sail up. The ten starters were led by Nick followed by Chris Powles, who kept these positions all the way round. There were assorted battles in the rest of the fleet but Tony came home 3rd. The course which was Lowles , Freddie Brooks, Sandy, NW Pilsey, Lowles was not very good due to the wind shift.
Our antique Saturday Points Cup now has a completely new base of mahogany - the old one, apart from having run out of space, was also cracked. John Bovis has done a beautiful job and will be rewarded with a bottle of mandarin napoleon
Update November 4th
Saturday and there were about 10 starters for what promised to be, and was, a drift-about. The NE wind died so only 2 short laps were completed. Tony, fairly early on, went into the lead and stayed there, despite the rest of the fleet behind him getting a small breeze on the last run to the finish. David Moseley turned up minus boots and anorak and other things, which wasn’t a disaster as it was so hot. He did, however, get in a scramble on one tack and nearly fell out.
Sunday and 21 starters turned up for what looked, initially, to be a slightly windier day. This was not to be, as the adverse tide on the start made a nonsense of the 8 knots NEasterly Attempting to get out of the ebb, the fleet went over the Stocker bank, or tried to, but several crews ended up walking - in the right direction?. Chris Powell in his very new 4812 - Winder of course - took an early lead to the first inflatable and then Sandhead and was well away from the rest of the pack as they ran down and rounded Sandy in a bunch. It was then a miserable crawl back to Dunes, via the Stocker bank again, to the finish, after only 1 lap. 8 boats did not bother to try so, sadly, gained another 34 points. David Sayce was 2nd again, with Tony 3rd. The boats floated home on an idyllic millpond!
Bad News - Rob Eastwood, now with a good job with RS, has been obliged to sail an RS200 and is going to have to sell his Solo! He quite likes the 200, but this weekend, he was the only one out.
Update October 28th
Saturday promised a bit of breeze for a change and the wind had warmed and swung to the SW which encouraged 12 starters to the line up near Lowles, with the first mark Sandy. Finishing order was Tony, Barry and Chris Powles who had to fight for this place with Keith who was going very well. Jo Rushin was out for a bit of a blow but fell in just after launching, not having got her mind focused! She was quite pleased, however, to get round as the wind freshened to 20 knots, which is what it is all about.
Sunday and rain and gale put off all but 5. The start was again up by Lowles with the first mark at Dunes and the whole of this area was very rough water. Barry and Tony both put up plan Bs but Tony retired before the start and Barry just did the first beat and called it a day - probably suffering from the effects of the night before at the Prizegiving supper. This left Nick - who was not suffi=ering any ill effects eithr from the party or from his expedition to Draycott - in front followed by David Sayce and Chris Powles. Ex Soloist John Rees in his Merlin heard a nasty bang on the way to the start but did not discover the problem - his mast track was detaching - till part way up the first beat. He was, apparently, quite happy to come home!
New Solo sailor, Brad Kneller has acquired Ivan Gardener’s boat by doing a straight swap with his Laser 2. Ivan needed more space for his family.
Update October 21st
Saturday, and an unprecedented Blaydes double, with the hairy one first. It was a SE wind of about 9 knots and quite nice till the sun went in. Chris Powles, in the box, set a start from North Line to Copyhold and round the cans. Rather a lot of the 14 starters were over the line and not all came back; so a rib was dispatched to inform Tony and Rob Hack who felt obliged to go home and therefore miss a good sail. In fact, from the start, David Moseley did best down to leeward and then led until he got the course wrong and lost two places. Bob Smith also got the course wrong - went round Sandy and back to finish on the start line - very annoying for him! A rather up and down wind with occasional planing gusts, usually arriving just as one needed to gybe.
Sunday - gorgeous sunshine with a cold wind - about 7-8 Knots from the SE initially, which gradually crept around to the S during the race. More wind in the harbour than out, so the 18 ft skiffs didn’t do too well. Chris Powles managed to find a full team to man the CB today but with 22 keen starters on the line, was obliged to hoist a black flag after the general recall! Starters included Steph, who was able to fit in a couple of hours - with a bit of help on the beach - despite being on call and having a patient with agonising toothache before and after the race! With loads of starters and not so much wind there was a bit of rafting and some shouting around SW Pilsey followed by an incident whilst rounding Channel, whereby the preliminary ritual of looking over ones shoulder before tacking onto port was omitted, with subsequent bang. Rob Hack made up for his lost race of yesterday by winning this race, followed by Nick and then Tony.
Update October 13th
Saturday, I gather, was a bit of a float-about-again which Tony won followed by Ted and then David Colebrook in his new 4811.
Sunday was a bit better with a warm and sunny easterly, which encouraged 17 boats to the line near Dunes. It was slightly difficult to judge the line with the flood helping but it was all clear and then a bit of a lottery to the first mark. Once round here and the flock mainly followed Tony in a detour out of the tide round John’s Folly whilst Roy O’Donnell thought he’d do it differently and went straight to Freddie Brooks, getting there well ahead. Sandy, and a bit of a muddle with a large motoring yacht which decided to cross by Sandy regardless of ‘n’ Solos trying to round at the same time against the flood. Mr. Grumpy, getting squashed against the buoy, lived up to his name, but not without provocation. Back on the beat, lots of place changing in the leaders, including Chris Powell in his new 4812, but Keith went into first place. Next time round Sandy, however, it was Nick in the lead (although Jane - having missed out Gardener - got there first, much to Nick’s consternation) with Roy still in contention. On the line however, Roy got in a muddle with some other boats and the finishing order was Nick, Chris Powles and then Keith
Update October 8th
The start of the Winter, sorry Autumn, Series was ushered in by almost Indian summer weather.
Saturday was a fair NE and quite warm with it. Rob Hack and Tony had a good battle round, loosing David Moseley when he hit the Pilsey mud flats rather hard. It was a reach from Mill Rythe to the Box finish and a good 1st result for Rob, although he says it can only be downhill after this!
Sunday was doomed to be difficult as the R.O. had to postpone for 1/2 hr to allow the boats to get to the start near Dunes against the tide. The first mark was Astra and not everybody got there before the wind went. There were great discussions afterwards of who got lifts or headers on which bank. In fact, Cambermet showed the wind going from E to ENE and back to NE during the race, whilst Chimet had the Easterly going to SE before disappearing altogether. Neither of the outside events had a race at all. Various 700s etc. were towed back past disgusted Solos and those who had made it round Astra, basically floated back on the tide to a finish at Freddie Brooks; quite an exciting finish, with Chris Powles drifting past Tony just before the finish and Barry only inches behind. Again, it was difficult to get back round the pontoon so there was lots of scurrying with trolleys to wherever boats managed to land.
Rumour has it that one new member is looking to buy a Solo (Bobs?)and another person is thinking of joining and buying a Solo. Melvyn has acquired 4444 and we think Bob maybe after Melvyns boat?
AGM went off OK with lots of discussion about SAND and minutes will be posted on the web shortly.
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