WINTER SERIES 2006

Update December 23rd THE CHRISTMAS CRACKER
This was designed as an average lap race; i.e. the slow boats did two laps and the faster ones more and the moths an infinite number!. The finishing times were divided by the number of laps to give the corrected finishing times.
As all the Committee boats were in the Shed and Clive had already started rubbing down the paintwork of Lady G - it was a Club Line start and Finish.
After the Doldrums of the last few days there was a useful, if cold, wind blowing from the north and a strong flood tide which helped a few boats over the line prematurely. Nick went back but some of the Fifteens, who were all over, didn’t! Tony got away best but Barry was at the first mark first just in front of Tony and Tim. These two gradually fell back over the rest of the race and Nick overtook them,  slowly closing on Barry, but just failing to get water on him on the final leeward mark. Barry ended up 12th overall of about 40 starters, with the Moth in first place followed by the Musto skiff and a 14. The other Moth was last which will make sorting out their handicap a tad difficult!

Meanwhile, back on shore, Jane was escorting Carol, our new Manager, around the Sand Barriers(the West one of which had its rope and signs vandalised last week, but which has now been rebuilt) and the Lagoon Dunes. The assorted piles of sand on the concrete paths were pointed out and Carol has offered to get them removed! She advised that the Conservancy is going to give us a large glassed notice board to put at the end of the lagoon footpath pointing out that the ‘footpath stops here’! Apparently, the Club owns half of the lagoon and all of the beach including Seagull island - so it is ALL PRIVATE and nothing to do with access below the high water mark etc. The Conservancy is very worried about dogs rounding up the roosting birds and we have posted notices to the effect that the club bylaws should be obeyed and all dogs kept on leads. We also discussed the problem of bathers and boat launching and a few other things...........
On Friday the suitable remains (plus a few more) of the plant sale were planted on the bank in front of the dustbin, much to Mike Bakers disgust - as he likes his fence!
Work parties for those interested will be organised after Christmas - keep you all fit. And don’t forget the cake.

Update December 17th and the finish of the Winter Series
Saturday, and there was a nice F10. Steph made one of her rare appearances and happily sailed round to end last of the 7 starters - she is best in F5-6! Tim won with Tony in second place to end up overall with one point more that Barry who was Booze- Cruising in France
Nick, meanwhile was winning the fast handicap in his Saturday boat -the 700!
Sunday was a nice sunny day with a fair, though cold wind from the NW, which encouraged 12 starters - excluding Nick who was resting on his laurels being well ahead on points overall! Tony made a good start and kept his lead all the way round, earning his second place overall. Sarah was second but battling with Chris Powles who ended up third practically on the last tack.  Barry was rather a long way back but discarded this to end up third overall
There were two retirements, George, and Tim who lost his mainsheet shackle and couldn’t pull in the mainsheet.

Update December 10th
Saturday was a fair day with a good, but cold, wind from the NW. 9 boats left the beach but Ted didn’t even get his nose round the pontoon this day. He launched and, not under control, went inshore of the rubbing posts and without plate or rudder down, unable to luff up, drove head on into the pontoon at a pretty good speed. He ended up around the shroud but otherwise was unhurt The poor boat has a nasty dent in the stem and she was removed immediately for garage rest.
As for the race, Barry led at the first mark but then Tony came through from third to first with George in the middle and battling hard. On the last beat Barry overtook both, and Tony dropped back to third again. Overall, Barry and Tony are level pegging again with Barry in the lead on the last race. Barry will not be around next weekend so George has his instructions.
Sunday dawned windless but with SW Gale F8 imminent! There was a slight postponement due to some race management hitch so the race was started from the box on a reach going North. 8 boats started although Sarah, having got her boat ready, was not in one of them. Ian, whose 700 was in bits again, came down to the beach and took over at the last minute but was a little late starting.  Nick, not knowing of the changeover, led all the way round followed, initially, by Rob Hack, David Sayce and Barry. But on the second reach, in a rising F5, he was somewhat surprised, having heard that her crew was in a delicate condition, to find that he was being chased by 4590. This didn’t last too long though as Ian, a bit out of practice in a Solo, forgot to let off the kicker, stuffed the boat into irons in the waves off the winner and let Tony through. Rob retired over-stretched after one lap but everyone else finished.
Meanwhile, the one woman work party lifted, before the next gale, with the help of one, Simon Payne (moth sailor) the remains of the road roll. It is lying in the mirror park awaiting a bit of TLC!

Update December 3rd
Saturday produced, for a change, a nice, sunny day with a F 3 SW. 10 Solos went out with Tony getting away first and keeping the lead. Barry managed to fend off Sarah, Bill (who is definitely getting the better of Grumpy now) and Chris Powles but lost out to Cliff who went off on a very profitable flier and thus finished 2nd.
Sunday, Nick had to pack up his boat and take her home again as N over A was flying very early. Everyone there wandered round the stalls at the Christmas Fair and watched the waves whipped up by the odd gusts of 44 knots.

Update November 26th
Saturday was abandoned although the wind did drop off enough for a couple of 29ers to go out and play!
Sunday was still blowing 20-30 knots from the South but  four Solos rigged after much consideration. Ted stuck his head around the pontoon and decided it was not for him and Tony did likewise after going several times down and up on the Club line before the start, with his mast scrunching on the Winner. He reckoned he was lucky to get away with just his hawk wrapped around the mast! This left Barry and Nick doing a course of 2 laps through the breakers, on the flood, to Calvert with a hairy run and several gybes back and around Gardener - though Barry took things a bit easy once Nick had got well away and did wear around the latter. No more mishaps, but the 700s rather put us to shame this day with 6-7 boats out.

Update November 19th
Saturday was quite a nice day with less that the usual 30 knots which encouraged about 10 Solos  out on the water. This included Bob, who was grumbling about it getting a bit cold, and Don who had forgotten his hat and did, therefore, come in a bit early. The rather variable wind unfortunately lost the beat later in the race but there were some well fought close fetches in the odd squalls that came across. Not even Ted capsized today although it was seen that 13 new RS500s out training, or something, spent quite a bit of time swimming.
Tim won but does not have enough races to count. Tony was second and Barry eventually beat Keith though they were battling all the way round with Keith getting past on the lighter reaches. With another discard, Barry and Tony are still level pegging on points with Ted in third place
Sunday was a calm, brilliant, if chilly day, which possibly dissuaded a few from coming so there was only a turnout of 15 Solos!  With Chimet showing gusts of 1/2 knot the RO decided to postpone for 1 hour. The wind rose nicely and settled into the west and a very enjoyable race was had by all, except perhaps for James Gaskell who reportedly hit a whale which slowed him up somewhat. Everyone was lined up immaculately on the gun - rather depending on where the RO, Chris Powell, stood on the deck (!) except for George the Pirate who had to go round again. Tim arrived at the first mark 1st followed by Barry and then Nick. Then Nick came up and Barry went backwards past Tony and Rob Hack. There were some good reaches in the puffs and then people started going sideways (one Elite into the CB) as the tide got going. Overall it is Tim, Nick and Tony, with Robs Hack and Eastwood with equal points in 4th place

Update November 12th
Saturday was horrible - 30 knots again! but still four Solos went out. Tony managed to beat Barry so they are level pegging overall on points ( Tony theoretically in lead because of ultimate placing). Guy McBride, in 3751, one of our latest joining members, was 3rd and is also lying 3rd overall.
Sunday was fantastic! - sunny, warm, 10 - 15 knots westerly, and the trolley dolly launched 22 Solos!- well most of them anyway. This is amazing - in the middle of November - and even the R.O. was possibly not prepared as the line was perhaps a little short for this vast number. Anyhow Mike Brown deemed it too short, couldn’t find space to get going and, unhappily, scrunched into the transom of George. He acquired a small hole under his gunwale, penetrating his bow tank, so thought it best to come ashore after the first beat in case he shipped water. He was advised to tape it up and finish the series.
David Sayce, in his first outing of the Winter series, overtook Rob Eastwood on the last tack, arrived at the first mark 1st and maintained this position to the end. Rob eventually lost out to Nick who thus goes into 1st position overall with Tim 2nd and Rob 3rd.
Both girls were out today but quite a few people had rather disappointing results with the wind being a bit tricky

Update November 5th
Saturday was windless so no race (but plenty of time to get ready for the evening’s prizegiving), but Sunday was another glorious day with a nice gentle NW and a good race was had by the 19 Solos on the top of the tide. Tim arrived at the first mark first, slightly threatened by Sarah, until she went off to leeward on the first reach and ended up squabbling for 6th place with her Daddy. Nick was second followed by Tony and these placings are mirrored in the overall results.
Barry is still leading the Saturday Slow Handicap but Tony is only one point behind. Ted is lying third.
People using the West matting were happy to find their way cleared, especially uphill, as the bank, with so much more sand on, is now very steep. The road roll was dug up and cleared of weed by a one-woman workforce on the previous Thursday. There is, however a fair bit of sand still at the entrance and the East matting is well covered and very difficult to manoeuvre over.

Update October 29th
Saturday was distinctly rough and cloudy but 8 Solos braved the SW F4-5, though not many finished! Grumpy was boss again and tipped Bill in on the first tack. Ted’s boat also rather misbehaved and both of them had to be assisted to the vertical and then home. Guy and and David C retired in good order and Zyg came home after raking the Winner bank with top of his mast. This left Barry, carefully carrying out dentist’s orders to ‘rinse well in salt water’, to come home in third place behind Tony (graduated to plan A mode) with Johnny Rees well in front.
Sunday, on the other hand was a glorious day - warm and sunny and the gentle, if somewhat variable, wind from the NE-ish encouraged 20 starters to turn out - and finish! The beat, shortly after the course was set, turned into a fetch so that the second mark, supposedly near Mill Rythe, was moved to the east to make a beat from Gardener. This was indicated by the CB flying Flag C, which unfortunately, some people did not notice and so sailed off to Mill Rythe. Chris Powell did notice and was away well at the start and to the first mark first. He was followed by the previous owner of his boat, i.e. Rob Hack! Chris happily maintained his position and, in fact, drew even further ahead. Our visitor, Chris Hornsey sailed round in third place followed by Barry and Tony battling it out, with Tony eventually gaining the advantage.
Road Roll not yet rescued, but planting of, yet again, more Tamarisk cuttings has started along the now, rather old, hazel rod fencing. Tamarisk, now 2 years old, are growing quite big on the rock berm.

Update October 22nd
Saturday was sunny and showery and not too many boats braved the 30 -25 knot gusts from the SW. Two Solos went out, Barry with his usual rig and Tony with his plan B; Tony won!
Sunday was really quite horrid with the SW wind varying from 35 - 5 knots (really!) and the rain likewise from horizontal to vertical. However, 5 Solos ventured out and had a really rather exciting time. The start was down at Mill Rythe with the first mark as Sandy. Then -  it was past the monstrous breakers at Mid Winner and onward, on a broadish reach into the rollers towards Easthead. Short respite in calmer waters and then another exciting reach back to Mill Rythe making the most of the rollers again. No hairy runs and all good fun till the wind dropped and the final reach turned into a lollop. Nick had a good lead all the way round followed by Barry and then Rob E who got a puff in the lollopy stage and nearly caught Barry. Tony was in Plan B mode again and Ted had a good airing before calling it a day.
Disaster has struck our famous road roll in the form of masses of seaweed. This has entangled it  causing it to sink and the sand, of which tons have arrived, has taken over. Needs working party to rescue it ASAP.

Update October 15th
Saturday the East wind was not as strong as predicted  and 10 solos started in the Slow Handicap amongst them being Chris Hornsey from Locks .With a start near the club there was an interesting beat to East Head and Tony arrived first. Returning, he went up the East Head shore which was a mistake as Tim went over the Stocker bank and overtook him. Further interchanges ended with Tony second, Tim third and Mike Brown fourth. Barry is first overall at the moment.
Sunday, and the much stronger Easterly persuaded several to go home. 9 Solos still started with a similar course to the day before, only this time there was water over the Winner bank - some of the time. Trevor admitted to not noticing the breakers until too late and went hard aground having to get out and push off, so arriving at the first mark a little late. Not as disastrous as one of the Elites though, which had to suffer the ignominy of being hauled off by Frank. John won this race followed by Nick and then Tim. Tim is winning overall.
 We are loosing some of our fleet this winter. Paul Childs is, unfortunately, suffering the usual fate of students and is having to sell his boat and at the other end of the scale, David and Sarina are off to New Zealand so their boat is also available for family use. I believe Ian Barnett’s boat has come down in price so maybe it is now sold.

October 9th
Saturday was the Commodores Handicap Race about the which the least said the better. Three Solos turned out to mix with about 20 other boats on the start line. Barry was sitting, hove-to-ish, on the line in the approved manner when, to his amazement, an Elite barged in shouting that he had no rights to do such a thing and to get out of the way! Well really!. The Elite crashed into the Fifteen to leeward of Barry and carried away its spinnaker block and cleat! Barry won a bottle of wine for something - not quite sure what.
Sunday and at least 15 Solos went out on a nice sunny, but windy, day. Tim led from the start followed by Nick and then James Gaskell. James however was not having a good day. He capsized on the gybe mark 3/4 of the way round and then had a contretemps at the last leeward mark and lost a few more places!.   This left Chris Powles, who had sailed a good race, to finish in 3rd place. Meanwhile, Bill Ingram was getting to grips with his new boat but, unfortunately, capsized just before the finish. In the water, the boat, now christened ‘Grumpy’,  was lying mast up wind. To rectify this Bill turtled her and then righted her in the approved manner with the mast downwind. Novel, but seemingly effective!
Meanwhile, Julie, Jane and Keith did a bit of beach clearance of rubbish, weed and canoes that the extra high tide had brought in over the west matting.

Update October 2nd
Saturday was blowing a good F4-5 and 7 Solos ventured out. Barry seems to have won with Steph valiantly bringing up the rear in 5th place. Sunday was forecast up to F8 and didn’t happen
Previous to the start of the winter series, Bill Ingram launched his new Winder with rather cracking consequences. Hopefully, we will soon have some suitable weather when he can sort out who is boss!
We also have two more additions to the Solo fleet - Guy McBride and Ian Marks- both of whom have acquired slightly older boats (39**) to get started on.