As always the day got away with our new crop of trainees on the water with a near perfect wind to try their hand at skippering our Pacers.
After lunch it was Pennants 3 and 4 back to back.
A great fleet of six NS14s including Norwegian Blue back at the club with new owner Stephen Townsend at the helm, four Sabres and two B14s faced the starter in a fading and undecided NW -N -SW breeze that was quite light.
This put the RO in a tricky situation deciding to start or wait so at 13:24 the race got away with the port end of the line quite popular. Unfortunatley I cannot remember who was where exept that Bang Bang got out in front and led all the way. The NS14s had a good battle with Serenity back early but fighting through to end up taking the gun and there was a close tussle in the Sabres with Wasabi and About Time neck and neck all the way.
Another thing of note was that the Sabrers sailed a considerably shorter course with an inner windward as well as wing mark meaning at the end of each lap and at the finish the first Sabre was not far from the B14s and ahead of the NS14s.
At the finish it was Bang Bang first from Phantom and Serenity 40 seconds ahead of Viva la Vida Darren Eggins and Alastair Lord and Sundaze Sam and Lindy Bailey just 14 seconds furthur astern. Next was Hedgehog Finn Crisp and Ben Mills another 30 seconds astern and Pumpkin Eater a minute astern with Norwegian Blue well back in their first sail in the new boat.
In the Sabres About Time had a narrow nine second win over Wasabi with Loose Change just over 30 seconds back and LMG bringing up the rear.
The breeze during the race clocked left leaving the windward legs as a single beat and the first downwing leg shy and the windward and return a drag race.
Division 1
On yardstick
First About Time Chris Keil from Wasabi Guy McDougall second and Loose Change Phil Bloomfield third.
Handicap
Loose Change first LMG Michael Verrier second and About Time third
Division 2
On yardstick
Bang Bang Stephen Mitchell and Adrianne Daley first Phantom Steve Miller and Ross Daley second and Serenity Scott Wilkie and Lucas Foerder third.
Handicap
Bang Bang first Phantom second and Pumpkin Eater Melinda Lord and Georgia Ottway third.
PENNANT 4
After the first race the course was re set to allow for the more Southerly breeze and the race got away at 15:07 as a Starboard course with the same fleet as the prior race.
Again details are a bit vague exept that Pumpkin Eater was pushed over the line at the start and was recalled with all the fleet away on starboard and at the first mark it was Bang Bang again in the lead.
The breeze soon dropped significantly as the race turned into a drifter prompting the RO to consider a shortened course as the race wore on.
The breeze threatened to go east during the second lap but eventually clocked back to the west and toward the back end of the race it became another drag race reaching from the bottom to the top mark and to our surprise the breeze freshened to about 14 knots from the west.
By the finish Bang Bang took the gun despite a few issues with rounding the last mark the wrong way before correcting the situation. First NS was again Serenity 40 seconds clear from Sundaze who was another 15 seconds ahead of Viva la Vida and Pumpkin Eater ahead of Hedgehog,
In the Sabres again it was a great tussle between About Time and Wasabi but again About Time just got home by a bare 2 seconds from Wasabi with Loose Change a minute astern and LMG well bacxk.
Division 1
On yardstick
About Time first from Wasabi and Loose Change Phil Bloomfield in third.
Handicap
LMG first Loose Change second and Wasabi third.
Division 2
On Yardstick
Serenity first Sundaze Sam & Lindy Bailey second and Viva la Vida third.
Handicap
Serenity first Pumpkin Eater second and Hedgehog Finn Crisp and Ben Mills third.
A big thank you to Helen as RO who had a very difficult job trying to get the races in with such trying conditions and to Mick in the mark boat who picked up and relayed bouys all over the course as the conditions kept changing.
Nest week is Training from 9:00 Trophy Races in the afternoon.
