Chilly, overcast day with a ENE breeze which had some bite to it. It increased considerably at one stage but then dropped towards the end of racing. Hywell and Tom on duty so one could expect a surprise. Only two Ents out this week,sadly, the Dutchess and Jane and me with Paul. Unusual course for us and the one Merlin, a short beat to an H mark, pushed by the stream, a starboard rounding and then an lovely long run up to a C mark (hardly used these days) opposite my crews boat. Bit of an ‘Oh Dear’ for the Dutchess as she had untied the knot that attached the main sheet to the transom block causing a bit of a flap on the first beat.
As the wind piped up it became a fun run and easy beat. Slight consternation about the cable clearance to the Thorneycroft island but all was well. The Merlin had John Bell and Claude.
Good show from GP’s with John Ali, Derek Mary, Sarah Hannah and Keith alone and either in this fleet or the next? They sailed to a D mark. Also a good showing from the Handicap Class. David driving his Solo and executing an interesting pirouette at the windward mark, was it port or maybe starboard, to lose the lead, George, James and Brian in Comets and they enjoyed the run up river too.
Time Keeping was by virgin keeper Roger, advised by a very experienced Jane P. Bar was Tom and sausages by Sonia and Deirdre.
See you next week for sailing and AGM.
Phill