Sail chat Sunday 23rd March

Sunday was a grey day with a light sort of north easterly breeze but enough to sail on! Kevin and James were in charge and set an appropriate down stream start to H off Bell Hill and then a reach up river to a gybe at E mark. It was tricky especially at the H mark as on turning, the combined stream and loss of impetus caused a pronounced slow down. One needed to pinch up hard on a port tack to lay it and if you did not on could lose ones rights. In the morning race there were David, Tim/Claude in Comets and me with Paul in the Enterprise. David sailed into the lead and was never caught.

In the afternoon, Ian and Sarah in Sarah Rolf's boat, joined me and Paul in the Ents. We had a close start and on the reach up river a fast rowing boat with youth on board, in a time trial, collected Ian and Sarah side on. So we hung about until Ian had recovered and then raced on. In the first or second lap I failed to follow the pinch up rule at H and four Comets got the overlap and Ian/Sarah sailed away. Gracing a Comet was Ben, exchanging the wide open spaces of Kefalonia for the tricky, brown and chilly Thames. George was out again as were David and Tim. At one stage I noticed David was a follower but some genie appeared and next he was way out front again!

No GP's bit chilly and early for this senior class! Two Merlins though battling it out like last year Stuart and Nicola and Hywel with Claude. Therefore for our first race and thanks to the Comets we had a good show. Time was by Sonja and Hannah and lovely cake from Fiona, Maddy and Elise.

See you next week. Phill

Last updated 7:36pm on 27 April 2025