As usual, we were expecting quite different conditions than what we turned up to.  I cannot be unkind…. par for the course.

There was a suggestion of a breeze from the west, but as soon as Graham Brown went out to set the course, that petered out and begun a rotating cycle that settled generally from the south over perhaps a couple of hours.  It had lost its rudder.

The DAC station had winds ranging W, SW, WSW, SSE, then S; 1.6 to 3.8K, and gusts to 11.3K at the end of sailing. The numbers must be averaged, because I saw there was no action on the sensors at different times when I looked at it.

Graham settled on a course to the west side of the deck running out into the bay.  It had to be tickled up once or twice, but there it stayed.

This caused our now resident volunteer scorer R/O Mick Costa conniptions assessing the starts…  who was over the start – were we all over?  

12 sailors chanced their arm.  It was also good to have Brian Chapman make an appearance – he was still recovering, so didn’t sail.

Because the water was glassed out , the start of racing had to be delayed significantly again.  When there was a suggestion of some boat  movement, we got under way; but that was momentary, because the wind faded again after 3 races, and there was no movement at all for some time by the boats.  Actually, during that time I think there was more action on deck with everyone trying to generate some movement on the water.

Eventually some wind settled in and sailing started again.  Enough to start some of the boats to do the nosediving dance running downwind, and as we were all on A sails, a number of us suffered from the “getting into irons” Syndrome….  such excitement all in one day!  

We were fortunate to get in 6 races.

There were a number of separations required through the day – I’m not sure if they were hookups, or that the boats were just vacuumed together, with not enough breeze to generate the power to separate them.

Those who took out the races sailed beautifully for the conditions, and showed us how to do it.”

Race winners were, Phil Stevenson 2, Martin Thearle 2.5 and Graham Brown 1.5.

Phil Stevenson took the honours for the day to win 1st place on 9 points.

Martin Thearle finished in 2nd place on 9.5points.

Graham Brown finished in 3rd place with 11.5 points.

The Club Championship now has Martin Thearle in front from Phil Stevenson and Noel McPherson.

Our next Sail day is Thursday 2^nd July for a Handicap Event.

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