Sunday, April 17, 2011

EQUIPE

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2002 Winter Warm Up at Datchet Water Sailing Club - Week 3


Author: Huw Pearce

Sunday 17th Feb saw competitors arriving to a fog bound reservoir with a Force 2-3 blowing from the West! As time got closer to scheduled race time the fog lifted and lifted until by race time the whole reservoir could be seen but the wind had dropped slightly. Also the wind direction was moving
about more than the Race Officer would have liked so he radioed ashore and
asked that the competitors be advised that there was going to be a short
delay in starting racing. The Race Officer quickly decided that this was to
be a day to pick a course and get the competitors sailing; so after another
radio message ashore, competitors were advised to launch and racing started
only 20 minutes late.

After two weeks of strong winds it was going to be a day for perhaps
different competitors to show their sailing skill in the much lighter
fluctuating wind.

The wind continued to drop and the direction fluctuated so that competitors
had plenty to think about. The Race Team decided to 'shorten course' for all
competitors after 2 laps and they also hoisted 'AP over H' to let them know
to go ashore and await further instructions.

Shortly after the last competitor finished after 1hr & 54minutes the Race
Team made the announcement that there would be no more racing today.
Competitors were advised that the Race Team might consider running three
races next week to recover today's lost race.

Asymmetric View (by Charles Walters, B14-732)

Light wind asymmetric sailing is a different sport to the breezy conditions of the first 2 weekends of the w/warm up. New faces at the front of the fleet were testimony both to the absence of other race winners and to the fact that there were indeed some new quality racers in the fleet. Just over
20 boats started, and in the light winds those that crossed the line with momentum broke free of the rest. A slow lift to starboard favoured those on the right of the course (although it was pretty easy to track, so most competitors were right side there, or there abouts by halfway up the beat towards Windsor castle). At the mark, another lift on starboard tack made sure that the B14 of Luke McCuan, (I think that's who it was - he was too far in front to see properly!) and a Boss who doesn't appear on the results were firmly glued to the back of the leading 49er bunch. L4000's followed, Bosses, and the B14 of Charlie W and Nick Haylett struggling to make up ground after a really shocking start (does DFL mean anything to you?).

The wind remained reasonably steady on the run, again rewarding those who were able to track/hunt the gusts the best. The second beat was a rerun of the first, so most people went right, although the right hand side didn't actually gain until, the last 200 yards into the windward mark.

The final run was a tense affair, as fortunes ebbed and flowed with each individual gust. The race was won by - not a 49er...!! The leading B14 had closed up on the 49ers down the final run to take the win, although the 49ers finished 2,3,4. Charlie and Nick had perfected their Houdini act to get through to claim 5th - although that did require huge slices of fortune down the final run. As usual the 4000's followed closely behind Charlie and Nick in the B14, although Paul Robinson was not the winner on this occasion - Andy Palmer-Felgate took the honours in that fleet, with 6th
overall. Then the wind switched off, and to the frustration of the slower boats, the last run seemed to take forever.

The PRO's good call to bin the second race was greeted enthusiastically by all - hopefully we will see an interesting finale next week, with the possibility of 3 races that would bring in the 2nd discard.

Overall Manuala and Marc must still be favourites if we get far enough to gain the second discard, as they have usually finished in the top 3.

However Charlie and Nick seem to be toughing it out reasonably, with a series of 3rd's, 4ths and 5ths (and a 4 point lead). The 4000's are still pretty wide open, although Andy Palmer-Felgate has moved to within striking distance (3 points) of Paul Robinson. Could be pretty close in the scramble for both sets of chocolates - especially if we get in all three races next Sunday.

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  • Datchet Water Sailing Club

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