The good weather was supposed to have been coming to an end. It rained but still warm. There appeared to be little breeze. Certainly there were still patches but small ripples on the water were accompanied by significant pressure.
Race Officer Neil Isaacs did the best he could with the direction of wind and sent us on a fetch to A, off the club. The pin end of the line was strongly favoured, for direction and strength of wind and for tide.
Iris, concerned about staying close to the line when there are light patches, was early. She was obliged to bear away down into lighter air which did for her. There was outrageous barging at the pin. So much so that those boats with right of way could not persuade the raft to move up and had to bear away to avoid contact.
Ceres was closest to the pin and took the lead. Catriona tried hard but could not catch her before the A mark. Nor on the reach to C, at Clynder. A rapid spinnaker hoist for the leg back to the start/finish area gave Catriona the place. Luffing by Ceres of Zoe and Thalia slowed the chasing pack.
As Catriona approached the line at the end of the first round, we had been racing for a little over half an hour. Too soon to shorten course. Wind, however, was dying. The last of it brought up the fleet and the drift to A was a matter of luck. Ceres got back her lead, Hermes got into second and Iris showed her skill at reading the Gareloch in these trying conditions.
On the way to C, forward momentum was assessed by checking transits of moored boats against the shore. Zoe ghosted into the lead but it was ever more clear we should not finish before the time limit. Results, taken at the end of the first round, were:-
1 Catriona, 2 Zoe, 3 Ceres, 4 Thalia, 5 Hermes, 6 Juno, 7 Iris, 8 Thia, 9 Teal.
President: