The forecast was for one of those drifting evenings with 2 knots of wind, gusting 3. As it was, there was good breeze, enough to wet the lee decks, all evening.
The first leg, a beat to D, north of Clynder. The fixed starting line biased towards the shore end. Most reached in on port tack, intending to tack close to the line and cut it fine regarding depth of water. Only one boat can achieve that perfect start. Iris as usual. Catriona and Zoe were not far behind. Hermes thought to approach the line on starboard. It discomfited many of the port tackers but it took her away from the favoured end.
Naturally, Iris was away best as the fleet sailed for the Clynder shore. Catriona chasing hard, both in clean air. Catriona went a little closer to the shore than Iris. On the long tack up the loch, they seemed evenly matched for most of it. Approaching D, Catriona found better air.
Two spinnaker legs back to the starting area and time for another round. Spinnaker gybes at the F mark were mostly good. Teal had trouble with her running rigging and retired. Iris concentrated on keeping Zoe at bay. Thalia was on the pace. Ceres quietly making her way up the fleet, she gained two places on the second round. Hermes and Athene were crossing tacks sufficiently closely for the port tack boat to have to give way. Approaching the finish it was close between them. Spinnaker trouble on Hermes allowed Athene to cement the place.
1 Catriona, 2 Iris, 3 Zoe, 4 Thalia, 5 Ceres, 6 Athene, 7 Hermes. Teal DNF.
President: