This was the first race of a new series. People were naturally keen. On the water Race Officer Peter Proctor wanted to send us on a course beginning with a windward leg to B, off Silvers. He was perturbed to find that storm Hector had brought the B mark across the loch to the starting area. The pragmatic solution was to select a navigation mark instead.
Wind as we were leaving the moorings was strong enough to dip the side decks underwater. It eased through the race.
Catriona, closely followed by Dione got the best of the start. Dione eased ahead, in particular going well on port tack across the loch. On the approach to the windward mark, Catriona found better air, prevented Dione tacking and rounded first. She dropped her spinnaker too late at the end of the downwind leg and the consequent poor mark rounding put Dione back into contention, by the next windward mark she was ahead. A lead she kept although it was close at the end.
Some of the spinnaker legs were a bit fine and gybes at the C mark on the second round (from a reach to a reach) needed care. Hermes did not set her third sail and so avoided the spinnaker troubles which afflicted some of the others. She led the rest home, having previously had a windward/leeward stuchie with Thalia which is subject to protest.
On the final leg to the finish, in ever lightening air, Athene kept her spinnaker better filled than Thalia and took a place close to the line.
1 Dione, 2 Catriona, 3 Hermes, 4 Athene, 5 Thalia, 6 Zephyrus. Ceres DNF.
President: