Hatasoo Basket – race 2 – report from Barrie Choules (Dione)
A lovely day with light winds, 6 Garelochs ventured to the start line with Dione taking the role of on-the-water race officer. Light southwesterly wind indicated a first mark on the far shore. Catriona was a little early to the start and in losing speed allowed Halcyone the best start, Dione boxed somewhat behind Catriona. Luna and Hermes had good starts inshore. Getting to the B-mark meant crossing the tide by Rhu narrows. Complicated by the revised placement of the buoy further north this year. The places were revised as some got it right, Hermes benefitted by staying inshore through the moorings, others less so. Suffice to say that Dione went from 2nd to 6th. The run to G off Shandon did for Luna who opted not to fly her spinnaker.
The beat to the C-mark looked straight-forward but the Gareloch wind gods had other ideas; crossing the tide line, the wind became very shifty and light, dispersing the fleet and leaving some making little progress in the tide. Dione, bringing up the rear, had the opportunity to see what was happening and decided to try for a back-eddy inshore; this was very effective bringing the placings close to the start positions with Dione back in second, behind Catriona with Halcyone pushing at her stern. These positions continued to the finish despite further wind shifts and variations.
1 Catriona, 2 Dione, 3 Halcyone, 4 Hermes, 5 Thalia, 6 Luna.
President: