Report from the Secretary.
An evening of changeable wind. As we sailed to the starting area, we commented on how wind had dropped from the afternoon. We need not have worried.
Race Officer Barrie Choules selected what is listed in the sailing instructions as a short course. It took us to D, north of Clynder, and back. A good long leg. With wind from the Shandon shore, it was a running start. There were the usual strong patches of wind with lighter air between them. Teal and Circe found good wind at the start.
Catriona had been overlapped to leeward of Circe for much of the first leg. She was unable to pull ahead and so was outside boat at D, giving mark room to Circe. The upshot, she was below both Circe and Teal at the start of the windward, return leg. She tacked away to travel down the loch nearer the Clynder side and it did not pay. At the end of the first round, after half an hour of sailing, Teal and Circe had established themselves first and second.
The second downwind leg was a workout for the spinnaker handlers on the leading three. The others left their spinnakers below deck. Gusts were strong enough to cause broaches. A cleat on Circe failed under load so that she dropped her spinnaker early, allowing Catriona to catch up. Still overlapped outside at the mark though. This time Circe tacked away, delighting Catriona. Circe found the Clynder shore had not improved since the first round.
Luna and Halcyone had a close race. Luna leading by 9 seconds at the end of the first round. Losing by 4 at the finish.
1 Teal, 2 Catriona, 3 Circe, 4 Luna, 5 Thia. Hermes and Halcyone RTD
President: