Gareloch One Design

Report from Carole Rowe on Hermes

Sunday was a surprise day. The Met office synoptic chart had very few isobars indicating a lack of gradient wind so from where did the wind come? As the afternoon progressed the winds got stronger until we had quite a few white horses on the water.

H1 was the course chosen with a beat to F (northernmost on the east side). As per usual Dione and Catriona fought it out for the lead – Arke being away – leaving the rest to do what they could.

With the increasing wind there was  time for a second round and positions established in the first round changed. Dione well clear of Catriona and the fleet failed to check the race card and headed off down the loch before realising her mistake and then tried to head up the loch against an ebb tide. The damage was done and could not be retrieved but she held onto the second place. Luna retired at the end of the first round with gear problems. Hermes – helmed by crew Donald – showed what could be done and on the last leg to the finishing line managed to overhaul Ceres. Circe finished the course not far behind.

1 Catriona 2 Dione 3 Hermes 4 Ceres 5 Circe, Luna retired.

Report from Arke

The fleet was thinned out; only five boats turned out (and no Sonars at all). Perhaps post Gareloch Worlds exhaustion or holidays? It wasn’t the most encouraging evening with a chilly breeze and louring sky; more autumnal than summer (which has been pretty dreadful so far!).

Race Officer Peter Proctor wisely got us going early and sent us up the loch to D on a classic course for the NW wind with a good beat. Catriona led in with Arke following. A cliche. But Dione hadn’t read the script and came in from the course side on starboard. She felt that Catriona had perhaps not kept sufficiently clear but no protest was made. At the start of the beat Arke tacked away hoping to trap Catriona into having to cross and duck Luna. But she tacked under her. Arke, observing, also felt Catriona perhaps hadn’t kept clear of Luna either with her late tack which forced Luna above to luff. But again no protest! Where was Hermes when you need her?

The beat was marked by a shifty, gustiness which was notable even by Gareloch standards. It required concentration, skill and perhaps some luck. Catriona certainly had the skill and reached the D mark first. Arke used some of all the above when she spotted Dione being killed by a horrible header and tacked to take a huge lift to reach the mark in second.

Escaping the D mark in the very sheltered lee of the shore was trying! Dione went the wrong way as the wind backed more westerly. Iris went the right way.

1 Catriona, 2 Arke, 3 Iris, 4 Dione, 5 Hermes, 6 Luna (results TBC against official RO results sheet!)

Report from the Secretary*

28th to 30th June, a celebratory weekend.  The Garelochs are 100 years old.  Friday was a centenary event for previous owners and friends of the class.  There was racing in the afternoon but strong wind discouraged many.  Five boats raced with Michael Henderson, who had last none of his touch, a clear winner.  The wind was off the Clynder shore which led to large changes of strength and direction.  A characteristic which continued over the weekend, happily without the fierce gusts.

For the first race of the championship on Saturday, Race Officer Jean Mackay – aboard Reay Mackay’s Diatas Air – sent us on a beat across the loch.  Circe started supremely well.  Half way across the loch, her sail number could no longer be read.  Iris not far behind.  Both found adverse air above the mark and let in Arke, Dione and Catriona.  This was a pattern which continued.  To win needed luck with the wind as well as skill.  Iris and Circe took the next two races.  Catriona had the required luck in the fourth until the race was abandoned on account of a submarine leaving the loch.

At Carol Rowe’s magnificent (and well attended) barbecue on the Saturday evening, we contemplated our chances.  Arke, Iris, Catriona and Dione were in that order with one point between each.

Wind had veered by Sunday morning so that the course was up  and down the Shandon shore.  After a brief wait for wind, the pin end bias of the starting line led to two general recalls.  For the third start, flag U was used at the preparatory signal.  Any boat over early would be disqualified.  In spite of the more northerly elements of the wind, there were still some areas of loch much better than others.  Dione showed consistency with two first places.  The other contenders did not.  Zoe was next best placed in these two races.

A superb win for Dione.  The first time she has appeared on the trophy.  Next were Catriona, Arke and Iris equal on points.   The tie for second place was broken in favour of Iris.

* a belated report through no fault of the Secretary; the Convenor had intimated HE was going to write a report but seems to have disappeared on holiday!

Report from Arke

John Campbell was Race Office (which – glass half full – was just as well because his boat, Circe, is poorly with a broken rudder stock. But the wonderful Chris Ings is on the case!). He was assisted by Jean Mackay in lieu of Gareth Adkins,  his usual crew; because Gareth was out crewing for Reay Mackay in the recently launched Zoe! Wonderful to see her out and Reay has put a lot of effort in to getting her afloat for the Gareloch class 100th anniversary and to take part in the imminent Gareloch Worlds this coming weekend. (Anyone wishing to know more please contact the Convenor or comment!)

But John was faced with a difficult challenge: very light wind indeed from the SE and a poor forecast (although meant to strengthen later and back east) and coming from a poor direction for the fixed shore starting lines. And further exacerbated by a strong outgoing tide. As we rigged however it filled in early with – contrary to any forecast – a nice southerly breeze. John set course L5 – from Z up to A off the moorings, then a run down to G off the Shandon shore and back to the start. Repeat if wind and time allow.

The shore end was favoured (just). Many boats seemed to be early. Catriona particularly so and she had nowhere to go when shepherded up across the line by Arke. She was over early and had to loop back. Dione too was squeezed out and didn’t make a good start either. Zoe made a good start below Arke and both headed left up the shore through the moorings. Both Catriona and Dione – late and with no real choice tacked out right into the loch (but also one suspects knowing that tide would assist further out and that the wind might better!). Arke agreed and also wanted to cover them. It paid for them all out in the loch and Dione and Catriona had undone their starting misdeeds. Further on Arke tacked on top of Dione for the layline and led in to A. In the light air Dione was so stalled she had to tack and then back again to clear her air. (Or was this the second round? It all blurs!) She stayed ahead of Catriona.

So Arke round first, followed by Dione and Catriona. All headed left at first out in to the loch, but Arke leading had difficult choices to make: protecting her wind would take her further and further left, out in to more tide, risk the inside being taken AND she was mindful of the forecast with the wind backing easterly (right)!! She gybed right early and across the other two! Dione and Catriona did ok out in the loch – perhaps slightly better wind – but Arke was heading more directly for the mark in less tide and – helped by a couple of short gybes to keep apparent wind – rounded clear ahead. Dione maintained her lead over Catriona. Arke covered Dione for the short beat back to the start and what she thought – given the light wind and 45 mins elapsed – would probably be the finish. But the RO had other ideas and (perhaps buoyed by the forecast and plenty of summer daylight!) decided we all needed more racing and another round!

Arke again covered Dione loosely and kept an eye on the always threatening Catriona. Interesting difference in tactics: Dione pointing very high, Catriona sailing freer. The order unchanged at A: Arke, Dione, Catriona. And downwind Arke was faced with the same dilemma. And again she gybed early to protect her wind, the inside and from the forecast stronger easterly. Of which still no sign! This time Dione made the wind in the loch pay, and using better apparent wind on the approach, caught Arke at the G mark. But Arke had mark room and Dione was overlapped outside and rounded in tight cover. She when dropped behind and tacked, Arke tacked and covered. Meanwhile Catriona rounded and, never one to give up, attempted to insinuate her way up the shore side of the beat. She almost caught Dione – hampered as Dione was by Arke’s cover. Arke crossed the line and Dione pulled clear in clear air to narrowly take second from Catriona.

Of the others there was a good race from the father and daughter team of Michael Lapsley & Niki Horn on Athene finishing in fourth. And Zoe managed a good first shakedown race in fifth.

The RO had perhaps gambled in the light air but he gave us a cracking long evening of racing. Back at the moorings a light smirr of rain and further louring cloud did their best to disguise the midsummer daylight. And STILL no sign of the forecast easterly!

1 Arke, 2 Dione, 3 Catriona, 4 Athene, 5 Zoe, 6 Luna, 7 Thia. DNF Thalia.

Race report from the Secretary (Catriona)

A wonderful sunny afternoon.  With wind.  Dione and Catriona were there, their skippers winding down from the wonderful Classic week in Denmark and Germany.  Halcyone, Circe and Arke too.

Wind was from the south west, a first it seemed for this year.  A course was set with a beat to B, off Silvers, and then back and forth across the loch.  The pin end of the starting line favoured, Catriona was early and obliged to bear away.  Fortunately with no one below her.  Circe got it just right, beating Dione, Arke and Halcyone to it.

The Gareloch did not have its usual fickle wind but some areas were better than others.  Dione prospered on the Shandon shore, close to the club moorings.  Catriona had tried to take a middle path so as to try and cover the fleet.  The rest of which had headed across the loch early.  Anyway, she got to B first and, although a bit late with her spinnaker, kept her lead on the run back to the Shandon shore.

It was at B that Circe suffered a broken rudder stock.  Without steering, she retired.

Time for a second, shorter, round.  Dione and Catriona were fighting at the front, Arke and Halcyone had found the less good air.  Catrioina still had the lead at the second rounding of B but it was close.  Spinnaker leg to C, up the Clynder shore.  Wind far enough forward to tax us, especially in gusts.  Catriona gybed the kite at C, which took her a little low on the leg to the finish, Dione dropped.  Again, wind was a little forward of the mast.  Dione was strong in the gusts but the spinnaker paid in the lulls.

1 Catriona, 2 Dione, 3 Arke, 4 Halcyone.  Circe RET

Report from Arke

Race Officer Julian Forrester (Luna) – ably assisted by his daughter Lucy and Chris Ings – was blessed with an absolutely perfect evening to direct. Sunshine, warm, good breeze (and much stronger than forecast) and funnelling down the Gareloch from the north (and much more northerly than forecast). It was difficult for the RO to tell just how northerly it from the sheltered shore. After a bit of discussion with some of those on the water, course L1 was selected.  First up to G off Shandon/Queen’s Point, a reach across to C off Clynder, then a fun run/broad reach down to A and a short beat back to the start/finish line at Z. Repeat. (Perfect for the conditions, and without being tempted in to an H course since the forecast had the wind lightening – and even with our long days we do need to keep at least one eye on the time!)

The Z start line heading N is always quite an oblique, biased line but Arke nailed the start on starboard – offering no hope to any sneaky attempted port starters (always a temptation with this line!). But there were none and she was clear ahead. Of the rest, Hermes – helmed by guest Reay Mackay (who knows his way around a Gareloch and the Gareloch!), and crewed by Wendy Jones and Gareloch newbie Clare Somerville (who is thoroughly enjoying it so far) – made much the best start and followed Arke up to G.

In the end the good starts made by Arke and then Hermes, followed by a lack of further mistakes and a good steady wind, left them clear and in 1 and 2 throughout the race. They simply concentrated and enjoyed the sun and sailing…

In the middle, Thalia was going well with Peter Proctor on the helm. She held off attacks by Ceres throughout the race (Ceres had spinnaker halyard shackle issues with didn’t help her cause) until the final short beat from A to the finish at Z, when Ceres managed to cross Thalia and executed a perfect tack on top of her on the lay line to the finish. And that sealed her third place. The others finished in a commendably tight fleet and it was good to see Ed Morris (new skipper/owner of Halcyone) on the helm and going well.

Sadly, Circe – who had cast off for the race – had to abandon and return to the moorings when her skipper (John Campbell, our new Convenor, single-handing) noticed water up to the floor-boards from leaks. Her usual battery-operated pump wasn’t working and she is thirsty old girl.

1 Arke, 2 Hermes, 3 Ceres, 4 Thalia, 5 Halcyone, 6 Thia, DNS Circe

Report from Arke

The Gareloch was mostly glassy even as we walked down the pier but the forecast was for the wind to fill in and it did so just as we rigged the sails. And, barring a few lighter patches, it remained a good wind throughout an afternoon that also remained dry! (It was curious however – at least for aficionados of the Gareloch wind – that the forecast initial W wind was more NW and the later forecast NNW wind was often quite northerly!)

The class was missing a couple of key contenders in the season so far: Charles Darley (Catriona) and Barrie Choules (Dione). Both at our friends the FKY’s (Freundeskreis Klassiche Yachten – German Classic Yacht Club) ‘Classic Week’ event over on the Baltic. Dione still out with a ‘guest helm’. 

But more excitingly, while we were missing some, we were graced with the recently renovated and launched Iris! The Mucklow family boat – long sailed by our Honorary President Gordon Mucklow – now being crewed by his children on a shakedown ahead of the Worlds: Bess (on the helm) with John and his wife Kate. Tim Henderson – as with Dione – has done another superb job of renovation!  For those unaware of their class history, Tim Henderson is related to the Mucklow family and the old owner of Arke (or Teal as she was). Worth explaining that the renaming of Arke – promoted to a goddess for the 100th anniversary – was done very much with an eye to the Mucklow-Henderson family relationship and history: Arke is the mythological sister of Iris!

Anyway, with other likely candidates away and no-one volunteering Arke took charge of the race officer duties and picked – given the NW wind – the obvious classic L8 course. Good beats to D off Rahane on the Rosneath shore. Circe lead in but early. Arke spotted her slowing and went for a ‘hook’ (overlap to leeward with intent to push them up over the line). There was some  largely gentlemanly disagreement over interpretations of ‘room’ to ‘keep clear’! Boats headed out with Arke pointing higher but Circe footing lower but fast. In the end it paid for Circe and she reached some excellent wind on the Rosneath side first. She – and Ceres, going very well indeed – both passed Arke by a large margin once they tacked! Others were now playing catch up! Arke and Zephyus both attempted to chase down Circe and Ceres. But Circe if anything extended her lead – good sailing in good wind! And Ceres – most annoyingly! – was doing all the right things too. Zephyrus however managed to sneak past very deftly just before the mark when – covered by both Ceres and Arke – she very quickly tacked on a header which killed the other two!

So round D to G. Circe with a commanding lead, followed by Zephyrus, Ceres, Arke. The wind had swung more northerly making this a reach. Zephyrus and Ceres declined to put up their spinnakers which allowed Arke – who hoisted – to get past. Iris too raised and, over this and the next leg back to the start line, she too overhauled them in to third place. 

Back now up to D. Circe’s lead was commanding and she was only going to be caught by big holes or big mistakes.  Arke gave chase but the wind remained good and Circe didn’t make any. Iris retained her good third. Ceres too, solid in fourth. Zephyrus raised her spinnaker and held off Dione.

1 Circe, 2 Arke, 3 Iris, 4 Ceres, 5 Zephyrus, 6 Dione, 7 Luna, 8 Thia

Race report from Arke (ex Teal!)

A race with a LOT happening. (And indeed the results were still being decided in the bar afterwards!) So a slightly fuller report…

Race Officer Reay MacKay – assisted by Jean MacKay and Bill Molloy – was gifted a beautiful evening  to preside over – good wind from the WNW (ish) and sunshine – and set the classic L8 course to take advantage of it: a good beat up to the D mark of Rahane on the Rosneath shore, followed by spreader mark G on the Shandon shore and back to the start, and for the second round a straight beat back up to D and a run back to the finish.

The fixed start line was inevitably biased. And just as inevitably Catriona led in up the line with Arke chasing. Not quite as inevitably, Circe and Thalia also joined in the mix. Circe slotted in under Catriona to keep her pinned up on the line. Thalia was lower again (and going to need to tack when she hit the shore). But Catriona had judged it well and nailed the start with Circe having to tack earlier. Arke ducked the tacking Thalia (note ‘tacking’ – you can’t claim ‘starboard’ until you have completed your tack and are on a close-hauled course- see footnotes**) and tacked as close to the shore as possible. All headed out with Dione having started further back down the line but going well. Circe tacked early up the Shandon shore and Dione – covered by Catriona – did likewise. Catriona – knowing that Dione was their main threat in the series – followed to cover. Only Arke and Thalia continued across towards the Rosneath shore. Which usually pays with a good lift once reached. Usually…

But not today. In a repeat of Sunday the boats that headed up the Shandon shore appeared to benefit from much better wind (a shift of the wind to the N once they tacked or (less) tide, or both???). And once they tacked to head across to Rosneath, they crossed those who had first gone left by a mile. Arke gritted her teeth, continued right herself – hoping to take advantage of the magic there. Then tacked back towards D. Sure enough the other boats were still ahead, but she slotted in not far behind leaders Catriona and Dione on the lay-line to D.

Round D and off to G. Catriona leading. Dione didn’t put her spinnaker up and it cost her a bit. Arke caught her and got past at G with a good rounding and spinnaker gybe on top of her. Now Dione raised her spinnaker. Both Dione and Circe went right to get on Arke’s wind but Arke used a gap in between them both to keep some clear air – as well as the annoyingly placed yacht moored near the start/finish line to scrub off Dione!

Now. sadly, the first of the evening’s ‘events’ (or at least the first your correspondent was aware of!). Confusion over rules (mark-room!) perhaps contributed: Dione approaching on port (but actually having ‘inside’ mark-room rights – see rules footnotes*** and needing to gybe) and Circe approach ‘outside’ on starboard led to a bit of a prang. Partially due – despite the helms’ best efforts to avoid contact – to a mainsheet getting caught on another boat. Dione sadly retired. Other boats caught up due to the stramash.

Catriona rounded and headed back up D. Arke ignored the contretemps and concentrated. Strangely she seemed to be in a lane of much better wind than Catriona.  Pointing higher. Much much higher. (Again this strange wind with a much more northerly wind the further up and right towards the Shandon shore you went?). When Catriona tacked she crossed well behind. But – sigh – Arke didn’t tack and cover. When they crossed again Arke only just crossed Catriona. And when they crossed again on the lay-line to D, Catriona was ahead and tacked to lead in. But further strange goings-on: Arke managed to point and lay the mark while Catriona – her helm usually a master of weaving up close-hauled – fell off and had to tack from the shore back to the mark. At the mark Arke was ahead. And rounded and had – and held – the lead back to the finish.

Meanwhile Thalia had perhaps benefitted from the stooshie back at the Y start-finish line mark. She went left across to the Rosneath shore and just sailed well. Emerging in third.

However it transpired that Hermes had protested Catriona for a straight port-starboard incident during the first leg. After discussions in the bar afterwards, Catriona graciously retired without need for the protest committee! And Thalia – in one of her first outings this season – had thus nabbed a nice second!

1 Arke, 2 Thalia, 3 Luna, 4 Circe, 5 Hermes, 6 Halcyone, 7 Thia. DNF Dione, RET Catriona.

RULES FOOTNOTES

**Rule 13 WHILE TACKING “After a boat passes head to wind, she shall keep clear of other boats until she is on a close-hauled course. During that time rules 10, 11 and 12 [ie basic rules re port & starboard rights] do not apply.”

*** Rule 18 MARK-ROOM: in post race discussions there seemed to be a wee bit of confusion over rules and disbelief that the “fundamental” port-starboard rule does NOT always take precedence. But it is indeed the case: at a downwind mark an inside overlapped port boat has mark-room even over a starboard boat (including room to gybe – but sail no further than she needs to do so). All covered in rule 18 MARK-ROOM in the Racing Rules of Sailing (2021-2024).

This article also covers mark-room rules with a good explanation of various scenarios – see Scenario #3: Rule 18.2 – Giving Mark-Room

Report from the Secretary (on Catriona)

A balmy afternoon, sun cream required. Seven of us raced.  Thalia was there too but treated it as a practice sail and did not compete.

On the water Race Officer John Campbell set a course beginning to windward towards the north of the Clynder shore and then back and forth across the loch.  The shore end of the starting line was favoured.  No one was in the optimum place at the gun, Circe and Catriona better than the rest.

As we set off across the loch, Circe felt the need to tack away towards the Shandon shore so as to clear her air.  She benefitted as wind veered further up the loch and was lifted towards the mark whilst the rest suffered the corresponding header on the opposite tack.  She was soon too far ahead to read her sail numbers.  Arke did the converse.  Luna, with Chris Ings sailing alone was on the pace and well placed at the windward mark.  Catriona was comfortably ahead of Dione until an entanglement with the spinnaker.  In the struggling, a clip on the guy attached to the forestay, trapped by a hank of the jib and too far up to reach.  She hardened up at the beginning of the second round just behind Dione (Circe still out of sight), tacked away for clear air and moved backwards.

At the finish, Dione was getting closer to Circe.  Arke had found the right way to go and made up places.  The wind was not kind to Luna.

1 Circe, 2 Dione, 3 Catriona, 4 Arke, 5 Hermes, 6 Luna, 7 Halcyone.  Thalia DNS

Report from Clare, the Assistant RO

Breezy start with wind force 5 coming from North West making rigging challenging as boats bounced about. A couple boats were put off sailing by the waves and direction and strength of the breeze. Catriona 3 was first to get to race area, with Halcyone 15  to follow. Race start was delayed slightly as we waited arrival of Luna 1 .

Catriona 3 was quick to notice the lowering of the class signal and was underway leaving Luna 1 and Haycyone 15. The wind calmed a little to make some great racing. H8 was the course with the windward mark being the furthest north on the west side and provided some oportunities to decide if spinnaker use was required. The wind eased to provide some lovely evening sailing.

Catriona 3 finished in 1st  place at 19:55:40. 2nd Luna 1 20:01:35. 3rd Halcyone 15 20:04:36. With wind dropped to force 4 from North West the course was shortened so everyone could enjoy a pleasant sail to the moorings.

1 Catriona, 2 Luna, 3 Halcyone