Sunday 16th June

Four boats had indicated an interest in taking part in the Cove Regatta first race on Saturday 15 June. However, since the weather forecast was poor and Catriona’s rudder stock had sheared a few days beforehand, a decision was taken not to go. In lieu of Cove, the Secretary posted notice of an alternative race as the first of the Nyassa Plate Series to take place conventionally on Sunday 16 June in the Gareloch.
Teal, Athene, Thalia and Hermes turned out on a beautiful afternoon which was at first windless. Hermes and Thalia drifted up to the Blairvadach start but Teal and Athene decided eventually not to wait for wind and de-rigged which was unfortunate for them as it turned out.
Hermes, helmed by Carol Rowe and crewed by family members Donald and Laura,and Thalia, helmed by boat builder Jonny Burke with Peter Proctor and French national Christine Cabanne crewing were eventually rewarded at 15.30 with a gentle south-easterly breeze that remained steady for the next hour or two.
Peter Proctor assumed the role of Race Officer and set course S3, a sausage from mark Z to A and back to Z. Jonny made a good start in Thalia squeezing out Hermes at the start line pin. Some tacking was required to get to A and spinnakers were set for the return leg. The steady breeze allowed three rounds – plenty of spinnaker work for the crews – during which time Hermes gradually closed the gap on Thalia. Thalia held on to her lead until the start of round three when Hermes made a better rounding of the Z mark and thereafter never looked back (figuratively speaking).

1. Hermes 2. Thalia