It was a wet night. Wind was vague both in strength and direction. In the absence of a race officer on shore, the Sonars selected a course to Silvers and back. Of necessity, it was a downwind start and, in theory, a windward leg back. Some of the time that was true, sometimes it wasn’t.
Dione had her first outing with her new owner, Barrie Choules. It could have been a better evening for him.
Catriona got away at the start and was never challenged. Everyone deployed spinnakers and, for a while, it was hard to choose between Thalia, Halcyone, Ceres and Dione. Thalia established herself at the head of the pack by getting the best of the wind at the end of the first round.
When there is no Race Officer on shore, sailing instructions do not give discretion to the leader regarding shortening. Thus it was that Catriona was obliged to embark on a third round. Wind was lightening even more by this time and the heavy rain showers sapped what little strength it had. Halcyone pipped Thalia to the finish. The rest either went home or did not finish in the time limit.
1 Catriona, 2 Halcyone, 3 Thalia. Athene, Ceres, Dione, Hermes, Thia DNF.
President: