(Guest report from Teal since Charles Darley (of Catriona), joined by our favourite airline pilot Thad Burr of United Airlines who sometimes drops in while on a stop-over in Glasgow, was practising on a Sonar ahead of a visit to the US)
Wind was from the North and Race Office and Class Convenor Peter Proctor set an excellent course from Z up the Shandon shore to G and then back to A off the club moorings before a finish back at Z. The line was biased, with the pin/port end favoured, and could just be laid on starboard. Teal led in early ahead of Halcyone and Thalia. She judged it just right to close out Diona and Hermes who had elected to try and hit the pin on port (perhaps thinking that others would be late and struggle to hit it on time?).
Established after the start, Teal was leading Halcyone, with Dione behind but to windward having had to duck the leading boats on the line. The wind was lifting and lightening however and Teal was looking back nervously at Dione’s angle and speed. Messrs Henderson and McLaren appeared to have done a very good job of restoration indeed! Teal decided to tack and cross Dione to cover her. To no avail as, perhaps helped by the light air penalising the tacks, Dione just glided underneath and clear in front! Dione rounded the G mark a good few boat-lengths in front of Teal with the others a reasonable distance back led by Halcyone.
Spinnakers up and Teal started to hunt down Dione and some luffing ensued. It didn’t achieve that much and Teal was perhaps fortunate that Dione’s new crew struggled with the drop and did not press their inside overlap at the A mark, allowing Teal around first. Teal covered Dione and in better wind she was held at bay. Dione is going to be a contender.
Further back Halcyone continued on the pace despite not having flown a spinnaker and was not far behind. And Thalia, despite having rounded ahead, did not cover Ceres and headed too far inshore. Ceres made the most of the better wind and took fourth.
1 Teal, 2 Dione, 3 Halycone, 4 Ceres, 5 Thalia, 6 Thia
President: