The last of the Sunday races this year. Its not all miserable, though. We are off next weekend to the Starnberger See in Bavaria to team race against the Freundeskreis Klassische Yachten. The event is sponsored by Budweiser (not the American one) so that we are keen.
Anyway, we made our way out to the boats with an element of nervousness. Firstly, it was the first time we had been out since the storm on Wednesday and there might have beed some damage. Secondly, whilst the forecast was benign, a strong wind was blowing straight down the loch and leading to an uncomfortable swell.
On the Water Race Officer Iain MacGillivray set a course beginning with a true windward leg to the northernmost mark on the Clynder shore. The shore end of the starting line was favoured and Iain took Teal to the pole position. Catriona started further out and was immediately in second place. Teal dominated the first round with Halcyone in front of Dione.
In the strength of air, there was time for a second round. Hardening up a little to A, off the club and thence to windward to D, a little less far up the Clynder shore. At A, Teal hardened up to a beat whilst Catriona tacked straight away. Slightly less ebb tide inshore must have been advantageous because when Catriona tacked again, she crossed ahead of Teal. Teal thought to stand on a little, so as to return the favour. She was undone by light air and heading wind near to Gully Bridge and the gap increased.
This, meanwhile, had a gear problem and went home. Strength of wind was not reducing. Halcyone’s crew were speaking of gale force gusts near to D. It was certainly challenging. Dione found an area of less adverse tide to make a pass on Hlacyone. No spinnakers were set downwind to the finish.
1 Catriona, 2 Teal, 3 Dione, 4 Halcyone. Thia DNF.