Report from the Secretary (on Catriona)
It was warm and dry and there was wind. It would be churlish to complain that wind was not everywhere and there was caprice regarding its direction. As another reporter said, snakes and ladders.
On the water Race Officer Barrie Choules selected a long course, beginning with a beat to C (off Clynder) and zig-zagging across the loch. Plenty of work with the spinnaker, some were caught out. Circe and Ceres set theirs in early offwind legs but not later ones.
The pin end of the starting line was favoured with those on the ball reaching out from the shore on starboard tack and hardening up at the gun. Others (e.g. Hermes and Catriona) were early at the pin and had to dodge the fleet after tacking back.
The patchy wind resulted in most of the contenders being in the lead at some stage. Also, changes in pace between boats approaching marks led to more than one stushie over mark room.
Arke had had large leads at some points before finding light air and being caught. She was in front, though for the final leg, downwind across the loch. Dione was close but could make no impression. Catriona was too far back to make a difference. Halcyone’s new owner, Ed Morris, was unused to vague Gareloch wind.
1 Arke, 2 Dione, 3 Catriona, 4 Zephyrus, 5 Circe, 6 Ceres, 7 Athene, 8 Hermes, 9 Halcyone
President: