Report from the Secretary (on Catriona)
An afternoon of vigorous wind. On the water Race Officer Barrie Choules set one of the longer courses, beginning with a windward leg to E, the northernmost mark on the Clynder shore.
It appeared to many that the shore end of the starting line was favoured but some who started towards the pin did well. Probably stronger wind further out. it was variable in strength and direction during the whole race.
When things had sorted themselves out after the start, Catriona was looking good out in the loch (against the worst of the ebb tide) along with Thalia. Another group of contenders, Dione to the fore, was closer to the Shandon shore. They looked to be in front when those further out were badly headed but on average further out looked better. A position which improved with big lifts nearer the mark. After Catriona had rounded, there was a gaggle of boats with Hermes well positioned and calling ’starboard’ more than once.
Offwind, across the loch to Shandon Church spinnakers would have been beneficial most of the time but there were strong gusts forward of the beam which dampened enthusiasm for the third sail. Similarly from Shandon Church back to the starting area. Dione and Arke indulged in some luffing. To the benefit of Thalia who went straight on.
There was time for a second round, this time to D (not so far up the Clynder shore) and back. The pattern was roughly the same as the first round except that as Dione came across the loch from the Shandon shore, she was leading. Only for a moment. She stood on into lighter air on the Clynder shore, short of the mark. Hermes made a couple of ill judged tacks (her helm said afterwards) which let Athene pass.
Dione and Catriona set their spinnakers for the run home. A gybe was needed. Dione dropped her kite and wisely left it below. Catriona was trying to gybe the pole as a sustained gust arrived leading to a spectacular heel to windward. The attempt was abandoned and the spinnaker taken down.
Approaching the finish, Thalia benefitted from being nearer the shore. Dione did not sail close enough to the shore end of a finishing line which was diagonal to the direction of travel.
1 Catriona, 2 Thalia, 3 Arke, 4 Dione, 5 Athene, 6 Hermes, 7 Zephyrus, 8 Ceres, Thia DNF.
President: