Sonar sailors were standing around in the car park looking indecisive. Usually an indication of too little or too much wind. The risk of too much in this instance. Walking along the jetty, there were strong gusts. By the time we got aboard, things had moderated and were quite sailable. Three Garelochs went out. Thia’s crew checked the boat and went in. Three Sonars were moved by example.
Race Officer John Blackie, assisted by Peter Elias and Michael Lapsley, set a course to D, north of Cylinder. A good beat. Catriona made the better start and shortly afterwards, Dione sailed in front. A lead she kept on the second leg to G, just north of Gully Bridge and back to the starting area. Arke found lighter air on the Shandon shore and was never in front. She came close to Catriona but not to Dione.
On the second round, after hardening up across the loch, Catriona saw Dione find a hole combined with an awful header and tacked away. Dione did not cover and the two battled with the large shifts and variation in strength, each in their different parts of the loch. When they next crossed tacks, Catriona had the lead and made sure not to be caught out in light air near to the shore at D. Slick spinnaker handling by Catriona’s crew, Niki Horn, put paid to any hope of Dione overtaking.
1 Catriona, 2 Dione, 3 Arke.
