Category Archives: Race Reports

Report from Teal.

The wind was forecast westerly but the local geography means the wind hits the mountains further north and funnels the wind down the Gareloch from the NW. And so it was: a classic NW wind and the Race Officers obliged with the classic NW course. A beat across and up to the D mark off Rahane (middle W side of the Gareloch), and then downwind to the finish via the G mark off Gullybridge on the E side (acting as a sort of wide spreader mark!). And then a short reach down to A off the moorings, followed by a wonderful long beat back to D, before finishing directly down to Y.

So, one of the best courses in the roster. But the fixed start line is biased with the shore end being favoured. And with a looming shallow shore and sea wall to intimidate those wanting to win it!

Thia is now jointly in the hands of jointly helmed by Michael Knox and Peter Brown [edit – Peter’s wife will be relieved to know that he has not bought a share in another boat!] and they’re gelling well – and getting more aggressively in the mix at the start (as well as often going well on the beat). And so it was with Thia taking on Catriona (who always like to lead in where possible!). Teal happily followed in close behind, slightly higher on the line but ensuring she could not be ‘hooked’ by Catriona (luffed up over the line). Thia dropped down. Teal chased Catriona in.

Catriona eventually called for room to tack, not leaving it too late. “You tack” responded Teal and Catriona did. Teal didn’t though. And instead ducked to squeeze the last out of the line before tacking so she was on top and controlling the beat on starboard. Halcyone did likewise and started well following Teal across the loch. Dione had started lower down the line, going well but lower and left of the fleet. Thia in the middle following Catriona.

Teal sailed high and fast and by the other side of the loch was clearly in the lead and in control. And that to some extent was that. Halcyone crossed Catriona but couldn’t make it stick and Catriona sailed well to cement a clear second by the D mark. It was now a game of sailing well and not making mistakes in good wind on a good course. A broad reach to G under spinnaker, gybe and down through the line to A. Plenty of spinnaker practice tonight for crews (or Charles single-handed in Catriona). Drop and round A for the cracking long beat back to D.

Teal stood on for a bit to tack and cover Catriona. Who surprisingly did tack and allow herself to be covered. Without much wriggling. Perhaps her skipper felt a good 2nd was ok and the series was wrapped up? Or merely packing her spinnaker (how he sails so well while doing this is a mystery)?

Halcyone kept going well – newish crew getting up to speed – and took a good 3rd. Dione will have regretted 4th after a good series so far.

1 Teal, 2 Catriona, 3 Halcyone, 4 Dione, 5 Circe, 6 Thia (Results provisional until confirmed by the official RNCYC ones)

Wind to frustrate the race officer.  We had two rounds of a short course across the loch and back.  It ended up with more reaching than anything.

Dione got away well and found the best wind in the loch with Circe and Halcyone following.  Towards the end of the second round, Gareloch wind was up to its usual tricks.  Dione sailed into very light air and was being carried past the finishing mark by tide.  Circe set a spinnaker in an area of pressure and almost took the win.  Dione found a bit of boat speed just in time.  Catriona caught up to Halcyone but could not make the pass.

1 Dione, 2 Circe, 3 Halcyone, 4 Catriona, 5 Zephyrus.  Hermes DNF

(Report from Halcyone.)

Last race, lots of wind, last chance for a decent sail in a remarkably windless season.

Six helms and crews showed up to race. Zephyrus didn’t race, she had just returned from Bute, the run back had taken three and half hours, at times surfing at 10 knots. 

Several crews dithered on the moorings before the race, wondering whether the pro-longed gusts over 20 knots would persist, or get worse as forecast. Hermes opted for a neat reef in her main. 

On the way to the start Kelana came alongside the fleet, with several Gareloch sailors on board, filming the occasion, just back from the RNCYC’s final cruising muster.

Teal took on Race officer duties, and set a course along the Shandon shore. In the boisterous conditions it was hard to hear the starting signals. Teal and Halcyone made good starts, Catriona closed on the start mark too early and had to duck behind Teal. Thalia, Hermes and Ceres weren’t far behind. Athene hadn’t heard the signals and opted to follow without racing. 

Closing on the windward mark Teal, Halcyone and Catriona were close, Teal slightly ahead, Halcyone crossed Catriona on port to round the mark in second. Neither Teal nor Halcyone opted for spinnakers initially. Catriona on the other hand, always motivated by being behind popped hers up, slewed to windward, just avoided broaching, got it settled, overtook Halcyone, so Teal popped hers up. The three had stood out well into the loch planning to gybe to the leeward mark later. Meantime, Thalia reached along closer inshore and looked like she would round the mark first, she didn’t, not quite. 

Rounding the windward mark for the second time Catriona chased Teal out into the loch. Halcyone and Thalia stayed inshore. The four began to converge again at the leeward mark, but still in the same order. Rounding the mark Teal and Catriona once again struck out into the loch. Halcyone and Thalia made shorter tacks inshore. Approaching the Z mark and the finish line, Halcyone was well ahead of Teal and Catriona, they had been busy defending and attacking each other and had forgotten to race the rest of the fleet. 

Might Halcyone win, could we finish after two laps, no, we had only been racing for 52 minutes, not the requisite minimum hour, we had to do another round.

Striking out for the windward mark again Halcyone’s excitement was short-lived, her guest crew spotted the starboard lower shroud dangling unattached, the mast wasn’t fully supported. Teal and Catriona caught up, Halcyone jury rigged a repair, kept in touch, but couldn’t catch them.

Teal crossed the finish line first, rounding off a run of first places. After a frustrating season she had her mojo back. 

1 Teal, 2 Catriona, 3 Halcyone, 4 Thalia, 5 Hermes, 6 Ceres

Athene DNS.