Category Archives: Race Reports

The weather was not very summery but the wind was good. RO Prof. Blackie (Athene) and assistant RO Miriam Sutter selected course H6 – a bold choice of ‘High wind’ course on for an evening race but one that gave a good beat to B and then a good long run down the loch followed by a beat back and across via C. Interestingly with not only a differing course for Sonars and Garelochs (not unusual) but with differing marks on largely the same route. This would prove to be crucial for those paying, and not paying, attention as you will see!

With Catriona’s helm being away at Classic Week on the Baltic, Teal had only to finish 2nd or better to secure the series. So it was strategically rather incompetent that she found herself starting last having been OCS. The start had a not-uncommon bias due to the fixed shore with the Z mark being favoured. This led to all of the boats vying for pole and Thia, Hermes and Teal were all over early. This made it difficult to work out who was OCS and Teal thought she was just OK and that Thia or others were the culprits. But the flag stayed up and so back she went belatedly. (The RO later reported that it was a matter of six inches but over is over.) This left Dione well out in front with the others chasing and Teal at the back.

At the B mark Dione was still well in front with Hermes, then Thia, Thalia following. Teal had managed to get in front of Luna and chasing down Thalia and Thia who had a luffing battle. Hermes having some struggles with the kite allowed the others to pass to windward.

At this point Teal realised that Dione was heading to the G mark – following the Sonars – rather than the correct F mark much farther up the loch. Thia and Hermes following Dione. Teal luffed up a little to point to the correct mark and overtake Thalia. At the F mark Teal – unbelievably given her start – now leading from Thalia. Thia and Hermes spotted the error and Dione eventually realised her mistake when she saw everyone ignoring her and her illusory lead.

A good beat now to C. Teal covering both Thalia who had tacked immediately and kept down the loch and Thia who had headed slightly further over to the Clynder shore before tacking and was pointing menacingly at times.  Careful covering of a strong Thalia was required by Teal to arrive first at the C mark. A swift kite launch saw Teal well out in the lead heading for the finish of the shortened course. Thalia was careful to defend against Hermes’ luffing and came in a solid second having made neither an OCS start nor gone to the wrong mark! Dione did at least manage to get past Luna but her crew were somewhat sheepish in the bar after.

1 Teal, 2 Thalia, 3 Hermes, 4 Thia, 5 Dione, 6 Luna (RO duty: Athene)

Gareloch numbers were reduced due to some of the class participating in the German Classic yacht regatta in the Baltic. Those remaining were greeted by near perfect weather and I little judicious crew negotiations meant that Thia was persuaded to leave the gardening for another day and come out.

A broadly westerly wind resulted in a start towards Silvers using the”Boinard” north-south start line. After a reasonable start, Captain Michaelis, a moored yacht acted as an obstruction, Dione chose to go below and stay out of the tide, Thalia chose to cross the loch. At the first mark, it was clear that due cognisance of the tide paid. The long run up to mark F at Shandon gave time for some spinnaker training, complicated by an RN patrol boat that appeared to be trying not to impede us, but failed miserably.  Across to the C mark at Clynder saw Hermes get the better of the leg but not enough to catch Dione. The wind became more variable on the Clynder side with some force to the gusts but also variability in direction. What looked to be a spinnaker leg to complete the first round, wasn’t.

Time for a second round, Hermes managed to overtake Thalia to Silvers, a reluctance to hoist the spinnaker saw Thalia regain second on the leg to Clynder. The Gareloch porpoises were around to add interest to the finish with a bit more spinnaker training for Dione.

1 Dione, 2 Thalia, 3 Hermes, 4 Thia.

Race officer Stewart Gibb took advantage of a steady breeze, at least by the standards of the Gareloch, to send us on a course zig-zagging across the loch.

The shore end of the starting line was well to windward but pressure was lighter and more variable there.  Catriona went for it and immediately Teal, who saw the danger, took the lead.  Halcyone was the other strong starter.

The second leg, back across the loch from Clynder, appeared to be a fetch but tacking was needed in the end.  Teal got to windward to start with so that Catriona suffered in wind shadow.  Halcyone climbed well and got the better of poor defensive manoeuvring by Catriona.  Spinnakers next, to B, off Silvers.  Teal now had such a lead that she would only be caught if she fell foul of inconsistent Gareloch wind.  She didn’t.

Halcyone and Catriona had a battle downwind, Catriona managed to sneak a pass to leeward.  Athene was next and used her new spinnaker to good effect.  She was well clear of the rest by the end of the leg and concentrating hard so as to give nothing away.  Second and third places changed a couple of times more on the windward legs. Athene, greatly encouraged, is set to climb the leader board.

1 Teal, 2 Catriona, 3 Halcyone, 4 Athene, 5 Thalia, 6 Thia, 7 Hermes

A contingent of four Garelochs took part in the Mudhook Regatta, held on the east patch in the river.  The committee struggled with lack of wind to start with and moved further west than the usual east patch sailing area to find a decent breeze which improved over the day.

The races for the Gareloch Class belonged to Dione.  No one could touch her on the water.  She was first in the first two races and well ahead in the last.  Only to find she, along with Catriona, had not noticed a change of course and had missed a mark.  Notwithstanding the retirement, she was the class winner.  Hermes and Athene fought with each other.  Hermes finishing ahead of Athene in two of the three races.

1 Dione, 2 Hermes, 3 Catriona, 4 Athene.

No wind. No race.

The Gareloch Class went to the Royal Mersey Yacht Club at Rock Ferry to race in Mersey Mylnes.  The pier from which we went out to the boats is a listed structure and was used by a long gone ferry across the Mersey.  It was a very special party because our hosts celebrate their 175th anniversary this year.

The tide dominates racing here.  We think of up or down referring to the direction of wind. The locals use the term to refer to tide. Wind was light but much better than forecast.  The course along the west shore kept us away from the commercial vessels in the river and from strongest tide.

We had three team races.  Our best performance was in the first, when our own Barrie Choules took line honours.  We were equal on points in this race so that the hosts won it by virtue of not having first place.

On Sunday morning, there was a fleet race, again won by a local crew.  Our own Lucy Forrester, on the helm of Mercury, kept them honest.  She was pinned out left as a result of poor tactical advice from another of the Gareloch team and had trouble getting to the windward mark on port tack with the fleet on starboard.  Slick spinnaker work by Royal Mersey Commodore Ian Diamond helped Lucy to be first at the leeward mark. She made good use of the gap to the peloton and kept all but one at bay.

Sun and wind.  There could be few better places to sail.  Race Officer Carol Rowe was able to choose a course starting to windward up the Shandon shore.

With tide flooding, the pin end of the line was best regarding both wind and tide.  Catriona got the favoured position.  Perhaps her approach was compromised by a luff from Thia because very soon Halcyone and Dione, who started further back down the line, had the advantage.  Catriona tacked onto port to go inshore and ducked Halcyone who tacked to cover.  She had not noticed a charging Dione and was obliged to tack back.  Catriona felt very pleased but could not hold Dione.

A reach across to Clynder was just too fine for spinnakers.  Dione set off on the run down the loch to the club with a good lead.  Teal and Halcyone indulged in some luffing, Halcyone dropped a place.  Teal was now well to windward of Catriona who had to respond to avoid her air being disturbed.  Dione, too far in front for it to matter, increased her lead.

Nothing changed on the beat back to the starting area.  There was time for a second round.  Dione was reeled in a little on account lighter patches of air.  For the run downwind to the club, Teal pushed hard from third but could not make a pass.  Dione trended towards the Clynder shore, which looked like a mistake.  She put on a spurt on the approach to the leeward mark.  She kept her spinnaker late to be sure of preventing anyone having an inside overlap (which would have given priority in rounding the mark).  The tactic was her undoing.  It led to a wide turn as she was slow setting up for the next leg upwind to the finish.  Catriona turned more sharply and was overlapped to windward.  The two stayed like that for a while before Dione dropped back.  Teal tried her luck further out in the loch.

1 Catriona, 2 Dione, 3 Teal, 4 Halcyone, 5 Thia, 6 Luna

Too much wind. No race.

Race Officer Iain MacGillivray took advantage of a good wind to set a course beginning with a leg to windward and incorporating offwind legs which required gybing.  He send us first to D, north of Clynder.

The shore end of the starting line was favoured and Catriona had it all to herself. Dione and Thalia were able to point higher on the beat and reeled her in.  Hermes mistook the one minute signal for the start and was on the course side of the starting line as a result.  Luna, in the charge of Julian Forrester and Chris Ings, is new to the competition after a few years laid up.  She was in the mix and sometimes in third place in the to and fro going to D.

Dione was first for a reach across the loch and thence downwind legs requiring spinnakers.  Catriona was sharper with her third sail (although we were all out of practice) and got back to the front.

On the beat to D of the second round, Halcyone played the nuances of wind and tide best.  She moved to a strong second place, Catriona took care to cover.

Offwind to the finish, determined luffing by Thalia failed to keep Dione at bay.  Luna’s crew was pleased to be in the mix with people who have been racing Garelochs for longer.

1 Catriona, 2 Halcyone, 3 Dione, 4 Thalia, 5 Luna, 6 Thia, 7 Athene, Hermes OCS (RO duty – Teal)