Category Archives: Race Reports

Report from Teal.

The Mudhook Yacht Club regatta didn’t happen last year (the ripples of Covid and lockdown perhaps?) but was back this year  – with sponsorship from Saturn Sails – and will hopefully continue to be an annual event. It’s a prestigious old event and the MYC exists largely for the purpose of racing and this event. (Well and quite possibly the odd nice dinner?).

As it was only three Garelochs entered – Catriona, Teal and Athene – due to various commitments. With Carol Rowe guest helming on Catriona. Carol was short of crew for Hermes but wanting to race, so Catriona’s skipper Charles Darley – as usual, generous and endlessly encouraging of anyone wanting to sail – had offered the helm.

The racing takes places in the Upper Clyde’s ‘East Patch’ in the area between Helensburgh, Greenock and the Rosneath peninsula (where the RNCYC bigger yachts race alongside Helensburgh Sailing Club yachts under the combined East Patch Racing Committee). But the Garelochs don’t often venture out of the (often dubious) protection of their hill-ringed loch into these more open inland waters. Perhaps a bit more exposed, perhaps a bit more fetch – but perhaps no worse than a NW wind funnelling down the Gareloch – and often a truer, less shifty wind from most directions. (Of course true Gareloch racing zen masters actually like the shifty gusts of the  Gareloch as one approaches a mark close under a hillside. One must become one with the wind.)

And the East Patch was certainly more exposed; to an unusual north-easterly funnelling across Scotland through the flats of Stirlingshire, across Loch Lomond- and then across the saddle behind Helensburgh (between the hills to the north – Tom na h-Airidh – and east – Beinn Bhuidhe/Ben Bouie – of Helensburgh). The wind was good but strong with some feisty gusts. The sidedecks were wet and the boats needed the occasional pump (sidedecks going under, water over the bow and down the mast, or seams opening up?).

The MYC regatta is always well run and set up for multiple classes – of very different sizes and speeds – so that they aren’t simply mixed in together in the race courses, and often with separated finishing. Four classes, with fast handicap yachts off first, then Etchells ODs (fast modern displacement keelboats), followed by a CYC2 class and then finally the GODs. Although this time the format of the SIs and courses were – ahem – not perhaps as clear as they might have been… as became, and will become, clear.

The first race was selected from one of the standard courses in the SIs with a beat – given the E wind – up to a laid mark just off Craigendoran pier. This remained the windward mark all day. For all the classes, which gave Helensburgh a good view of some of the racing. Then downwind to a mark off the peninsula and then L to a spreader mark via the Sugar Boat and finally back up wind to finish at the windward mark off Craigendoran.

The pin end was slightly favoured and Teal lead in from Catriona and nailed the pin end start. And pulled ahead enough to tack and cross Catriona. Thinking to have starboard advantage on the next cross. But Catriona tacked further up and pulled ahead (superb sailing from Carol, and perhaps too a lane of good wind further inshore – that seemed to be a feature all day – the funnelling effect?). Teal tacked slightly early of the line to try to force Catriona to tack under the lay line. It sort of worked: Catriona made the lay-line but pinching slightly and Teal was able to round on top.

Down to the leeward mark and again neck and neck. Catriona went low and had inside. So Teal slowed, rounded wide, inside and on top. The guest helm perhaps not luffing as aggressively as Catriona’s regular skipper would have liked? At least that was the gist of the shouting from on-board.

A very long reach now to a mark off Port Glasgow now. A massive yellow commercial mooring buoy. Except Catriona rounded an earlier mark and headed back upwind. Teal hadn’t spotted the small print under the courses that indicated the GODs would NOT just be doing course B as marked but legs 3, 4 and 5 of course B! Teal quickly called the RO on the VHF and eventually received clarification – VHFs not being entirely easy on a small boat in a blow – of the small print.  And stopped reaching to Port Glasgow and followed Catriona! So race 1 to Catriona, with Teal rectifying her mistake early enough to take second ahead of Athene who continue to stay in the mix in challenging racing conditions. A good tight race slightly marred.

Races 2 and 3 were all about the start. The RO changed the course to give a simple sausage course with true beats up to Craigendoran and downwind legs to one of the massive navigation beacons in the middle of the East Patch, finishing at a second committee vessel at the leeward mark after effectively two and a half good rounds.

In race 2 Catriona lead in – perhaps conscious of Teal winning the pin first time – but with Teal chasing closely enough to worry her about a hook (and being forced OCS). As it was Teal pulled back and went up for the line at speed and close to windward, eventually taking wind from Catriona and pulled ahead. (Again, perhaps Catriona’s regular skipper would have luffed aggressively? A fine fine skill he has honed over years with a beautiful touch. Much of it fighting the much-missed Iris.) Teal was grateful and pulled ahead. And cemented it downwind. And that was largely that. Athene continued to sail well and stay broadly in touch in the challenging conditions.

Race 3 followed the same pattern after the start; largely all over. Catriona lead in early to win the pin but was just too early – as her skipper graciously acknowledged – and had to slow and Teal, following with good speed, had no real option but to hook her over the line (since getting overlapped to windward would have seen Teal luffed over). Duck on sitting duck, as it were (© Ufo Sutter). Catriona was trapped OCS and had to return. And again, in good true and strong wind, that was that.

The bigger and faster boats did a fourth race but the Garelochs were probably relieved to finish after three after a full-on but fun day. And head back to the sanctuary of the Gareloch in the sunshine and warmth. Passing through another regatta of dinghies from HSC off the main Helenburgh shore.

The sanctuary was illusory; despite being tucked under the shelter of Rhu and the hills, gusts continued to sweep over the moorings.

A superb day on the water, over good courses in good wind. Many thanks to the Mudhook YC, their sponsors Saturn Sails and supporters Boatfolk/Rhu Marina, Neill Ross Photography and Helensburgh SC.

1 Teal (2, 1, 1 = 4 points), 2 Catriona (1, 2, 2 = 5 points), 3 Athene (3, 3, 3 = 9 points) – see also MYC results page on Halsail (all classes)

Report (mostly) by John Campbell, RO – who kindly filled in the bones when we realised we had forgotten to write one!

A lovely evening on the Gareloch, but with the wind from the East, or even the North East depending on whether you were north or south of Blairvadach!

RO John Campbell realised that it was going to be a reaching start. Course ZACY was set. With an ebbing tide, there was the risk of a boat being carried over the line before the start but all boats started cleanly… apart from Dione who was a considerable distance south of the line and then caught out by a drop in the wind.

The first leg to A was a reach and those brave enough to set a spinnaker flew them, even though they then were at risk of being carried below the mark. Teal and Catriona set them… just as the wind headed and it turned into a very fine reach indeed.

Round A, it was Thalia, who had made a superb start, followed by Catriona. Spinnakers were then set by all to get to C, with an upwind leg back to Y. After the first round, Thalia was in the lead, followed by Catriona. Teal, Halcyone were having a good tussle – with much changing of positions and crossing in the tacking battles – and were neck and neck at the end of the first round. Teal forced a port tack Halcyone to tack right at the pin and squeezed through and ahead chasing Catriona. Hermes, Dione, Athene and Thia followed

One final beat. Thalia on fire and unstoppable out in a clear lead. Catriona chasing her. Teal again stood on slightly before tacking for the main beat to the finish having thought the wind better closer to the Shandon shore on the previous round. She gained enough that Catriona only just crossed her back on starboard. And close enough that Catriona stood no chance of tacking to cover and making it stick. Possibly Catriona was also looking forward and trying catch Thalia and claim a win; rather than defending second. Teal stood on towards the moorings before tacking back towards finish and the wind had been kind: she crossed Catriona by many boat-lengths.

The lesson of the Gareloch is that you need to cover. It’s a lesson even the best of us forget.

Thalia was still well clear. A header forcing her to tack just before the line, with Teal and Catriona charging in, must have given her palpitations, but Thalia didn’t panic and sealed a fine win.

1 Thalia, 2 Teal, 3 Catriona, 4 Halcyone, 5 Dione, 6 Hermes, 7 Thia, 8 Athene (RO Circe)

A sunny afternoon with light, changeable wind.  On the water Race Officer Peter Proctor chose the appropriate course for the conditions and direction of wind, down and up the Shandon shore.

The starting line was close to square to the wind but the fleet sought to start near the outer end.  It appeared there was better wind further out, along with the favourable ebb tide.  Hermes and Catriona wanted to reach the line ahead of the peloton and found themselves a little way past the pin.  Dione came out of the congestion well and hardened up on starboard tack towards the shore.  Catriona might have tacked to cover those who tacked out soon after starting but she would have had to duck Dione.  Whilst she waited it became clear there was good wind towards the shore, good wind ahead and a glassy area of water before the ripples further out.  Catriona, Dione and Hermes stuck with it.  By the time these had reached wind good enough to tack into, it was clear those who went out early had not prospered.

Downwind, it was a struggle to persuade spinnakers to fill.  Thalia saw wind filling from the narrows and hardened up to go further out.  To no avail.  As so often happens, pressure built from behind to bring Teal, Circe and Dione into contention with the leader.  Spinnakers filled and there was progress over mirror smooth water.  The contenders commented afterwards that as soon as they reached ripples, they slowed.  Catriona, meanwhile, having lost her substantial lead at the windward mark, found her spinnaker sheet tightening and drew away.

Ceres, sailing single handed, did not set a spinnaker and dropped back.

With wind lacking determination, Race Officer Peter Proctor indicated a finish at the end of the round.

1 Catriona, 2 Circe, 3 Teal, 4 Hermes, 5 Dione, 6 Thalia, 7 Ceres

Race abandoned. No wind.

RO Convenor Prof John Blackie was not blessed by good wind and, having started the Sonars who made a little way in to the loch and then stopped moving,  wisely abandoned the race.

Race report from John Campbell on Circe.

We all have questions to answer and there were a few that sprang to mind this afternoon.

There was a grand collection of boats today, a lovely sunny day but a wind from the south east that had moments when it almost disappeared, followed by moments which at least filled the sails. RO Circe debated whether to have a shorter course up to A and back (conscious of the strength of the tide), but then the wind filled in a bit more and instead decided to set H4 (ZADZ).

At the start, there was a bit of argy bargy at the pin end, allowing Ceres to gain an early lead from Catriona, both who started further down the line. The wind held fairly constant for the beat up to A, and the majority of the fleet tacked out into the loch, but Circe clung on to the Rhu shore and it paid off as she was first at A. The first questions then came to mind, what does a country mile mean? And where did it originate from? Itwas only a short distance from Z to A, but a country mile it was. All boats set there spinnakers for the long run down to D, and with the wind filling in, in gusts, the fleet bunched up a bit. Halcyone took the windward position and gained ground, along with Ceres and Thalia, then Luna, Zephyrus and Athene.

All rounded D and headed back to Z, which was still a decent beat against the incoming tide. Circe decided to head straight over to the Shandon shore, Catriona tacked up the middle of the loch. The wind just dropped a bit as the fleet came up to the line but it was Circe who crossed first, still by a country mile. Catriona finished second. Then of course there were more questions…like, how shallow is it just north of Blairvadach? This one had an answer and not just once, but twice as first Thalia went aground whilst trying to sneak a lift up to the line (she managed to refloat with a bit of heavy paddling) and then once Thalia was clear, Thia followed onto the soft ground (needing the club rib to assist her off). These incidents allowed a few boats to improve their finishing positions, and it finished with

1 Circe, 2 Catriona, 3 Halcyone, 4 Hermes, 5 Luna, 6 Ceres, 7 Athene, 8 Thalia, 9 Zephyrus (with Thia retiring.)

(As to the unanswered questions, there remains the meaning of a country mile, but the most important one is….How? That remains a secret of the Gareloch.)

There was wind but in the way of the Gareloch of an evening, its consistency could not be relied upon.  Race Officer Craig MacDonald risked one of the longer courses, beginning with a true windward leg to E, the northernmost mark on the Clynder shore.

The shore end of the almost inevitably biassed fixed starting line was favoured.  Teal and Catriona fought it out.  Not for the first time, Teal won with Catriona forced over the line early.  By the time she had returned and started, the fleet was away across the loch, Teal, Circe and Dione well away.  A favourite tactic of Hermes when the course is a beat up the loch is to tack up the Shandon shore.  With no point trying to gain ground in the disturbed air from the fleet, Catriona joined Hermes to good effect.  The leaders covered and as boats crossed tacks it was clear the Shandon shore was better.

Approaching E, wind was variable and hard to predict.  Circe had reached the shore first but still short of the mark and at risk of less pressure.  Teal further out and further up the loch found a beneficial corridor.

A fine-ish reach across the loch to F, off Shandon Church.  Wind from the north still fickle.  Circe was in front, Teal went high.  Catriona had no hope of getting above them and went low, hoping for the best.  The constant changes in direction of wind gave her air not affected by Circe some of the time.  Circumstances determined the lead at F.  Teal found a good streak of wind which took her to the front, then died.  Halcyone had come up behind Circe and disturbed her air.  Catriona approached the mark sailing higher and so a little faster than Teal and was round first.  Teal’s last chance was to be quicker with the spinnaker for the run to the finish but it went up in an hourglass.

1 Catriona, 2 Teal, 3 Dione, 4 Thalia, 5 Circe, 6 Halcyone, 7 Thia, 8 Hermes

(Race reports by the inimitable Class Secretary unless otherwise stated)

Another race with good wind, not as frantic Sunday.  There were no breakdowns.

Race Officer Iain MacGillivray selected a course beginning with a windward leg to D on the Clynder shore and benefitting from legs downwind where spinnakers could be set comfortably.  The shore end of the line favoured.  Catriona got the prime spot this time from Circe and Dione.

The beat was unnerving.  Some stayed towards the Shandon shore, some thought to cross the loch and beat up near the Clynder shore.  It appeared the combination of wind and (flood) tide was most favourable in the middle but the further you went, the more you were headed.  Those coming out from the Shandon shore must have had their spirits lifted.

Catriona led at the windward mark, from Dione and Circe who were close enough to engage with each other.   There was initial, illogical reluctance to set spinnakers.  The leaders managed the spinnaker gybe at the G mark (having taken a little while to locate it) and crossed the line for the start of the second round without changing order.  The rest well spread, Halcyone and Thalia were within half a minute of each other and, at the back, Ceres and Athene close.

The second round took us to A, off the club, before the beat back to D.  Catriona was distracted by untidied equipment of the spinnaker, failing to concentrate she let Circe by and was obliged to concentrate on Dione.  Dione went for the Clynder shore with Catriona covering whilst Circe ventured up the loch.  Clynder was better than might have been expected, when the leaders crossed again Catriona was in front.  Briefly.  Circe had the inside slot at the mark.  Of the three, Dione was quickest with the spinnaker and used it to good effect to get on top of Catriona and Circe.  A battle Catriona could not win, she gybed away in sufficient pressure for sailing directly downwind to work.  It nearly did.  Circe had the favoured shore end of the line to take the win.  Dione, inshore of Catriona, was beaten by a dog’s length.  Meanwhile, Halcyone had allowed Thalia to get inside at D, which irritated her.  No matter, she kept the fourth place in the end.  Ceres did not set a spinnaker which allowed Athene, who did, to take a place.

1 Circe, 2 Catriona, 3 Dione, 4 Halcyone, 5 Thalia, 6 Thia, 7 Hermes, 8 Athene, 9 Ceres. (Teal RO duty)

(Race reports by the inimitable Class Secretary unless otherwise stated.)

There was next to no wind as we ghosted towards the starting area.  Race Officer Carol Rowe postponed the start, partly so that competitors could get there and partly to allow the wind to make up its mind.  In the end, she selected a short course to H and back.

The H mark is a relatively recent innovation, inspired by Reay Mackay.  It is located off the Clynder shore between B (Silvers) and C (former McGruer yard).  When the wind is directly across the loch it provides for a short course incorporating a true beat.  There was some initial concern over flat patches in the loch but Carol had called it right.

The course is rarely used so there was confusion over the best way to start.  The pin end, of course, favoured.  The way to go was to (fine) reach along the line on starboard from the shore and harden up or tack at the gun.  There were those who tried to approach from the course side and were shut out by the traffic near the pin.  Others trying to beat up to the pin found the air so bad that oxygen masks dropped automatically from the boom.  (Apologies to Dave Perry, Winning in One Designs)

Circe hardened to go down the loch, Teal tacked up it.  Thalia had not dipped the line from the course side and was an obstacle until she went back.  Catriona sought to follow Teal but was not clearing the fishing boat which has replaced the late Captain Michalis (with a deeper wind shadow).  She tacked and saw that Circe was prospering so stuck with it.  Wind was unkind to Circe, she found lighter air and faded after her tack to cross the loch.  Catriona, seeing that she would pass behind Circe, tacked at the same time and after a while was close to Teal.  Both were some way off laying the mark.  Catriona was on top after they both tacked and pulled away to clear air and water for the mark rounding.  There was congestion and shouting as the peloton rounded.  Spinnakers to the finish with some sportiness regarding luffing/mark room near to the line.

1 Catriona, 2 Teal, 3 Thalia, 4 Circe, 5 Halcyone, 6 Ceres, by one second from 7 Dione, 8 Thia.