Category Archives: Race Reports ’23

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.

Report from John Campbell on Circe

A good turnout with a gentle breeze from the south, or thereabouts, and lovely post coronation sunshine (which was unexpected).

RO Fergus** set the course which was from Z, A, G, Z and at the start both Catriona and Ceres settled for a position down the line and got cleanly away. At the pin end, Circe had managed to get to the outer buoy on close hauled forcing a few others to be squeezed out, but no shouting or drama, so that was good! Up to A the boats generally stayed close to the Rhu shore and round the mark it was Catriona and Ceres up ahead, followed very closely by Circe, Dione and Halcyone.

On the run, there was good racing in the middle of the fleet, with boats jockeying for windward position, with spinnakers dangling a bit. For a moment, Catriona seemed stuck in a hole and the fleet bunched up but she moved on in good time. Hermes was well placed but then seemed to drop back (she was pointing well upwind).

Round the bottom mark and then the wind seemed to drop just that little bit more allowing Catriona to make good her lead (even though she overstood the Z mark), Circe arrived 2nd, followed by Halcyone, Dione, Ceres, Thalia, then Thia and Hermes. Just as well we didn’t do a 2^nd round….otherwise we might have been out there for the next coronation!!

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

**The RO’s assistant Charles Darley on Catriona points out: “It should be pointed out, Fergus is a dog sailing with the On the Water Race Officer.  He is more competent than most but timing is unreliable.”