(Report from Arke)
The season usually starts on the last Tue in April but there was a low tide forecast which prevented use of the jetty. Photos from Miriam Sutter showed just how low it was; with bits of shore visible that even more mature Gareloch sailors professed never to have seen.
So a leisurely Sunday to start. And the weather felt very leisurely with – on the plus side – a warm, bright day but with little wind and glassy patches across the loch. As it was the wind filled in just a little as we left the moorings. Although, given it was from the west and the forecast was for E or ENE, it wasn’t exactly instilling confidence. In the absence of other volunteers Arke took on the task of trying to find a vaguely sensible course; a short special course to H seemed to find favour. Very biased but the Y mark could be laid on starboard which most boats attempted.
Catriona led Arke in but was slightly early but managed to fall off and then squeeze back in which allowed Arke to get ever so slightly on top heading across the loch on starboard towards Silvers. Circe the best of the rest going very well just behind and pointing high.
The pressure eventually felt like it was weakening and boats further back looked a bit stronger. Catriona tacked off but had to duck Circe. Arke tacked too but a duck would have been painful so successfully lee-bowed Circe. When she tacked back again to Catriona, Catriona had her and lee-bowed her! And then Circe joined in above. Arke had no choice but to tack off out of the squeeze. It paid a little and she was followed Catriona in. (Once we had worked out where the heck the H mark actually was!) But Circe had continued strongly and had the inside at the H mark. So Catriona from Circe from Arke. Ceres going well and Thia and Hermes on the pace following round.
Back across to the start/finish, Catriona and Circe followed the lay-line. Arke – little choice – went higher. Also eyeing perhaps a little more pressure right. Thia did so too and got it first. With Hermes attempting to emulate. Arke spotted the right approach and managed to climb before Hermes rolled over her too. Meanwhile Catriona and Circe were not going fast. Dione too climbed up to the right. The wind went back and Arke launched her kite and rolled over Thia. Other launched too in response.
Arke now looked ahead. But on starboard not quite laying what was perhaps going to the finish at the Y mark. Arke gybed to port to lay the finish but good pressure now brought through a charging Circe on starboard and Arke had no choice but to try and get across her (or risk a collision, or get luffed, or just get rolled!). A mere minute from the line but Circe had the momentum and cruised through to take a well deserved win. Dione too also managed to squeeze through! Arke managed across. And then positioned herself down the line to watch what an incredibly close photo finish between Thia and Catriona (but given we were dealing with our spinnaker and conscious of a lee shore, without an actual photo!). Catriona also charging with better pressure from the left side of the course (in a perhaps deserved luck swing given the hole they had found themselves in while leading). It wasn’t definitively enough however and there was some uncertainty on Arke as to who had taken it. Glancing at bows and spinnakers.
On the rib heading back in, Charles himself graciously noted that in the event of any uncertainty the boat that was initially in front should be awarded it rather than the overtaking boat (FYI – somewhat similar to a mark-room overlap uncertainty approach).
1 Circe, 2 Dione, 3 Arke, 4 Thia, 5 Catriona, 6 Ceres, 7 Hermes
