Report from the Secretary.
On the water Race Officer Peter Proctor selected a course down and up the Shandon shore, beginning with a beat to A, off the club. There was enough wind for one of the longer courses. Off wind we went to F, off Shandon Church and there was time for a second round. Just the occasional strong gust to concentrate minds. Especially under spinnaker.
There was the usual choice to be made at the start. The shore end favoured regarding direction of wind, with the pin end in better pressure. Teal went for the pin, along with most of the rest, misjudged it and was over early. The going back involved avoiding a queue of traffic.
Catriona and Thalia favoured the pin with the upshot that Catriona could not tack to join the others. Eventually, counters ended up being taken.
Ceres was first at A, was prompt with her spinnaker and led on the way to F. Offwind, Teal and Circe were close to each other, which did not help either. Anyway, on the approach to F, Ceres had the inside slot to round first, Catriona next, Teal and Circe had stayed out in the Loch. Ceres dropped her kite too early which allowed Catriona (with sufficient crew for a late drop) and Circe to pass.
Circe made the best rounding so that Catriona was initially unable to tack. By the time the shore was close and she called for room to tack, it was not strictly necessary. More by luck than judgement, Catriona found the best combination of air and tide on the way back. The buoy at the pin end, partly submerged on the rising tide, was hard to find. We all navigated with the help of a Blairvadach mark. At the end of the second round, Z was not seen at all.
1 Catriona, 2 Circe, 3 Ceres, 4 Teal, 5 Hermes, 6 Thia. Thalia RET.
