(Report from the Secretary on Catriona)
Sun, Champagne wind, only a slight chill in the air to remind us the sailing season is drawing to a close.
On the water race officer Iain MacGillivray set a course beginning with a beat up the Shandon shore to F, off Shandon church, offwind legs ending at A, off the club for a beat back to the starting area.
The ebb tide was strong and wind usually good into the shore so that avoiding the worst of the tide paid. Circe got away well and made the most of less adverse tide inshore. Catriona chased with determination but was consistently behind when the two crossed tacks. Others, especially Dione, ventured too far out, were set back and never recovered.
Catriona found a favourable lift approaching F and was sufficiently in front of starboard tack Circe to make a clean rounding with no interference.
On the reach across the loch to Clynder it was uncertain whether or not a spinnaker would pay. Circe and Catriona waited to see what the other would do. Circe has a slick set up, launching from a chute so she tried the third sail. With no benefit. By the time it was set and drawing she was aiming below the mark. She took it down giving Catriona a bigger lead. Of the rest, Dione mounted a spinnaker pole but thought better of it! Arke got past Zephyrus (without spinnaker) on the run. Dione got past Zephyrus too and was just of Arke at A but Arke got round and under.
There was time for a second round of enjoyable sailing but not much changing of places. Zephyrus did get past Dione again on the beat from Z to F but Dione snatched it back again just after rounding A (in an ironic mirror of the way Arke got past her earlier!).
1 Catriona, 2 Circe, 3 Arke, 4 Dione, 5 Zephyrus, 6 Athene, 7 Hermes, 8 Thalia.
