(Report from Charles Darley – Catriona but acting as RO for reasons which the report will explain!)
Catriona’s crew was late arriving at the club, due to incompetence. With self service Launch operation he was unable to get out to his boat and so volunteered to be onshore race officer.
There were four Garelochs with people aboard, but Iris was having trouble with rigging and thought she might not be able to race. The others had a discussion about whether or not it was too windy. Iris got things sorted and the race officer set a long course beginning with a beat to B off Silvers and then today northern most mark on the Shandon shore. Dione was the only boat to make a good start, Circe and Arke were both early and obliged to round the mark. Shortly afterwards everyone stopped and the race officer began to think that he would need to change the course to a shorter one. As it happened, some stronger gusts came in and there was sufficient wind. Circe tacked out early and benefited from stronger air which alluded Dione. There may have been moments on the run to F where Dione was in front but approaching the mark it was clear Circe had the lead. She tacked at the mark and found good air whereas Dione hardened up across the loch and was much more upright. With variable wind in different parts of the loch they were only five seconds apart at the C mark ready for the reach back to the starting area. Dione tried her best and there was luffing but to no avail. A second round was set to B and back again in an effort to have a dead downwind leg. Circe benefited from her sophisticated spinnaker arrangement with a sock on the deck and increased her lead over Dione.
1 Circe, 2 Diane 3 Arke, 4 Iris.
