Wealden Sailability (Beta)

Clouds covered the sky from horizon to horizon when I arrived at the lake just before 9am but they gradually started to break up and eventually the sun appeared – just in time for the last Race of the 2016 Wealden Sailability racing season.  We welcomed nine WS Racers to Chipstead to participate in the final Race together with others who had come along to enjoy the day but were not able to sail. What a fantastic end to a wonderful season that saw the front of the fleet still up for grabs.

Final result: 1. Kim; 2. Peter G; 3. Mike B; 4. David M; 5. Mark; 6. Steve; 7. Fay / James; 8. Mick / Helen 

“How much of a good thing can we take?” – I hear you all ask! Today was another fabulous day for sailing, albeit the  strong winds that WS Racers had to battle on the last three race days and which were predicted to be with us again today did not materialise. But we did enjoy a dry, sunny day with a brisk and chilly wind.

With the course set, the beat upwind, from the Start Line at Mark A, to Mark C and the reach across to Mark K were both affected  by the trees on the north shore disturbing the flow of the NNE wind and resulted in random wind shifts and eddies. Only the downwind leg of the course from Mark K to Mark A gave the Racers a consistent wind.

So the combination of the course and the wind’s behaviour around Mark C and across the lake to Mark K made sailing very tricky and challenging for everyone –  except perhaps for Peter Gregory whose Red Torpedo  was sailed skilfully and majestically through the fleet. Peter needed less than 20 minutes after starting sailing to be at the head of the fleet.  (Well done Peter! Ed)  This performance has put Peter in first place for the Summer Series, just one point ahead of Kim, with one race to go.

The usual schematic that shows where each Racer was across the Start Line and then at the end of each Lap and at the end of 40 minutes, and the  final result for today’s race, is shown below the pictures of some of the WS Racers who took part and the summary results for the Summer Series – with just one race remaining – can be seen by clicking the Racing / Results tab above.

Final Result: 1. Peter G; 2. Kim; 3. Phil / Helen;  4. Mike B; 5. Nick / Chris; 6. David Mason; 7. Steve; 8. Fay / James: 9. Bill Garry; 10. Mark / Mike; 11. Malcolm / John; 12. Lisa / Paul; 13. Peter W. 

As the season draws to a close and we reach the middle of October, it was another great day for sailing – dry with sunny spells and lots of strong wind.  Nine WS Racers and two volunteer helms arrived at Chipstead well wrapped up and eager to make the most of these great conditions and to eke out an improvement of their individual lowest score in the Summer Series. Ann, Bob, Steve, David M and Malcolm H were notable absentees from the day’s proceedings for a variety of reasons (Ed, Hope to see you all in the final two  races).

After 9 Races (#4 having been cancelled) there were just 3 more to go and that means everyone – even the leading group – can shave one or more places off their “Five Lowest” results. With a 12 to 15 knot wind prevailing from the East, the same course as  the last race was set; so the sailors assembled at the West end of the lake close to Mark A and after the Start (at 11.30 for the Double-handed Hansa 303s) they had a tough beat across the lake to Mark D and after leaving it on the port hand they had an exciting run downwind with a gybe around Mark C and more running down to round Mark A, to complete the lap.

After last week’s very tough sailing conditions, those Racers who turned up probably found it not only a pleasure but also slightly more relaxing to be out on the water. The wind blew more consistently even though there were still the usual Chipstead gusts to keep the Racers on their toes (or tipping them onto their gunwales) and I could see the Helms having to contend with some significant wind shifts as they beat their way back to windward after completing each lap by rounding the windward Mark A.

The comments made about the inaudibility of the starting whistle and shouted clarifications for last week’s Race were understandable. The wind conditions were not so bad this week (and hence less noise from all the sails and the water) and we hope everyone knew where they were in their individual start sequence. We know that some Racers have their own countdown watches and they are able to get the best boat position in the last 30 seconds before their Start. (Ed. For those that rely on hearing the whistle and shouted instructions we can only suggest that if you are unsure, sail by the Race Boat and ask).

This week’s Start saw Mark Cayzer/Mike getting away just ahead of Fay Watson/James but they were both still quite tentative and didn’t get across the line for 15 seconds! Bill Garry followed them up the lake just before Kim Sparkes crossed the line in her 303 just as her Start whistle sounded – a minute after the double-handed 303s, and she immediately started to chase after the leaders and get as far away from the 2.4s and Martins as possible! Unusually for him, Brian Mac was some way off the Start line just as the starter’s whistle was about the blast but he still managed to find some wind and get his race underway in his Liberty just over 2 minutes after the single-handed 303s! Then a full 8 minutes later, the remaining entrants, two Martins and two 2.4s, were released into the fray. But not without incident (Ed. Apparently . Since I later heard at lunch outside the clubhouse that a seemingly valid protest might have been made as a result of a large Martin baulking  a small 2.4 in the final 5 seconds before the Start!!) The only recall the Starter had was of Andy Wallace /Bob having an absolute flyer of a start, crossing the line as the whistle sounded,  and a glimpse of  Mike Blatchford closing in on the far end  of the Start line at speed but not being able to complete the manoeuvre because he would otherwise have crossed the Line too early. So he bailed out and had to do a  360 turn to be able to start his race.

The Race developed as the schematic below shows. Fay sailed very well throughout but Kim  managed to get to the front of the fleet just as lap 2 was starting and, whilst Fay’s and Mark’s 303s and even Brian’s Liberty were gradually overhauled (as the handicapping system predicts) by Peter Gregory in his 2.4 and Mike Blatchford in his Martin, Kim managed to hold the lead right through the full 40 Minutes. Peter W in his 2.4 made a very good start to the race but soon had boat problems and had to visit the pit lane for some running repairs, after which he just couldn’t make up the lost ground –  but seemed to enjoy himself nevertheless. (Ed. Did I see Mr Wagner out sailing in a Liberty in the afternoon session?)  And as Peter G said to me after the Race –  “In today’s conditions, when you’ve got helms who know how to sail well, the handicap system works!”  I heard a number of helms say – if only the race had finished 2 minutes earlier, I would have been 2 places higher up the leader board!! That’s the essence of Pursuit Racing – and it means that the early starters have got to keep their concentration up and just keep sailing as hard as they can.  Well done to everyone who had another excellent day on the water at Chipstead.

Final Result: 1. Kim; 2. Peter G; 3. Mike B; 4. Fay/James; 5. Andy/Bob; 6. Brian Mac; 7. Mark/Mike; 8. Bill Garry; 9. Peter W. 

The information in the schematic and the results exclude the two volunteers’ progress and finishing positions.

This race was fought out by thirteen WS Racers taking on a fierce 15 knot NNE wind gusting up to 20 knots. The air temperature was lower than it has been so far this autumn and fortunately everyone was appropriately dressed so that they could concentrate on getting their dinghies around the course as quickly as possible. The course started at the western end of the lake between Mark A and a distance mark, followed by a tough beat directly into the wind up to and rounding Mark D to port, to start the first downwind leg across to Mark C which had to be gybed round to head for the downwind Mark A.

An interesting Race Report has been provided by The Trustee in the Comments below and here are some photos taken – one might think given the size of his equipment – by a prize winning photographer, recording the excitement of the day and below them is the final result of the race and below that is the schematic showing each Racer’s progress made during the race.

WS Racing Summer Series Race 10

1. Mike Blatchford; 2. Kim Sparkes; 3. Phil and James; 4. Peter Gregory; 5. Malcolm Hill and Bob; 6. David Mason; 7. Steve Farmer; 8. Mark Cayzer and Mike; 9. Brian Mac; 10. Fay Watson and Charles; 11. Bill Garry. Andy Wallace and Peter Wagner did not finish.

The forecast was for a very wet and windy day, in fact so much so that general sailing was cancelled for the day and only racing was planned to go ahead.
But despite the mornings foul weather, 7 hardy (or is that foolhardy? Ed.) racers turned up to race, and their keenness was rewarded, as the forecast for the afternoon (no more rain and less wind) was totally accurate.

As he wasn’t in attendance, we don’t have the usual ‘riveting’ report from our regular race journalist. So unfortunately this weeks report is much shorter. But I do have 2 incidents from the race start, that I feel worthy of comment…

To set the scene; with the wind coming from the west, the start line was set between the 303 pontoon and mark K.
1). With just seconds to go until their start, 2 of the Liberty’s (who’s helmsmen will remain unnamed!) were heading at speed towards the pontoon end of the line…(where the race control boat was slowly backing away, into the small gap between the 2 pontoons!!. Ed). Realising that he was too early for his start time, the Liberty nearest the line decided to gybe around, forcing the leeward boat to also gybe in order to avoid a collision.
Note to the helm: One of the rules of sailing, is that, with 2 boats on the same tack, the windward boat is the give way boat. So next time, tack instead of gybing, then drop back over the line and start.

2). At the other end of the start line, a late starting single-handed 303 (sailed by a volunteer) on starboard tack, was aiming to cut just inside of mark K. Unfortunately one of the Liberty’s, manoeuvring around waiting for his start time, was also heading towards mark K, on port tack, so on a collision course!! The 303 had to take avoiding action by tacking, which meant totally missing the start line.
Note to the Liberty helm: The first rule for when boats meet is that Starboard tack has right of way!!

Anyway, on to the results, which were:
1. Kim Sparkes; 2. eter Gregory; 3. Peter Wagner; 4. Fay Watson; 5. Mike Blatchford; 6. Paul; 7. Bill Garry;