Sunday 23rd February dawned, the forecast was for 20 knots plus, cloudy with a small chance of rain as 25 skippers from as far away as Cornwall and Norwich descended on Scotland Farm for Lincoln Model Yacht Club’s first main event after severing ties with Hykeham Sailing Club.  The lake is wide open and free from trees and buildings and it allows the race officer to set courses whatever the wind direction. The wind was southerly and gave a 180 metre beat and run.  Rig choice played a big part with some very big gusts tearing down the lake.  Some skippers went straight to C rig whilst others went up a size and put the B rig on, managing for the most part to handle the gusts.  In the seeding races a V8 sailed by Dennis Payne and a Britpop sailed by Peter Sutton were both winners, and then the main event got started, and in the first three races Darin Ballington stamped his authority down with a first, second, and a third, with his shiny red Britpop.  John Tushingham with his dark grey Departure  was no slouch, being just one point behind at that stage, with Dave Burke and his blue Britpop keeping them both honest.  Lincoln’s very own Martin Lambert sailing a very nice but quite old Lintel was having some bad luck with the marker buoys despite getting a third in the seeding race. Good form was also being shown by the Moster of Graham Whalley and the V8 of Dennis Payne.  Also the old Gadget of Rob Wilson was showing some fine form.  The next two races were taken by Darin, with John only managing a couple of thirds. Martin recovered well and got a second, his best result so far. It was all about consistency and being able to manage the gusts.  Most people had decided that B rig was the best, but keeping it under control was not so easy with major wipe outs down wind being a regular occurrence. Race Officer, Chris Elliot kept the racing going with a short lunch break, and only one protest to deal with that took moments to resolve. The racing was excellent both to participate and to watch.  Vinnie Zammit was sailing his new MX14, of which more are in build as I speak, and this could be a boat of the future. Peter Cropper sailed his Nemesis well, and am sure was happy with his 5th position overall.  Seven different designed boats in the top ten proves that I.O.M. racing is hugely competitive and exciting.  In the end it all came down to the last race of the day with both Darin and John fighting it out. Darin got the first place he needed to take the event from John, with Dave in third place.  The Ladies also had a great day with newcomers Tracy and Jen improving as the day went on, but in the end it was Liz who took home the chocolates, sailing her departure into 14th place overall.  Many thanks to everybody who competed and for the courteous  behaviour shown by all.  I should mention that half way through the event  Dave Hollum dived very close to the bank and was lucky not to roll in. Once he had recovered he was told “that kind of behaviour would not be tolerated and to keep it for the football field” Dave apologised and promised it would not happen again.

Some picture and the results follow

Could be a pinkish kinda day , The Norfolk pair Vinnie and Peter

Rob Wilson leads Dave Hollum up the beat

Good start for B Fleet

Half way up the beat

Briefing Race officer Chris tells it straight

Darin the Winner at Lincoln

John second place

Dave , gets better daily

Dennis a well deserved 4th why the long face

Peter all the way from sunny Cornwall 5th place

TOP LADY

  the reults

APOLAGIES  John Tushingham was quoted in the report and the final results as sailing an MX14, he was in fact sailing a Dave Hollom designed Departure apolagies to whom they may concern

Mick Admin

If any body has any more pics send them in and i will try and put them on the website