What a fantastic mornings racing, on a day when we should have been hosting the anual Clive Hand Memorial trophy, the weather gods shone on us, Fine weather a nice Easterly breeze around 10 knots, and some excellent course setting by Tim Hand. 14 skippers showed up keen to get started, I even noticed some practicing before racing started proper ” Nice” .

Racing was going to be on the South bank with three long beats and two runs, The weather marks being laid at the furthest they could be, and they did become an eyesight test for some one or to skippers, Shift’s there were plenty to catch even the best skippers and no two beats were the same, Rob Wilson sailing his trusted Brit Pop was into his stride at the get go and won the first race, with big Tim on the V10 not two yards behind, Race two saw Mick C swop his Boat with Mike W and both learned from the experience, one it takes time to learn a new boats handling traits , and two its very difficult getting a boat to perform when it is taking on at least a cup of water each beat. Boats swopped back and retrimmed the Sedici simply flew for the next two races, and with Jen Hand and the pink lady finding her feet, she had indeed took two seconds in races 2 and 3, bit of a story “hear”,

Mick C along with Tim H were called over at the start of race 5 Tim went back but Mick continued for half the beat before realising that he too had been over, Deaf as a post Mick then changed his hearing aid batteries before the next race. It was great to see that the whole fleet is getting better and better and some good peformancies were seen from Roger Bowtle with his Lintel and Greg Codling with the TNT ( new to sailing this year by the way ) , we all know how frustrating it is when your learning but keep up the good work, Mick Cooper was showng flashes of brilliance off the line but he just needs to calm himself on the downwind (Just relax) get that trim right and it will all come together, just remember you dont need to win every race, this is a series, concentrate on one race at a time. Peter Walters with the Slimtell showed also flashes of speed and brilliance getting a couple of seconds in race 4 and 5, Keith H with his new Sedici must have been pleased as he got better as the morning wore on, justa shame he was sailing the wrong boat in the last race and only found the error of his ways when he realized his boat would not turn at the gate,

Many thanks to Mike W who took over the scoring after race 4, and Tim H who set our course , it was all a bit frantic at times but all in all a fantastic mornings racing in superb conditions, one or two lessons to be learned here, My greatest thanks to Roger Bowtle who left home at 0630 hrs to repair our mower before racing started, I have to say the club has got some fantastic members and I am grateful for that and all they do for the club. Very well done to Rob Wilson BP 97 who took the overall win, and all who helped to some degree in making it all work.

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