WEDNESDAY EVENING
It was another beautiful summers evening, with the sun shining and the SW wind holding up, that the fleet set out. The usual suspects were out on the water, but joined by Francesca, launched after a couple of years moping in the shed. Unusually, Anthea got off to a splendid start and reached 3 buoy ahead of the other Y’s. Puffin was chasing her as fast as she could withPimpernel and Blandina close behind. Francesca, seemingly adjusting her sights after a period in the dark, started to make headway under spinnaker. Eventually she gained a creditable third place behind Anthea in second place, with Puffin getting by her in the end to win. Pimpernel came 4th withBlandina, having bounced and squeaked her way round the course in 5th.
SUNDAY
With the wind in the West and the tide on the change from ebb to flood, six YOD’s set sail towards Sconce. Diatom looked for the last of the ebb at the pin end, but Puffin, Anthea and Pimpernel had better speed initially to get to the buoy first. From there it was spinnaker over to D, with only Francescamoving up the Island shore first, which did not do her any harm as she made up ground. With Puffin and Anthea getting away, Diatom’s young crew, Cass Rattray, had his first lesson in flying the spinnaker from his father with good effect as Pimpernel was passed on the way to D. From there it was off to 2, confusingly set to Starboard. The leading two thought it may be a passing mark, but sensibly hooked it, but had to make back against the increasing flood tide, by which time Diatom had made up ground on Anthea. Puffin then ran down to 8 before the beat back down to 1 (Black Rock). At 8, rounding to port and fighting the tide, Diatom managed to slip inside Anthea and take second. Pimpernel did not round 2 and finished ahead of Francesca but amid much debate over the rules in the bar afterwards. Blandina ran out of time.