The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
Despite it being a sunny day with perfect wind strength, only five boats made the start for the first race in the Sunday Morning Points Series Welland Yacht Club.
A certain football game being played in Australia obviously diluted interest, while floating cut weed coming down the river made for tricky conditions.
With the wind blowing straight down the river the boats had to tack at the start and the first away was Gerri Van Haren in a Phantom, followed by Mark Holland in a Laser full rig. Alan Cox in a Laser Radial, Richard Stednan in a Comet and Helen Boyd in her recently repaired and painted Solo followed.
Van Haren pulled away in the larger-sailed Phantom on the beat to Chilvers Corner and extended his lead once around the corner on the way to No.4 buoy on a tight reach.
That remained the order of rounding when they returned to a temporary buoy placed due to the amount of weed around the No.1 buoy.
The two Lasers were close and the Comet and Solo were also in a private battles. Van Haren struck weed just after Shelleys Bush Corner that caused him to slow down as he struggled to free the rudder. That allowed Cox and Holland to make up ground. However, Van Haren managed to get under way and held on to his position to be first over the line followed by Cox and Holland 16 seconds later.
Stedman was able to make some ground and finished ahead of Boyd. After handicaps were applied, Cox took first place, followed by Van Haren, Holland, Stedman and Boyd.
The same boats started the second race in the series with the course shortened to three and back to one twice.
This time it was Cox who judged the start well, closely followed by Stedman, Van Haren, Boyd and Holland.
Stedman picked up a shift and was able to have the starboard rights over Cox and moved into first place and this battle continued up to No.2 buoy, when Cox edged in front for a lead he held throughout the rest of the race.
As they rounded the No.1 buoy, Cox was followed by Holland, who just had the rounding rights in front of Van Haren and they continued their tacking battle. Boyd was next to round, ahead of Stedman and they remained close during the second lap.
With Van Haren breaking the kicking strap on his boat, holding him back, it took a while for him to pass Holland but he did and was second over the line to Cox, with Holland third, followed by Stedman then Boyd. After the corrected time was worked out it was Cox first, with Holland second and, 25 seconds behind him, Van Haren, Stedman and Boyd.
The third race after lunch was in the Personal Handicap series and, with only three boats racing and a shortened course of one lap, the start should have been easy but all the boats were line shy.
Cox eventually crossed the line first, followed by Stedman and then Boyd, who were in close contention all the way up the beat. That allowed Cox to sail into the distance.
The only mishap in the race was the unfortunate capsize of Boyd in the Solo as the wind gusts increased and gybed her boat near No.2 buoy. She was able to right it and continued to finish in third behind Stedman with Cox once again taking first place.
q Anyone wanting to find out more about sailing can contact the club via email – secretary@wellandyachtclub.co.uk
