The Datchet Flying Fifteens

The World's most popular fleet racing sportsboat - If you live West of London, or anywhere in the London and the South East,... and fancy giving sailing a try,... then you should look at the Flying Fifteen Fleet at Datchet. Situated near the junction of the M4 and M25, you'll find beautiful boats, friendly people and great fleet racing. Take a look at our Fleet Website (click on the top photo to the right) for more information, or visit www.flyingfifteen.com

Fancy a Trial Sail ?? Look at our Loan Boat Program by clicking the second photo on the right......

Got something you want to say on "Datchet Man"?? Just email it to datchetman@flyingfifteen.com

You can visit our Fleet Blog and Website,"DATCHET MAN", (CLICK ON FIRST PHOTO ON THE RIGHT), or go direct to WWW.FLYINGFIFTEEN.ORG and bookmark us there on your PC. Even better, make it your browser homepage....

On the website we have super Flying Fifteen Photos, and loads of information for the First-Time Flying Fifteen Sailor or for people thinking of joining our great Fleet at Datchet...

Sunday, 21 November 2010

Race Reports - Sunday 21st November

Seven boats racing today. Noticeable absentees though - John and Helen, Adam, Andy and Nadia, the Admiral and XFC. Pretty cool but not cold - and around a 10knot northerly - which was all over the place from time to time. "Up the middle" seemed to pay. The course was a bit short, notably the reaches - using only half the reservoir again.

Race One : we were generally a bit tardy for the very prompt race officer. Mark and Tony shot off the line and kindly waved to Howard and Richard headed in the opposite direction trying to get a start in. Howard v cross, as they began in 6th.... and heaven knows how many seconds behind. Richard blamed the tacktick.... A nice race - Mark and Tony never challenged, and Team Millar sailed a stonker to come a great second. Howard and Richard did a bit of that overtaking thing to come third. Doing a Button as they say....

Race Two : pressure on as we were all at the line and ready to go. Mervyn in his new 3536 had a great start at the committee boat end as did Mark and Tony. Richard and Howard gambled for the pin end, and the fleet in general got out of the trap very well. The pin end gamble didn't work too well, and at mark one it was Mark/Tony, Mervyn, then Richard and Howard. Then unaccountably Tony decided to read poetry to Mark instead of focussing on his spinnaker work - letting 3536 come storming through to take the lead. And then before mark two, Richard and Howard took them both. Terrific stuff! Howard is so good in those marginal reaching and planing conditions.... This was great racing. Team Hume came through strongly, Mervyn continued to sail well, and Mark and Tony (poetry readings complete) really piled the pressure on. But at the end, Richard and Howard took it by four seconds from Mark and Tony, and they were 5 seconds ahead of Team Hume.

Star performances of the day? Team Millar in race one - really sailed it very cleverly. Then our newcomer, Mervyn Wright in 3536 sailed extremely well too. His crew had never sailed a spinnaker until the day before. Blimey. A team to keep an eye on. The midnight monster might need to put lead in their tanks if they keep on like that!!

A great day's class racing !

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