We had 12 FF's for racing (just one short of the RS Open Meeting that was on...) which was a great turnout...!! Twenty four people had a fabulous day, let me tell you.... We spotted another new Club Member and his FF today - I could only see from a distance a lovely gleaming wooden boat, which I am told was previously owned by Keith Jamieson, the BIFFA Secretary... new owner is John Watling, I believe. Dying for an introduction so that I can go and have a gawp at the boat !! We also had Neil Palmer join us for the first time today - an ex-big boat sailor he crewed for the Admiral today. Jolly fit looking chap and exactly the right build for FF racing - if you are looking for a crew, get his contact details from Mike.
I drove over early from a dark, soaking Kent this morning (as usual) and drove through every kind of weather except snow. Arriving at the Club it was brilliant, bright sunshine and a fabulous, forceful breeze - much harder than forecast and we raced in a glorious Force 4-5, gusting to 28knots. What an absolute STONKER of a day !!! It was just brilliant - Spray everywhere!!
As I write, the Club has not yet posted the results and to be fair I can't remember all that much of the placings. Race one was simply terrific. We hacked away out of a very square gate and blasted our way up to the top mark. Reach 1 was too tight - pity it was a great length - and we barrelled down there under white sails only - pretty quickly it must be said...!! We flicked around the wing mark and you could hear the bags boys cursing - "wrong bag!!" - and really honked across reach 2 which was a surfing run most of the way. The fleet started to split - out front were John and Helen, followed closely by Howard and Richard, then Mark and Tony, with Dom and Non-Dom in close attendance somewhere. As we took to the sausage leg, Tony and Mark sailed deep and fast and took the inner berth from John/Helen, Howard/Richard at the bottom mark, rounding first. It was all extremely close here - with the three boats within a few feet - and Howard and Richard almost taking a munch out of Hakuna's transom on the turn. Howard and Richard were boxed by the tight turn and had to break away here, but the other two marched on and gained a few lengths on the beat - as did the Humes, sailing really well. It was all a bit close again as they got to the windward mark for the last time, and Howard and Richard touched the damned thing. One penalty turn later and the Humes galloped through. The final reach to the finish saw Mark/Tony just ahead, then John/Helen and Dominic/David coming through - Howard and Richard chastened and some way back. Suddenly a huge gust propelled Howard/Richard at breakneck speed, eclipsing The Humes and overlapping with John/Helen at the finish line. Spray and flogging sails were everywhere, but I would think the record will show John/Helen taking second, Howard/Richard third and Dominic/David fourth. There were just a few metres in it.... a stunning race, all the way.
(Aboard 3934 we discovered our main was not right up for the whole of the race - and had to let rig tension off to get it hoisted. Then we slacked the rig tension for the first lap of race two - a laughable mistake! )
Race Two saw us get away cleanly again - Steve and Simon in Black and Blue making a lovely start at the pin that would see them good all the way through the race. Dominic/David and Howard/Richard tacked off to go right up the beat and this was a hopeless way to get up there. The whole fleet came past and we were, I think, tail end Charlies. So lots of work to do - I can't actually tell you what was going on up front - we were a huge way back which I tend to describe in the bar as "spray on my glasses...". We did though get past a lot and may have got 3934 up into 5th or so, maybe 4th. I'll rewrite this part when the Club Results are posted.
A fabulous day's racing.......
