FFSC Summer

With the super forecast predicting a glorious 12 knots or maybe more with a little sea breeze left over. The sailors gathered for the first race of the Summer Series.

With 14 boats entered it was clear that their priorities were clear, a bad day on the water is better than watching tv. To true as it turned out the 14 boats chose very wisely indeed.

With the flood tide set and a decent gradient breeze of 10knots the OD set a course of Club line, seaman like exit of the river (seaman like a person who spends more time on water and not Seaman, David ex. England and Arsenal), Haven to port, outer to port, Dip to port and a hook of west knoll to starboard and club finish (if you like a lot of chocolate on your biscuit….join our club!)

As the clock ran down the fleet split clearly to Merlins and ‘nearly merlins’ edging the Bawdsey side and the preferred tide but less wind, and ‘single handed merlins’ (Ed. note: he clearly means Lasers but just can’nae bring himself to mention them) choosing the club side – more breeze but more adverse tide….no splinters at FFSC pick a side and go…
At the gun, Merlin 3543 Scammell / Smith nailed the start and got the breeze to get them past the wind Shadow of Bawdsey the others on this side Lewis / Hawkins and Read / Hawkins picked the right lane but the wind gods didn’t play ball and they were left struggling  to get going, over on the Felixstowe side Tim O’Leary and Max Evans led the singlehanders away in a close bunched pack, it soon became clear that the Bawdsey side pays once clear of the line and the fleet merged together, Scammell / Smith with a fairly handsome lead over O’Leary and Evans.

Reaching out the river Scammell /  Smith touched the bottom causing a bit of gear failure in the rudder department this caused them to slow and gave O’Leary and Evans the opportunity to get in front at the Bar buoy, Lewis / Hawkins soon got going and took advantage of the fetch to Haven, overtaking the singlehanders to lead the fleet,  Scammell/ Smith vainly tried to keep in touch.

At Haven Lewis / Hawkins, followed by  Evans, O’Leary, Jones, Scammell / Smith.  The short reach to outer saw Lewis / Hawkins gybe and hoist the pink shocker, followed by Evans, O’Leary and Jones, Scammell / Smith gybed around just after.
The stonking reach down to dip saw the fleet revel in the waves, it proved a little tight for Lewis / Hawkins who packed the pink shocker away once they spotted the Dip mark and headed up to lead round.

At dip, Jones, squeezed out Scammell / Smith who decided that trying to jury rig a rudder downhaul system was critical for for the upwind leg, so they hove to to let everyone past…well nearly everyone. Read / Hawkins (yes that Read, the one wot crews) were having  a great time surfing down to dip as was Last / Fisk (where exactly did you decide to stop to go swimming?) but Scammell / Smith managed to rig the rudder before they could overtake.

A short beat to West knoll saw Lewis / Hawkins lead with Evans, Jones and Daniels working hard to keep the handicap close. After the passing mark it was nearly a one tack wonder to the club line, well it was for the Merlin 😉 . Line honours again to Lewis / Hawkins, closely followed by Daniels, Evans and Jones, a short gap then O’Leary, Scammell / Smith.

Well done to the single handed Merlins…or slow handicap
1st John daniels

2nd Max Evans

3rd Ian Jones

well done to Merlins (and not merlins) fast handicap

1st Lewis / Hawkins

2nd Scammell / Smith

3rd Read / Hawkins (not bad for a crew helming Matt!)

Summer swimming points series

1st Last / Fisk (don’t worry there will be others

2nd unknown laser …we will find you…Harley, was it you??

Now i bet you wish you went sailing instead of watching football??

Full results are here: http://www.suffolksails.net/summer1/