Sunday 21st June saw 8 boats compete in our annual race down to the Tamar Bridge and back in support of the RNLI.
Weather conditions proved interesting during the event as scant breeze was evident during the rigging and an optimistic destination of a shortened course was agreed upon.
The start was slightly delayed by 20 minutes – not saying it was attributable to any one person – but you don’t need to look much further than Charles! 😊
By this time the wind had freshened to a lovely breeze making a lively close quartered start with Rob and Wilf (Topaz) competing against Steve and Mabel (Lark) and the singletons Kris and Tom (Lasers) jockeying for position.
As the wind strengthened, not only did it then allow the quartet of Belle, Patrick Iris and Saiorse (Vision) to utilise the trapeze to their advantage, but it also ensured they were the first to test the water for warmth and wetness!!
The decision was taken to restore the race to its original destination and with Chris F (RS Quest) enjoying a new elixir of life, she found herself in the dizzy heights of 3rd place trailing the Lark and one of the Lasers (Tom). In fact Tom S led from start to finish and certainly capitalised on the conditions to great aplomb!
All boats competed well tacking downstream against the sea breeze and anticipating a good run upriver with Charles and Patrick (Laser 16) using an spinnaker that appeared not to be of specification?
The journey upstream was all going to plan until you got to Cargreen then the wind speed dropped to virtually zero and then less than zero if possible with Tom S frustratingly only a fraction away from the finish line.
The boats drifted, some faster than others, resulting in laser Kris then laser Charles and Co overtaking the Quest. Tom S crossed the line, and proved to be a worthy winner, followed by Steve in the Lark with the remaining boats paddling or as is the case with the Topaz, not having paddles, swimming with the boat back to base camp.
John and Aoife were the only other finishers unaided who enjoyed the longest drift as the changing tide got stronger, and technically may have won, had the race not been declared over.
Thanks go to Sophie for providing Safety boat cover and OOD duties, multitasking at its best and to factor 50 sun-cream which worked wonders.
If anyone wishes to contribute to the RNLI, please BACS payment to WQSC and use RNLI and your name as a reference. The club will present all payments received to the RNLI in July.
Many thanks
Rosie Duncan | Dinghy Officer
(photos supplied by Tim Mitchell via his friend’s niche B&W camera 🙂
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