Enterprise Scottish Nationals, St Mary’s Loch SC 24/25 August 2024
The wind on Saturday was Westerly F4 gusting F6 and the Race Officer took the fleet further down the Loch for less shifty conditions, nevertheless the rescue teams were still kept pretty busy!
The wind seemed to bend from the valley to the right with occasional shifts to the left as a dominant gust from the clubhouse end of the loch blew through. Which way to go? The wrong decision could lead to big losses! The reaches saw plenty of planing along with some interesting decisions at the ‘wear round/gybe’ mark with numerous gybers sampling the clear chill waters of St Mary’s.
Race 1 (triangles course): Tim Sadler crewed by returning ‘supercrew’ Fi Foulkes got away well to lead at the windward mark followed by Jon Woodward & Keith Milroy. They clearly made the correct calls up the beat and gradually pulled away from the rest of the fleet for the remainder of the race. After a second rank start local sailors Charles Morrish & Dan Swaffield planed through on the reaches to take 3rd place.
Race 2. (triangle/sausage): Tim and Charles both noticed the significant port end bias. Tim lined up for a port end flyer, while Charles opted for the, more conservative, pin end starboard and tack early. Charles’ timing was just a little out so Tim was able to pull off his port flyer with aplomb. Charles then tacked and the two boats smugly crossed the rest of the fleet, or so they thought. Following behind Charles at the pin was Tynemouth sailor Peter Middlemiss, crewed by local Ailsa Goodfellow. Peter opted to sail beyond the pin for a few more boat lengths, found an even bigger lift on port and went on to lead at the windward mark. The reaches saw place changes as Peter & Ailsa slipped back leaving Tim & Fi in first with Charles & Dan second. Charles made a mess of the gybe rounding after the run allowing Jon & Keith to move into second place leaving the finishing positions the same as in Race 1.
Race 3 (triangle/sausage): The gusts were getting heavier and the sailors a little more tired. The conditions contributed to a pre start incident in which Callum Gibb collided with Mike Lewis. Mike’s boat was unable to continue and Callum sportingly retired.
Jon and Charles both got away well with Tim a little further back. Some way up the beat, following an incomplete tack Tim demonstrated his skill at sailing backwards – literally.
By the final triangle Tim had clawed his way back to third place followed closely by local sailors Gerry Goodfellow & Shona Redpath. The gybe mark however was to claim another victim. Tim & Fi didn’t make it while Gerry & Shona did (albeit with one or two ‘wobbles’!) They then sailed on to take third place, leaving Tim & Fi in fourth.
The exhausted sailors enjoyed food, beer, chat and games of pool followed by the usual late night bacon rolls. Then for some it was more beer and more chat until the early hours
Sunday dawned and the forecast of southerly F4 gusting F7 did not disappoint, apart from the fact that the F7 gusts were often longer than the F4 lulls.
The race officer decided to set a course at the clubhouse end of the Loch using club marks. I should explain that I have known the RO for some time, a perfect gentleman, but I missed that he has wicked sense of humour. The course involved a beat with a starboard rounding at the windward mark, followed by four downwind reaching legs and thus, three gybe marks – in a F7!! The decision to wear round or gybe was determined by the presence of lull or gust at the appropriate moment, several boats got it wrong on several occasions. Your author was too busy hanging on to know much about who wore round or gybed or capsized or where or when – except when he did.
Race 4: Tim & Fi led to the first mark approaching on port as Charles & Dan came in on starboard but just behind. Jon & Keith planed through to second on the final reach of the first lap. Gerry & Shona then went through to third up the second beat. Charles got greedy on the final gybe mark of the second lap and paid the penalty allowing Loz Young and Sam Jones through into fourth.
Between races Gerry & Shona were knocked flat by another powerful gust and decided to call it a day.
Race 5: Going into the final race Tim & Fi were secure for the event provided they were no more than one place behind Jon & Keith. Tim & Fi led to the windward mark followed by Jon & Keith and Charles & Dan. The second lap was eventful. At the first Gybe mark (which had been the ‘friendliest’) Callum and Loz both got wiped out by a vicious gust which Peter Collings & Simon R managed to negotiate and stay upright. Just ahead further drama was happening as Tim & Fi decided to head to the wrong mark on the third reach allowing Jon & Keith to close the gap before they realised their error. As the leaders approached the committee boat, Tim’s pleas for a shortened course fell on deaf ears and Jon & Keith took advantage to take up first place. There were no further dramas on the final lap as remaining boats sailed conservatively to hold their positions; Jon & Keith were first, Tim & Fi second, Charles & Dan third and Peter & Simon fourth. The result left Tin & Fi as winners of the event a point ahead of Jon & Keith and six ahead of Charles & Dan in third.
Congratulations to Tim and Fi on their victory to become this year’s Scottish Nationals champions and thanks to all at St Mary’s for an excellent event.