Teatime Tankard/Roger’s Bosuns 4
Bob Sampson, who had been on the water teaching new sailors, said we wouldn’t be having a race, but we did. The problem was seriously violent gusts from points west; not impossibly too much wind when it wasn’t gusting, particularly away from the middle of the Lake, but when it was, boats were frequently blown right up into the wind and in danger of broaching. Four Bosuns took to the water and two single-handers. Robin Spiller bravely took out his Streaker, didn’t start well, but had powered past three Bosuns to third at the end of the first lap. Despite this effort though he was down to fifth at the end of lap 2 and gave up, after two capsizes on lap 3. John Dabbs, helming Adam Hilton’s Bosun, was first over the start line. Hanging about for the horn had taken him well downwind from the rest but the gusts were kind for once and lifted him up to Zebra, the first buoy, where Bob Sampson and Linda Spiller’s Bosun was second and Roger Heasman’s sister ship (Sally Wills crewing) was third. However Nathan Pollard, who had put a 4.7 on his Laser, zoomed past these two on the reach to Inlet and had an overlap on John Dabbs before the buoy. Thereafter Nathan was a streak of spray well in front of the rest, finishing eight minutes ahead. In his wake four Bosuns took different approaches to the beat to West. The order at that buoy was Sampson, Heasman, Dabbs, Pollard (with Cilla Gilbert). Brian was the only one to have opted for full size Bosun sails – the others were all flying Otters – and it seemed to take him a lap to get used to being constantly over-powered by gusts. Thereafter he succeeded in overtaking the Dabbs/Hilton Bosun and was often in close pursuit of the on-going Sampson/Heasman chase. However those gusts would insist in blowing the Bosun off course and Brian had to re-overtake the Dabbs boat. Roger never did manage to get past Bob who ended winner of the Bosun race.
Results
Teatime Tankard
1.      Nathan Pollard (Laser 4.7)
2.      Bob Sampson and Linda Spiller (Bosun)
3.      Roger Heasman and Sally Wills (Bosun)
4.      Brian Pollard and Cilla Gilbert (Bosun)
5.      John Dabbs and Adam Hilton (Bosun)
Retired: Robin Spiller (Streaker)
Roger’s Bosuns
Although anyone may race a Bosun in this series, only a novice helm can score and there weren’t any novices present brave enough to helm!
Many thanks to Penny Abbott who ran the race.