Frostbite 7
On the last day of the racing season the winds blew gently from points between east and north and the sun shone brightly, while omitting to warm the sailors on the cold waters of the Lake. Brian Pollard, with Cilla Gilbert in the Club’s ‘Rob Eason’ Bosun, had too good a start and had to return, only to find his main sheet had lost its attachment to the boom. Sue Murray, her Laser cautiously flying a little 4.7 sail, had a good start but the full sailed lasers of Bob Sampson and Nathan Pollard were away after the second buoy and finished six seconds apart but ten minutes ahead of everyone else. John Dabbs’ Bosun with Adam Hilton crewing, started well, lost places at Zebra but was still fourth at the end of lap 1 after which Roger Heasman’s new-to-him, sparkling white, ex-navy Bosun swooped past. Linda Spiller, with the other Laser 4.7, had a slow start but was dicing with the Bosuns by the end, finishing fifth on the water.
- Bob Sampson (Laser Full)
- Nathan Pollard (Laser Full)
- Roger Heasman and Sally Wills (Bosun)
- Sue Murray (Laser 4.7)
- John Dabbs and Adam Hilton (Bosun)
- Linda Spiller (Laser 4.7)
Retired: Brian Pollard and Cilla Gilbert (Bosun),
Icicle 7
The wind had turned round towards the south and was even gentler. The two Lasers that had had 4.7 sails now sported Radials and the Dabbs and Pollard Bosuns were now helmed by their crews. The start was now towards the Dam. Adam Hilton, the new helm of John Dabbs’ Bosun got away first on a port tack that took the boat well to leeward of the first buoy, Dam Green. His starboard tack failed to make the buoy and his manoeuvres to do so obstructed Linda Spiller’s Laser, putting him at the back of the fleet after penalty turns. Sue Murray had been the first to round Dam Green followed by Bob Sampson and then Nathan Pollard but the big-sailed lasers took over the front of the race again, with Nathan Pollard in the lead this time. Next came the Radials of Sue Murray and Linda Spiller and finally the Bosun battle which Cilla Gilbert managed to lead at the end of the first lap (of two), although neck and neck with Roger Heasman. Unfortunately for Cilla Gilbert, at Dam Green her Bosun lost what wind there was, allowing the Heasman/Wills boat to get well away. Then the Hilton/Dabbs Bosun arrived and also had to make multiple attempts to round that buoy. As a result the second lap featured a slow motion struggle between these two boats, the Hilton/Dabbs Bosun ending up in front.
- Nathan Pollard (Laser Full)
- Bob Sampson (Laser Full)
- Sue Murray (Laser Radial)
- Roger Heasman and Sally Wills (Bosun)
- Adam Hilton and John Dabbs (Bosun)
- Linda Spiller (Laser Radial)
- Cilla Gilbert and Brian Pollard (Bosun)
Grateful thanks were given to Vicki and John Duncalf who were the Officers of the Day and to Robin Spiller and Penny Abbott who crewed the safety boat and took the photographs.