by Adam Hilton
Mandy Pollard
Teacake 3
John Dabbs, uncrewed in his Bosun, led over the line towards the Dam. Robin Spiller (Streaker) followed, Linda Spiller (Laser Radial) was next. These were helms who had been waiting pretty close to the line. A bunch of helms who had thought to cross the line at speed and were therefore a little further back, were caught out by a gap in the wind which left them with flapping sails. However, on the way to Inlet, the wind, more or less behind them until it bent round near the buoy, made up for it by pushing the stragglers towards the leaders. At Inlet Robin Spiller got himself inside the Dabbs Bosun and took the lead. As the little fleet crossed the middle of the Lake, making for West, the wind unexpectedly gybed Adam Hilton’s Solo. More gybes followed as he struggled to regain control. Linda Spiller capsized in sympathy. Robin Spiller, anxious about his wife, got stuck in irons. John Dabbs’s rudder, as pointed out by a gleeful competitor, was up. He lost a lot of time trying to get it down again. All of which enabled the now recovered Solo to sail away to Far in the lead. Linda Spiller was second from then on with John Dabbs a couple of minutes behind her at the finish with Robin Spiller not far off his transom. A fine race by Anna Walker and her mother in the Hartley 12 had them chasing the (reduced canvas) Heasman Bosun, overtaking it after Dam Green and gave them fifth place on handicap.
- Adam Hilton (Solo)
- John Dabbs (Bosun)
- Linda Spiller (Laser Radial)
- Robin Spiller (Streaker)
- Anna Walker and Leila Farmer (Hartley 12)
- Roger Heasman (Bosun)
- Louise and Colin Witchell (Bosun)
Roger’s Bosuns 7
John Dabbs was first over the line but he had arrived at it a little early and had had to sail parallel to it for a few meters. This enabled Louise Witchell, second away and the furthest up wind, to round Dam Green in the lead. Indeed all the other Bosuns were to windward of John Dabbs and rounded the buoy before him. The wind at noon had been strong enough to warrant small sails on the Witchell Bosun and a small mainsail on the Club Bosun that Roger Heasman was sailing. But by now such fierceness was long gone the wind blew at around force 2 from the east at the Dam end and, channelled between the hills, from the northeast at the top of the Lake.
Louise Withchell kept her lead at Home 2, the second mark, with Roger Heasman (with Linda Spiller) second and Brian and Nathan Pollard third. The Witchell Bosun still had its nose in front as they approached Inlet but had not managed to stay as far to windward as the others. A short tack was necessary but in the fluky winds so often found at Inlet the Bosun got stuck in irons and the rest of the fleet went past. Roger Heasman led across to Middle but after they had rounded Pinky the Pollard Bosun kept to the Cornwall bank, caught the wind and sailed away to an increasing lead. Roger Heasman and John Dabbs battled for second place from then on but the Heasman Bosun was never headed.
- Brian and Nathan Pollard (Bosun)
- Roger Heasman and Linda Spiller (Bosun)
- John Dabbs and Adam Hilton (Bosun)
- Louise and Colin Witchell (Bosun)
Grateful thanks were given to Bob Sampson, the Officer of the Day and to Mandy Pollard who took the photos on a day when she could have been sitting warmly at home.