Tamar 7
Eleven boats approached the start with such enthusiasm for the bright day and the fresh little northerly winds that half of them were already over the line when the horn blew. At the restart John Dabbs, sailing his Bosun reefed and alone, got away first on starboard tack as was the rest of the fleet. Jane Anderson (Laser Radial), Adam Hilton (Solo) and Vicki Duncalf (Topper) followed. The Bosun soon had to tack but was not clear of the others and Vicki Duncalf called starboard on him. There was a touch and the resultant penalty turns put the Dabbs Bosun at the back of the field. Bob Sampson (Laser Full) started sixth but in the course of the first lap got himself to the front of the fleet, a position he never lost and, with a two minute lead over second place Jane Anderson at the finish, his win was handicap-proof. Nathan Pollard’s Laser Full started in eighth but was soon chasing Adam Hilton’s Solo in third, and on the second lap overtook on the beat to Pinkie but didn’t manage to catch Jane Anderson ahead. The big-sailed Laser of Paul Anderson and the Streaker of Robin Spiller were never far apart, the Streaker ending the first two laps in fifth place, the Laser in sixth but the position was reversed at the finish, the two boats twelve seconds apart on the water. The Bosuns of Brian Pollard, Cilla Gilbert crewing, and Roger Heasman, with Linda Spiller, spent the day in close competition, the Pollard boat leading this race at the end of each lap and a little over half a minute ahead at the finish. Those forty seconds meant the difference between second and seventh places when the handicaps were applied!
- Bob Sampson (Laser Full)
- Brian Pollard and Cilla Gilbert (Bosun)
- Jane Anderson (Laser Radial)
- Vicki Duncalf (Topper)
- Adam Hilton (Solo)
- Nathan Pollard (Laser Full)
- Roger Heasman and Linda Spiller (Bosun)
- John Buckett (Otter)
- Robin Spiller (Streaker)
- Paul Anderson (Laser Full)
- John Dabbs (Bosun)
Tamar 8
The two warring Bosuns both started very well, Brian Pollard’s right on the line as the horn blew, but he was some way to leeward and Roger Heasman had an advantage which he held onto until the last lap; he finished seven seconds behind his rival. The third Bosun, now with John Buckett joining John Dabbs as crew, threatened to change the order, approaching Dam Green neck and neck with Brian Pollard, but finished each lap the third of the trio. Vicki Duncalf’s Topper chased the Bosuns throughout and was close enough at the finish for the handicap to put her above the Dabbs boat. Jane Anderson (Laser Radial) and Adam Hilton (Solo) were the other early starters; the Anderson boat too early and obliged to dive back over the line. This set-back put Jane Anderson in fourth at the end of lap one but she was gaining on the Solo when Adam Hilton added an extra buoy to the course and handed her third place. The leading places were held by the full-sailed Lasers of Nathan Pollard and Bob Sampson with the Pollard boat dominant. Unusually the handicaps hardly changed the order on the water.
- Nathan Pollard (Laser Full)
- Bob Sampson (Laser Full)
- Jane Anderson (Laser Radial)
- Adam Hilton (Solo)
- Brian Pollard and Cilla Gilbert (Bosun)
- Roger Heasman and Linda Spiller (Bosun)
- Vicki Duncalf (Topper)
- John Dabbs and John Buckett (Bosun)
Grateful thanks were given to Nicky Buckett, Officer of the Day and to Mandy Pollard who took the photographs.