by Adam Hilton
Teatime Tankard 2
Fourteen sailors in nine boats started the race on the far side of the start line with the aim of getting to Pinkie in as few tacks as possible. The single-handers got away first; Sue Murray (Laser Radial) leading Adam Hilton (Solo), Linda Spiller (Laser Full) and Robin Spiller (Streaker). Then came the bigger boats. Bob Sampson and Rick Thurlow in the Club’s dark blue Bosun crossed the line the first of these. They were followed by Leila Farmer with Wendy in the Hartley 12, Ian Chatterton and Katie in the Enterprise, John Dabbs with Nigel crewing his Bosun and Louise helming the Witchell Bosun. At Pinkie the first three were still close and on the way to West John Dabbs and Leila Farmer swapped places more than once.
The winds were if anything even more fickle than of late, quite capable of swinging from north-westerly to south-easterly for a few moments, causing all sorts of involuntary gibes, switches from running to beating and the reverse.
Heading from West to Zebra Linda Spiller had managed to take over the lead, with Adam Hilton getting past Sue Murray and Robin Spiller in touch at the rear of this group. Bob Sampson still led the double-handers but at this stage he had Ian Chatterton on his heels.
Linda Spiller retained her lead but on lap 3 Sue Murray slipped past Adam Hilton and kept the place. Robin Spiller continued to lap in fourth but John Dabbs managed to get past Bob Sampson to finish fifth on the water and with a finishing time around five minutes after the leader, the handicaps gave him the victory.
- John Dabbs and Nigel (Bosun)
- Adam Hilton (Solo)
- Bob Sampson and Rick Thurlow (Bosun)
- Linda Spiller (Laser Full)
- Sue Murray (Laser Radial)
- Robin Spiller (Streaker)
- Colin and Louise Witchell (Bosun)
- Ian Chatterton and Katie (Enterprise)
- Leila Farmer and Wendy (Hartley 12)
Teatime Plate 5
The fleet was reduced to four boats. Sue Murray again got away first with the Dabbs Bosun, now crewed by Leila Farmer, second, and Linda Spiller third. Bob Sampson’s Bosun was delayed getting off the pontoon and sailed straight to the start line. Coming back from Pinkie to West, Sue Murray was managing to keep her lead over Linda Spiller and that situation remained for the four laps of the race with the two boats finishing four seconds apart. On the other hand the Dabbs Bosun’s lead over the Sampson boat tended to lengthen and was more than three minutes at the end.
- John Dabbs and Leila Farmer (Bosun)
- Sue Murray (Laser Radial)
- Linda Spiller (Laser Full)
- Bob Sampson and Rick Thurlow (Bosun)
Many thanks were given to Roger Heasman, who generously took over as Officer of the Day.