Roger’s Bowl 15
It had rained all morning and it was cold but the northwesterlies were forecast to be gentle and the rain to go away. With this prospect a dozen club members came to the Lake and eight boats were signed on for the race. Just when all the sail choices had been made, a squall came over with powerful gusts which turned the placid waters of the Lake into an angry sea. A couple of helms rapidly put up smaller sails and another contemplated staying ashore.
But the squall passed, the rain stopped and the agreeably gentle and ungusty northwesterlies returned.
Dave Perrett (OOD and safety boat assistant to Brian Pollard) set an interesting course. A Home 2 starting line was followed by a beat to West White, some running to Zebra and Dam Green and another beat to Pinkie, which, if your boat pointed very high, could be reached in two tacks. The lap ended with a trip back to Inlet, which, in the familiar Inlet way, featured very uncertain winds indeed.
Bob Sampson’s little blue Topper crossed the starting line first with Nathan Pollard’s Aero 6 second and Sue Murray’s Laser 4.7 next. The Aero and then Adam Hilton’s Solo had started from the windward end of the line and that proved advantageous, the two boats reaching West in front. The rest of the fleet followed in the order Harriet Cox (Laser 4.7), John Dabbs with Linda Spiller in the Bosun, Rob Spiller with a small sail on his Solo and Roger Heasman with Teresa Cox in a reduced canvas club Bosun.
Nathan’s Aero was harassed by Adam’s Solo throughout the first lap but course confusion put Adam the wrong side of Home 2 at the beginning of lap 2. Sue Murray had in any case been catching him and did overtake at Inlet. On lap 3 a new squall made sailing very uncomfortable, capsizing Nathan’s Aero. It was also cold – Rob retiring his Solo to go and get warm. Harriet lost time putting right a course mistake. At the finish Nathan wasn’t far enough ahead for Sue’s 1216 handicap not to trump his 1099.
- Sue Murray (Laser 4.7)
- Nathan Pollard (Aero 6)
- Bob Sampson (Topper)
- John Dabbs and Linda Spiller (Bosun)
- Harriet Cox (Laser 4.7)
- Roger Heasman and Teresa Cox (Bosun)
Retired: Adam Hilton (Solo), Rob Spiller (Solo)
Many thanks to Brian Pollard and Dave Perrett who together ran both the safety boat and the race hut.