A port-tack start on the first beat to West White; Jane Chadney nicely positioned to windward at the front
Just after the start; noticeable how the boats that are closest to the shore have less pronounced wakes than those further out, presumably a result of the wind shadow effect of the trees behind the dinghy park
Linda Spiller having a great race in her Laser, close up behind James Pollard on the way to a 4th place on handicap
Penny Abbot helming the Bosun, crewed by new members Bob and Ann Bennett, out in their first race with the club
James Pollard leaves the rest of the fleet in his wake at the start of the afternoon Cup Race
The top end of the lake filled with the 18-strong fleet:good spectator sport for the Bank Holiday visitors to Tamar
More new members, Raily, Mario and Orlando Graham, crewing under the watchful eye of Adam Hilton
The Enterprise heads a group of boats round the dogleg between the newly-replaced Inlet White buoy (many thanks, Matt) and Zebra, giving an enjoyable short reach across the windiest part of the lake
James Pollard and Jane Anderson lead the fleet away at the start of the midday race
James Pollard, looking for the layline to the mark and still ahead of the competition, before his Laser suffered serious (probably terminal) hull failure, leading to a dismasting – and he ended up being towed back by the safety boat – very bad luck, James
Rachael Pomeroy leading this trio in her Topper, with the the larger-sailed Bosuns of Brian Pollard and Roger Heasman taking her wind on the run as they cruise up behind
For the afternoon race, Linda Spiller gets away first, with Jane Anderson to windward
Clearly quite a stiff breeze at times as the fleet reaches towards Inlet White; the red-hulled Bosun of Toby Tobias and John Dabbs, for example, has both helm and crew hiking out hard
Jane Anderson already well clear of the rest of the fleet in her Laser Radial, as she heads towards her second victory of the day
The Toppers of Nathan Pollard and Elliot Pomeroy alongside the Solo of Geoff Floyd
Synchronised gybing as Penny Abbot and Linda Spiller round Dam Green together
A general view from the Dam of the start of the midday race, James Pollard probably just first away
And an excellent close-up of the fleet gybing round Dam Green
The fleet heading away, very much in a stop-start mode, as the gusts came and went with almost no warning; Toby Tobias was being Captain Courageous in the first race, bravely taking on the conditions single-handed in a full-sailed Bosun
Everything looking surprisingly benign here in the sunshine, as Adam Hilton’s Solo and Penny Abbot’s Laser Radial beat back down the lake
Start of the afternoon race, with Jane Anderson first across the line in her Laser 4.7
Sufficient wind in the gust to have the Topper up on its side and dragging the boom through the water, though the lack of white caps on the water suggest that the overall windspeed wasn’t necessarily that high – but despite it all, Nathan went on to win on handicap
And then the vicious gusts would die just as soon as they came….. Here a hiking Steve Axford has had the wind vanish from under him, necessitating a rapid scramble back inboard for even the most experienced sailor
The two Bosuns slogging it out on the beat: Toby, now with Rachael Pomeroy as crew, ahead of John Buckett and Brian Pollard in the white-hulled boat
Always an interesting first few seconds when there’s a split on whether to go for a port or starboard tack start, though the light winds for the midday race meant that helms had longer to respond to calls of ‘Starboard’
Looking for the wind – and the best line – to the the first mark
Really good to see two rarely-raced boats out on the water: Elliot Pomeroy and crew Rachael are out in Wayfarer 4004 (formerly raced at Tamar by Roger Ford and Val Shillito), whilst Brian Pollard and Cilla Gilbert head downwind in the Kestrel
Nathan and John in close company in their Toppers
Relatively rare to see four Lasers in such tight competition at Tamar in the later stages of a race: here Bob Sampson (who went on to win) leads this quartet, whilst Sue Murray (in the red-hulled boat) came in an excellent second
Start of the afternoon race, with James Pollard showing at the head of the fleet
Interesting shot of the opening beat to West White: although camera angles can be deceiving, it looks as though Jane Anderson and Bob Sampson, tighter in to the Cornwall bank, have got a higher line to the mark than the boats further out in the lake
Jane Anderson getting her Laser onto the plane in the afternoon, on her way to victory in the second race
Swirling gulls, perhaps driven inland by rough weather at sea, provide a backdrop as the leaders head into the stronger winds in West
The whole fleet (already reduced by a couple of retirements) in shot on the reach back from Pinky; Jane Chadney, bravely out in the lone Laser 4.7, leads the fleet
Jane planing back across the middle of the lake
More spray than hull visible as eventual winner, Nathan Pollard, keeps his Topper from submarining
Not just spray but solid green water looks to be coming aboard as the Bosun of Brian Pollard and John Dabbs bludgeons its way through the chop
Nathan makes a deft recovery from a wobble near the start line
Elliot Pomeroy, with Rachael and Jack as crew, all sitting on the side to keep the ‘Mona and Mike Ford’ nicely balanced on the beat
The fleet looks for wind after the start of the midday race – and mainly fails to find any – but some impressive reflections in the water and nice cloudscapes, instead
Just enough breeze to get the boats gliding sedately along – but still quite a change from last week, though
Eventual winner Jane Anderson coming up behind the Bosun of Cilla Gilbert and Brian Pollard
Studies in concentration: both Nathan Pollard and Adam Hilton look totally focussed in the light winds
A tad more breeze for the start of the Icicle Series in the afternoon, but the weather clearly belying the series name, as the the RS200 leads away the fleet on a bright, sunny day
Judging by the surface of the water, there’s breeze in front of them and also behind them by the Cornwall bank, but Adeney Pooler and Linda Spiller are having to negotiate the flat patch in between
John Dabbs doing well to have his Gull up with the Laser
White sails contrasting with the shade of the wooded bank behind, with Elliot needing his sunglasses in the low-angle autumnal sunshine
Using Start Line 2, much of the fleet looks to be seriously line-shy, but Jane Anderson is quickly away in the foreground, though Nathan Pollard in the RS200 has gone for a start well to windward
Nathan Pollard and Jane Chadney get the RS200 round the tricky approach to Dam Green, with Jane Anderson just behind in her Laser Radial and Linda Spiller on the outside in the full-rig Laser
A line of helms waiting for the inside boat to decide when to tack – a difficult decision, as the wind seemed to be especially fluky for those approaching Dam Green on port tack
The front of the fleet on the dogleg from Zebra to Inlet White: Paul Anderson and Penny Abbott at the back of this quintet
John Dabbs, eventual winner of the morning race, to windward of Geoff Floyd in the Solo and Cilla Gilbert helming the Bosun on the reach to Pinkie; sufficient wind on this part of the course to get the tell-tales flying
Positions reversed in the afternoon race: Jane Anderson slightly to windward of the RS200 this time, with Paul Whybrow just behind in the red-hulled Solo
Look out, we’re behind you….! The RS200, with pink gennaker still flying as it approaches Dam Green, closes up behind Jane
A nice illustration of how the wind direction bent across the lake on Sunday…..; John Dabbs in the Gull on port tack beating across towards Zebra in the foreground, whilst in the background, the boats are also hard on the beat (albeit on starboard) as they make for Pinkie
A lake of deep Mediterranean blue, deceptively smooth in the foreground, as the midday race in the Frostbite series gets underway
Roger Heasman’s Streaker Wave leads a group round the sometimes tense gybe at Dam Green; note the dark water denoting an onrushing gust in the foreground
A broad reach for this quartet of boats heading down towards the top of the lake
Almost the whole fleet in shot, heading for Pinkie
Excellent close-up of Brian Pollard and Cilla Gilbert in the Bosun
Again, the calm before the storm, at the start of the afternoon race – Bob Sampson just leading away from the red-hulled Bosun helmed by Adam Hilton
Bearing away for Dam Red, just after the start
Bob Sampson’s full-rig Laser with only a short lead over the Laser 4.7 of Jane Anderson
