by Adam Hilton

Barnwell 5

Jane Anderson led across the line and around Dam Green and kept her Laser Radial at the front for the rest of the race. The winds were southeasterly, light and highly variable in strength and direction but never actually disappeared. Second and third to start were Sue Murray (Laser Radial) and Adam Hilton (Solo). Paul Anderson got his Laser Full past the Solo on the first lap but a muddle over course buoys put him back subsequently. There were four Bosuns in the race. John Dabbs with Linda Spiller led them at the end of each lap but Roger Heasman with David Perrett changed places with Brian Pollard and Cilla Gilbert a time or two. Colin and Louise Witchell had the misfortune to run aground – they were by no means alone in finding the bottom of an emptying Tamar Lake – and retired. Touring calmly and consistently in seventh on the water was John Buckett in his Otter and pulling himself up from sixth at the end of the first lap to fourth at the finish was Robin Spiller in his Streaker. The handicaps put him down to sixth again.

1. Jane Anderson (Laser Radial)
2. Sue Murray (Laser Radial)
3. Adam Hilton (Solo)
4. John Dabbs and Linda Spiller (Bosun)
5. John Buckett (Otter)
6. Robin Spiller (Streaker)
7. Brian Pollard and Cilla Gilbert (Bosun)
8. Roger Heasman and David Perrett (Bosun)
9. Paul Anderson (Laser Full)

Retired: Louise and Colin Witchell (Bosun)

Sailboat 5

Robin Spiller (Streaker) began his race brilliantly, pulling away from the first-over-the-line Radial of Sue Murray and the third-starting Laser Full of Nathan Pollard. The Streaker was still ahead at the top of the Lake and only lost the lead having to go back to a missed Zebra. A further confusion at Dam Green meant retirement. Over lunch the winds had turned around one hundred and eighty degrees and started blowing from points around the north west. They were still very gentle and the race took even Nathan Pollard, the winner on the water and also after the handicaps were applied, nearly an hour and a quarter to complete. On the beat up to Pinkie Jane Anderson (Laser Radial) and Adam Hilton (Solo) added themselves to the leading bunch, the Laser taking over third place on the first lap and second on the second. The Solo was briefly ahead of Sue Murray, lost the place but edged past the Radial and into third place while running back towards the Dam on the second lap. The Dabbs/Spiller Bosun again led its Heasman/Perrett and Pollard/Gilbert sisters.

1. Nathan Pollard (Laser Full)
2. Jane Anderson (Laser Radial)
3. Adam Hilton (Solo)
4. John Dabbs and Linda Spiller (Bosun)
5. Sue Murray (Laser Radial)
6. Roger Heasman and David Perrett (Bosun)
7. Brian Pollard and Cilla Gilbert (Bosun)

Retired: Robin Spiller (Streaker)

Grateful thanks were given to Graham Joyce who was assisted as Officer of the Day by Nicky Buckett.

Midweek Mug 1

The first Wednesday race of the season was held under dark clouds but was powered by very usable force two and three northwesterlies with, by the standards of Tamar Lake, very few gusts. John Buckett’s nine buoy course had the seven strong fleet beating to Inlet and across to West, up to Pinkie and then running back to Dam Green with enough buoys in between to catch out Bob Sampson when his big-sailed Laser was in the lead. Sue Murray (Laser Radial) was first away with Linda Spiller’s Radial and then Bob Sampson just behind, but after West Bob took the lead. Adam Hilton’s Solo managed to beat between Middle and Pinkie without tacking which brought him back up to the three leading Lasers. Then on the return run to the Dam the Solo’s big sail took it past Linda Spiller’s Radial where it stayed until its skipper capsized it on lap 2. Robin Spiller’s Streaker raced Geoff Floyd’s Solo for fourth place and got it, both on the water and, their handicaps being similar, in the results. Leila Farmer, sailing the Hartley 12 solo, raced Louise and Colin Witchell’s Bosun and beat it on the water but not when the handicaps were applied. At the finish Bob Sampson had regained the lead after having to sail back to his missed buoy. He had lapped the back markers and had a minute and a half’s lead over Sue Murray. That was not enough to overcome the Radial’s advantageous handicap but was just enough – one second of corrected time – to keep him ahead of third place Linda Spiller.

1. Sue Murray (Laser Radial)
2. Bob Sampson (Laser Full)
3. Linda Spiller (Laser Radial)
4. Robin Spiller (Streaker)
5. Geoff Floyd (Solo)
6. Louise and Colin Witchell (Bosun)
7. Leila Farmer (Hartley 12)

Retired: Adam Hilton (Solo)

John Buckett was a characteristically efficient Officer of the Day. Many thanks to him.

by Adam Hilton

Mandy Pollard

Barnwell 3

Jane Anderson, eyeing the force 5 gusts shooting up the Lake from the south, would have chosen to sail her Topper, had it not been damaged in the winter storms by an adjacent flying dinghy. Instead she chose her Laser with a little 4.7 sail, crossed the start line at the front of the fleet but a little before the horn. She had to return and began the race at the back of the field. However she had worked her way up to third place by half way through lap 3. At the front were the Pollard brothers in full-sailed Lasers, James initially leading but already overtaken by Inlet. They finished more than six minutes in front of the rest of the field. Behind them raged a race long battle between Mike Coley’s Laser Full and Adam Hilton’s Solo, the Solo eventually triumphing. John Dabbs’ maroon Bosun (Linda Spiller as crew) led Brian Pollard’s yellow one (Cilla Gilbert crewing) with Robin Spiller’s Streaker, slowed by its small size sail, in the mix. Halfway through the race the wind chose to turn right round and blow from the northwest.

1. Nathan Pollard (Laser Full)
2. James Pollard (Laser Full)
3. Jane Anderson (Laser 4.7)
4. John Dabbs and Linda Spiller (Bosun)
5. Adam Hilton (Solo)
6. Brian Pollard and Cilla Gilbert (Bosun)
7. Mike Coley (Laser Full)
8. Robin Spiller (Streaker Wave)

Sailboat 3

Over lunch the wind dropped but it returned, still from the northwest, for the start of Sailboat 3 along with some dim and murky conditions. Nathan Pollard’s Laser led away and stayed in front on a course no longer starting towards the Dam but aimed straight up to Pinkie. Adam Hilton’s Solo followed but further reduced the already depleted fleet by retiring. The Pollard/Gilbert Bosun was third to start but Jane Anderson, fourth starting, was already on its beam as they passed the inlet and she stayed at second from then on but was not far enough ahead of the Dabbs/Spiller Bosun to overcome the double-handers’ handicap advantage when the results were announced

1. John Dabbs and Linda Spiller (Bosun)
2. Jane Anderson (Laser 4.7)
3. Nathan Pollard (Laser Full)
4. Brian Pollard and Cilla Gilbert (Bosun)

Retired Adam Hilton (Solo)

Geoff Floyd was Officer of the Day: many thanks to him and to Mandy Pollard who took the photographs.

by Adam Hilton

Mandy Pollard

Barnwell 1

For the first race of the season the sun shone, the waters of Tamar Lake shimmered, but the wind was largely absent. A little flurry of breeze before the off misled much of the fleet into thinking that a fast start might be had by charging up to the line from near the Dam. In the event the wind all but disappeared and these boats were left slack-sailed and took up to five and a half minutes to make their start. Jane Anderson, with a full sail on her Laser was not so unwise, started first, although even she took half a minute to cross the line after the horn blew. She was never headed, although Linda Spiller, with the same boat/sail combination, chased hard and threatened as they reached Pinkie at the top of the course on lap1. Three Bosuns were in the race. The first to start was Roger Heasman’s (new-comer David Longfellow crewing) and his was the first to finish. At the end John Dabbs’ Bosun, John Buckett the crew, was ahead of Brian Pollard with Cilla Gilbert, but that hadn’t been the case for the whole race. Adam Hilton and Geoff Floyd were in Solos which, with their big sails, should go very well in light winds. They finished third and fourth on the water, the handicap particularly cruel to the Floyd boat. Robin Spiller, in his familiar Streaker, was fourth at Pinkie first time around but retired; you need very good pads to kneel in a Streaker for two half-hour laps!

1. Jane Anderson (Laser Full)
2. Linda Spiller (Laser Full)
3. Adam Hilton (Solo)
4. Roger Heasman and David Longfellow (Bosun)
5. John Dabbs and John Buckett (Bosun)
6. Brian Pollard and Cilla Gilbert (Bosun)
7. Geoff Floyd (Solo)

Retired: Robin Spiller (Solo)

Sailboat 1

Over lunch Force 2 or 3 winds had appeared from various points around north and they powered a very acceptable race with three much faster laps. Nathan Pollard joined the fleet in his Laser Full. He started third but soon took the lead, the Laser pointing much higher than anything else as the fleet tacked up to Pinkie. First starting Jane Anderson had radically reduced sail, to a 4.7, and was second at the top of the course and at the finish. The handicap gave her the victory. John Dabbs, Adam Hilton now as crew, started second, lost nothing by being well to leeward of the others and stayed ahead in the Bosun race-within-a-race. The Heasman Bosun led the Pollard sister dinghy at the start and the end of the first lap but not at the finish. Geoff Floyd started his Solo at the back but succeeded in overhauling two of the Bosuns.

1. Jane Anderson (Laser 4.7)
2. Nathan Pollard (Laser Full)
3. John Dabbs and Adam Hilton (Bosun)
4. Brian Pollard and Cilla Gilbert (Bosun)
5. Roger Heasman and David Longfellow (Bosun)
6. Geoff Floyd (Solo)

Many thanks were given to Paul Anderson, for running the races and to Mandy Pollard for taking the photographs.

Mandy Pollard

Racing on Boxing Day has long been a Tamar Lake tradition and this Boxing Day was mild and almost sunny with gentle north-westerly winds. The charming informality of this race, as much seasonal get-together as race, was intensified when the starting horn refused to blow, a member’s car horn wouldn’t work without a key in the ignition and the start was eventually signalled by a human bellow from the shore across the water to the start line. All this controlled chaos was viewed by an amused contingent of Club members, notably Sue Murray, the Duncalfs and the Savages.

Brian Pollard set off first with Nathan Pollard crewing his yellow Bosun but it was Bob Sampson who reached Inlet first, the full-sailed Laser picking up every breath of wind. Linda Spiller, in her smaller-sailed Laser Radial, disposed of a threat from the Bosun sailed by Adam Hilton and John Dabbs, by forcing the overtaking boat to windward until it was no longer aimed at the marker buoy. She then set off across the centre of the Lake to West in pursuit of Brian Pollard but it took her a long time for her to catch him. Lap 2 – these were short laps; after West the course went to Zebra and then back towards the Dam – saw Bob Sampson increase his lead, Linda Spiller struggle to close the gap to the Bosun ahead and Adam Hilton benefit briefly from a gusty patch which gave him hope of catching up. Finally, on lap 3 Linda Spiller got past the Bosun ahead, going round Inlet in front and gradually pulling away from then on. On lap 4 the gusts were strong enough for crews to have to sit on the gunwale! The jib on Adam Hilton’s Bosun came down; the captain having apparently forgotten how a cleat works. Perhaps it was the effects of festive cheer; Brian Pollard too momentarily forgot to hold on to the tiller, without ill effect however; the handicap not only gave him back his lead over the Spiller Laser Radial but promoted him to winner!

1. Brian and Nathan Pollard (Bosun )
2. Bob Sampson (Laser Full)
3. Linda Spiller (Laser Radial)
4. Adam Hilton and John Dabbs (Bosun)

James Pollard very kindly ran the race with Robin Spiller assisting and Mandy Pollard took the photographs. Many thanks to all of them.

by Adam Hilton

Mandy Pollard

Frostbite 7

Strong winds caused the fleet to reduce sail. Sue Murray and Bob Sampson had 4.7s on their Lasers. Jane Anderson took to the water in her little Topper. Robin Spiller in his Streaker Wave. Linda Spiller and Adam Hilton left their single-handers on the shore and joined regular Bosun sailors Brian Pollard, with crew Cilla Gilbert, and John Dabbs, with Penny Abbott. The start was from the far side of the line (blissfully unencumbered with fishermen) and the first buoy was all the way up at Pinky. On the long beat up Sue Murray took the lead with Bob Sampson following and Jane Anderson keeping up admirably. The Hilton/Spiller Bosun had crossed the line the wrong side of the buoy and had to go back; Robin Spiller, following, was nearly enticed into doing the same thing. The Dabbs/Abbott Bosun also realising at the last moment allowed the rest of the fleet a head start. A catalogue of disasters in the Hilton Bosun – lost main sheet, lost float, untethered rudder – led eventually to retirement and Robin Spiller also withdrew. Bob Sampson took over the lead at the end of lap 2 but had to work at it. Getting round Dam Green involved a double gybe on one lap!  Brian Pollard led the Bosuns with the gap to John Dabbs fluctuating but never large. Jane Anderson’s Topper was overtaken by the Bosuns but finished less than a minute behind John Dabbs, giving her third place on handicap.

1. Bob Sampson (Laser 4.7)
2. Jane Anderson (Topper)
3. Sue Murray (Laser 4.7)
4. Brian Pollard and Cilla Gilbert (Bosun)
5. John Dabbs and Adam Hilton (Bosun)

Retired: Robin Spiller (Streaker Wave), Adam Hilton and Linda Spiller (Bosun)

Icicle 7

Nathan Pollard joined the fleet and, seeing reduced wind strength, put a full-sized sail on his Laser. Linda Spiller swapped to her Laser 4.7. And Nathan crossed the line first with Brian Pollard’s Bosun close behind, if somewhat to leeward. Sue Murray’s 4.7 was close but Bob Sampson had overtaken her and everybody else by the time they rounded Pinky. However it was Nathan Pollard who led at the end of the lap and from then on. Old battles were resumed, notably between the Dabbs/Abbott Bosun and its Pollard/Gilbert sister, with Jane Anderson keeping her Topper in the mix. On lap 2 John Dabbs (and Jane Anderson) took a Devon bank course up to Pinky whereas Brian Pollard stuck closer to Cornwall; Cornwall won by a yard or two. Bob Sampson touched the buoy at West and had to do a penalty turn which let Sue Murray close and eventually overtake. From then on Bob Sampson stayed back in third place. On lap 3 Linda Spiller made up water on the two 4.7s ahead of her and Brian Pollard was catching up too, leaving a longer gap to the Dabbs Bosun behind.

1. Sue Murray (Laser 4.7)
2. Jane Anderson (Topper)
3. Bob Sampson (Laser 4.7)
4. Brian Pollard and Cilla Gilbert (Bosun)
5. Nathan Pollard (Laser Full)
6. Linda Spiller (Laser 4.7)
7. John Dabbs and Penny Abbott (Bosun)

Grateful thanks were given to Nicky and John Buckett for running the races and to Mandy Pollard for taking the photographs.

by Adam Hilton

Mandy Pollard

Frostbite 5

Bob Sampson, James Pollard and Nathan Pollard ignored the dire forecasts of powerful winds and more powerful gusts, trusted the evidence of their own eyes, which were looking out onto a calm and barely ruffled Tamar Lake and put full-sized sails on their Lasers. Robin Spiller went full-size on his Streaker. But others were more cautious. Sue Murray and Linda Spiller had the smallest available sails on their Lasers. Adam Hilton retreated to the safety of crewing John Dabbs Bosun and Brian Pollard was left on the shore, wary of sailing his Bosun on his own.

In the event the start, from the Home 1 line towards the Dam, was a gentle affair with Linda Spiller getting off in the lead followed by James Pollard, Robin Spiller, Sue Murray, Bob Sampson, Nathan Pollard and John Dabbs. But then the vagaries of the south-westerly breezes pushed others ahead and the usual push-and-shove rounding Dam Green had its winners and losers too. James Pollard emerged running north to Zebra in the lead with Robin Spiller next, and, following, the other two big-sailed Lasers, Sue Murray’s 4.7, the Bosun and poor Linda Spiller’s 4.7 was pushed to the back. The leading Lasers drew away and continued to spar, Bob Sampson leading at the end of the first two laps but being overtaken in front of the pontoon by Nathan Pollard, James Pollard dropping back; three minutes back at the finish. John Dabbs kept his Bosun not too far behind the Spiller Streaker and got clear of the Laser 4.7s.The handicap gave him third place as a result.

1. Nathan Pollard (Laser Full)
2. Bob Sampson (Laser Full)
3. John Dabbs and Adam Hilton (Bosun)
4. Robin Spiller (Streaker)
5. James Pollard (Laser Full)
6. Sue Murray (Laser 4.7)
7. Linda Spiller (Laser 4.7)

Icicle 5

There were some changes in the fleet in response to the first race light winds. Linda Spiller put a Radial sail on her Laser and Adam Hilton launched his Solo. Leila Farmer crewed for John Dabbs and Ethan Walker for Brian Pollard in his Bosun. But even before the start it was clear that the winds had become more powerful and capricious and they up-ended two helms (Adam Hilton and Robin Spiller) before the end of the first lap.

The beat from the start to Dam Green took less time with more wind but was just as congested with various helms getting the bows of their boats a little ahead. Emerging victorious from the melee rounding Dam Green and running first to Zebra was Nathan Pollard followed by James Pollard, Bob Sampson, John Dabbs, Adam Hilton, Linda Spiller, Sue Murray, Robin Spiller and Brian Pollard. After rounding Pinky the single handed dinghies were planing up the Lake like a bunch of speed boats which made the gybes at Home 2 and Inlet tricky. From lap 2 on the winds moderated somewhat. The Pollard brothers increased their lead over the rest of the fleet, Nathan leading at the end of each lap and keeping the victory when the handicaps were applied.

1. Nathan Pollard (Laser Full)
2. James Pollard (Laser Full)
3. Sue Murray (Laser 4.7)
4. John Dabbs and Leila Farmer (Bosun)
5. Brian Pollard and Ethan Walker (Bosun)
6. Bob Sampson (Laser Full)
7. Linda Spiller (Laser Radial)

Retired: Adam Hilton (Solo), Robin Spiller (Streaker)

Grateful thanks were given to Jane Anderson for running the races and to Mandy Pollard for taking the photographs.