Frostbite 4

Dave Perrett and Nathan Pollard manned the safety boat in the absence of qualified Lake’s Trust staff, thus reducing the fleet by two boats. It was bright but cold and the medium strength winds moved round from East to Northeast in the course of the day. Adam Hilton’s small-sailed Solo started first towards the Dam but Linda Spiller’s Laser Radial soon overtook him. Next to pass, on the way to Zebra, was Bob Sampson (Aero 6) who then overtook Linda Spiller coming back from the top of the Lake. Sue Murray’s Laser 4.7 took third place coming back from Pinkie and the Pollard Routley Graduate went up to fourth on the third and last lap. Applying handicaps took the Aero down to fourth and the Graduate to sixth.

Results:

1. Linda Spiller (Laser Radial)
2. Sue Murray (Laser 4.7)
3. Adam Hilton (Solo S)
4. Bob Sampson (Aero 6)
5. Roger Heasman (Miracle)
6. Brian Pollard and Tash Routley (Graduate)
7. Geoff Floyd (Solo S)

Tamar 11

The cold temperature and a strengthening breeze had reduced the fleet to four boats. The Pollard/Routley Graduate got away first followed by Bob Sampson’s Aero 6, Geoff Floyd’s Solo S and the Topper of Vicki Duncalf. By the end of lap 1 the Aero headed the Graduate with the Topper third and this was the order that prevailed for the three laps with the winds dropping and favouring the rear of the fleet.

Results:

1. Vicki Duncalf (Topper)
2. Bob Sampson (Aero 6)
3. Brian Pollard and Tash Routley (Graduate)
4. Geoff Floyd (Solo S)

Grateful thanks were given to Jane Anderson who ran the races, to Nathan Pollard and Dave Perrett in the safety boat and to Mandy Pollard who took the photos.

Frostbite 3

The Aeros, at least in the hands of Bob Sampson (6 sail) and Nathan Pollard (7 sail), are by far the quickest boats currently sailing on Tamar Lake. The winds were southerly, light but pleasantly consistent and the start was from a rare fisherman-free Devon bank. Pollard was over the line first and first around Dam Green. Adam Hilton’s Solo was next but the Sampson Aero had gained second place at the first buoy with Tash Routley, helming Brian Pollard’s Graduate, an admirable third. Dave Perrett (Solo) had a terrible start, made up for it going to Middle, got stuck in irons avoiding the other Solo and spent the rest of the race in a tussle that included Liam Routley’s full-sailed Laser.

Results:

1. Nathan Pollard (Aero 7)
2. Bob Sampson (Aero 6)
3. Adam Hilton (Solo)
4. Dave Perrett (Solo)
5. Liam Routley (Laser)
6. Tash Routley and Brian Pollard (Graduate)

Cup 10

Vicki Duncalf’s little Topper was promoted by the handicap to second place but she had earned it by getting over the line first and by tidy sailing for the following three laps. No handicap could overcome Nathan Pollard’s commanding lead but Bob Sampson forgot which end of the start line was being used so had to be disqualified. Tash Routley repeated her fast start and Dave Perrett, after again messing his start, was second by the time he got to Pinkie at the top of the lake and kept that place on the water although demoted to third by the handicap.

Results:

1. Nathan Pollard (Aero 7)
2. Vicki Duncalf (Topper)
3. Dave Perrett (Solo)
4. Liam Routley (Laser)
5. Tash Routley and Brian Pollard (Graduate)
   Disqualified: Bob Sampson (Aero 6)

John Dabbs ran the first race and Adam Hilton the second; the photos were taken by Jenny Routley.

Tamar 10

A decent light breeze. Nathan Pollard (Aero 7) started and finished in first position with no immediate challengers. Following him in a succession that remained relatively unchanged were Bob Sampson (Aero 7), Linda Spiller (Laser) & Jane Anderson (Laser Radial). Not too far behind were Dave Perrett (Solo), Robin Spiller (Solo) & Brian Pollard & Tash Routley (Bosun). Unfortunately the wind died as the race went on and although there were a few chances for sailors to make up ground and close on their rivals there were an equal number of lulls that went against them. On the 2nd lap both Robin and Brian & Tash struggled at the top end of the lake to make any headway at all and at the end of lap 2 decided to call it a day for that race.

Result:

1. Nathan Pollard (Aero 7)
2. Jane Anderson (Laser Radial)
3. Linda Spiller (Laser)
4. Bob Sampson (Aero 7)
5. Dave Perrett (Solo)
   Retired: Brian Pollard & Tash Routley (Bosun), Robin Spiller (Solo)

Frostbite 2

Even lighter winds. It was almost déjà vu with the front 4 the same as the first race but trying desperately to change things to their advantage. Sadly with the wind even lighter than the morning this was a tough call and they started and finished in the same places as earlier. There was some excitement at the end of the race as while the 4 leaders were way ahead, there was a real ding dong battle at the back between new starter Roger Heasman (Miracle) and the retired team from Race 1, Brian Pollard & Tash Routley only with Tash at the helm. Despite both boats being lapped earlier they continued and Tash got the lead on the very last leg. Congrats Tash.

Results:

1. Nathan Pollard (Aero 7)
2. Jane Anderson (Laser Radial)
3. Linda Spiller (Laser)
4. Bob Sampson (Aero 7)
5. Tash Routley and Brian Pollard (Bosun)
6. Roger Heasman (Miracle)

Thanks go to the Officer on duty, Paul Anderson, and Mandy Pollard for the photos

Frostbite 1

The north-westerlies were super-light and so Nathan Pollard had lofted the Aero’s biggest sail – the 9 – which took him over the line first and away, never to be challenged. Jane Anderson was modest with a 4.7 on her Laser. She got away next followed by Adam Hilton’s Solo, also with a small sail. Brian Pollard and Tash Routley had chosen to race the Graduate and overtook the Solo on the way to Inlet. Here the bushes on the headland blanketed the wind, making getting away from the buoy a tedious business. Liam Routley with a full sail on his Laser was slow to assert himself but overtook the Solo on the way back up the Lake. Progress remained painfully slow and what had been planned as a four lap race was shortened to two.

Results:

1. Nathan Pollard (Aero 9)
2. Jane Anderson Laser 4.7
3. Adam Hilton (Solo S)
4. Brian Pollard and Tash Routley (Graduate)
5. Liam Routley (Laser F)

Pursuit 7

Vicki Duncalf’s Topper started first in this pursuit race and Nathan Pollard’s Aero 9 last, 23 minutes later. His task was to get to the front in what remained of 68 minutes of racing. He made it. Jane Anderson, who’d started second, a mere eight minutes after the start of the sixty eight, retained her position by overtaking the Topper.

Results:

1. Nathan Pollard (Aero 9)
2. Jane Anderson (Laser 4.7)
3. Liam Routley (Laser F)
4. Vicki Duncalf (Topper)
5. Brian Pollard and Tash Routley (Graduate)
6. Adam Hilton (Solo)

The Lakes Trust offered no safety boat so the Club was particularly grateful to Bob Sampson and Jenny Routley who provided cover as well as running the races. Mandy Pollard took the photos.

Roger’s Bowl 9

Some sailors were put off by the wind but in the event the northwesterlies were more exhilarating than frightening and, by the standards of Tamar Lake, gust-free. Even so all three boats that took to the water – two Solos and a Bosun – flew small sails.

Dave Perret was easily first away although even he wasn’t particularly close to the line when the horn blew. Geoff Floyd and the Heasman/Sampson Bosun were on opposite tacks but crossed the line at almost the same moment; Geoff a touch ahead. Where he remained, despite several moments when it looked like the Bosun would get in front.

It was a tacking race. Four tacks to Middle, another to Inlet, more from West to Pinkie. Inlet was well-sheltered from the wind and took an age to get away from. Coming back from Pinkie was a running-fest. Some helms gybed after West on their way to Dam Green; some stayed on starboard and gybed at the dam.

Dave completed three laps (of a planned four) in fifty minutes. Geoff took another twelve; Roger and Bob a further minute and a half.

Results:

1. Dave Perrett (Solo)
2. Geoff Floyd (Solo)
3. Roger Heasman and Bob Sampson (Bosun)

Adam Hilton ran the race.

Tamar 9

Nathan Pollard (Aero 5) was away first with Bob Sampson, comfortable in his Laser 4.7, second, a welcome Steve Axford third and Brian Pollard with Tash Routley fourth. All then successfully negotiated a gybe at Far. Heading back down to white west, Steve Axford in the Laser Radial overtook Bob Sampson with the Bosun hanging on.

Nathan Pollard started to distance himself from the rest of the squall-hit fleet. Axford had also distanced himself from Sampson but the Bosun was almost alongside going around Home 1. Sailing back up to Far however, it started to drop back.

On Lap 2 all boats again successfully negotiating the tricky gybe at Far but spread apart. The gusts coming from the west were giving them all a difficult time. Steve Axford maintained the distance between himself and the leading Aero, admirable considering how infrequently he races his Laser. No further position changes took place, but the Bosun managed to close up on Bob Sampson between Far and White West buoys.

Results:

1. Nathan Pollard (Aero 5)
2. Steve Axford (Laser Radial)
3. Brian Pollard and Tash Routley (Bosun)
4. Bob Sampson (Laser 4.7)

Spare 3/Sailboat 1

It was a good start by the Lasers and the Aero although the Bosun with Tash Routley helming took longer to reach Home 2. It was drizzly and misty again with ever-stronger gusts.

As the race progressed Steve Axford forged ahead of Nathan Pollard but fierce competition between them continued for the rest of the race, the little Laser 4.7 and the Bosun merely following on.

1. Steve Axford (Laser Radial)
2. Nathan Pollard (Aero 5)
3. Bob Sampson (Laser 4.7)
4. Tash Routley and Brian Pollard (Bosun)

Many thanks to Vicki Duncalf and Roger Heasman who ran the races.

Roger’s Bowl 8

Some decent little northeasterlies; not too gusty. Nathan Pollard, a seven on the Aero, zoomed off to Zebra in his habitual fashion. Bob Sampson and Cilla Gilbert in the Club Bosun were pretty evenly matched for speed with the three small-sailed Solos and Linda Spiller’s Laser 4.7. Dave Perrett was the first Solo to round White West with Linda Spiller and Adam Hilton dicing behind him. Adam Hilton got to Pinkie only to capsize while gibing round the buoy.

Linda was now comfortably second on the run to Dam Green with Bob and Dave close at the buoy but separating from then on. Indeed the subsequent three laps saw no change in the order of boats!

Results:

1. Nathan Pollard (Aero 7)
2. Linda Spiller (Laser 4.7)
3. Dave Perrett (Solo S)
4. Bob Sampson and Cilla Gilbert (Bosun)
5. Geoff Floyd (Solo S)Retired: Adam Hilton (SoloS)

Many thanks Roger Heasman for running the race.

Cup 9

The Aero 6 of Nathan Pollard was first away but the remarkable start was by the Bosun of Brian Pollard and Tash Routley. They were second around the first buoy, Dam Green, ahead of a squabbling bunch of faster boats, mostly Solos impeding Linda Spiller’s Laser 4.7. The three Solos all had small sails – the base southerlies were friendly but the gusts were vicious. Dave Perrett’s was the first Solo to start and he kept ahead of the others. Bob Sampson in the smaller-sailed Aero 5 had a terrible start but got himself up to second by the end of the first lap. There were only two official finishers; all the others managed at different points in the race to go the wrong side of course buoys.

1. Nathan Pollard (Aero 6)
2. Linda Spiller (Laser Radial)
   Retired: Robin Spiller (Solo S).
   Disqualified: Adam Hilton (Solo S) Brian Pollard and Tash Routley (Bosun), Dave Perrett (Solo S), Bob Sampson (Aero 5)

Commodore 7

The Aeros again dominated, although it took Bob Sampson most of the first lap to get up to second. He finished seven minutes behind the flying Pollard Aero 6 even though Nathan had lost time capsizing on lap 3. The Brian Pollard, Tash Routley Bosun was again well-matched with the small-sailed Solos and Laser, reaching the top of the Lake ahead of them but being overtaken during the multi-tack return. Linda Spiller led the non-Aero bunch at the end of each lap.

1. Nathan Pollard (Aero 6)
2. Brian Pollard and Tash Routley (Bosun)
3. Dave Perrett (Solo S)
4. Linda Spiller (Laser Radial)
5. Bob Sampson (Aero5)

Many thanks to Roger Heasman, who ran the first race, to Vicki Duncalf who ran the second and to Mandy Pollard who took the photographs.

Tamar 8

The winds were predictably fickle, swinging from nearly due south to northeast and gusty enough to cause two capsizes while leaving the fleet in the doldrums for five minutes just after Nathan Pollard’s Aero 7 had crossed the finish line. Nathan had started first followed by Bob Sampson in another Aero 7. Bob never really got away from the rest of the fleet; Dave Perrett’s Solo was only convincingly headed on the way back from Pinkie on the last lap. Dave had benefitted from taking the opposite tack to the rest of the fleet at the start and getting himself from sixth across the start line to third around the first buoy, Dam Green.

Results:

1. Nathan Pollard (Aero 7)
2. Dave Perrett (Solo)
3. Bob Sampson (Aero 7)
4. Linda Spiller (Laser Radial)
5. Liam Routley (Laser)
6. Brian Pollard and Tash Routley (Graduate)
   Retired: Adam Hilton (Solo)

Commodore 6

A course change was required for the second race of the day. With the wind just as changeable after lunch, the decision was made to cut the length of the laps by only going as far as the Middle buoy and doing four laps instead of two. The two Aeros were over the line first, Bob followed closely by Nathan, then the two Lasers and the Graduate but with Tash helming during a race for the first time. The order of boats was much the same during the race, Nathan soon led after rounding the first mark and managed to lap Tash & Brian, as did Bob later on, during his last lap but not managing to catch Liam.

Results:

1. Nathan Pollard (Aero 7)
2. Linda Spiller (Laser Radial)
3. Bob Sampson (Aero 7)
4. Liam Routley (Laser)
5. Tash Routley and Brian Pollard (Graduate)

Many thanks to Robin Spiller, who again ran the race and to Mandy Pollard who took the photographs.

Roger’s Bowl 5

It was another very gusty day, the northwesterlies bucketing down the Lake, but it was agreeably cool without actually raining on us. The Aeros had 5s, the Lasers 4.7s, the Solos cut-down sails.

Nathan shot off and was never seen again. He was finishing his four laps as the back of the field finished their third. Adam Hilton’s Solo started second but was gone after a lap, out-gusted.

The real race was between Bob Sampson (Aero 5), who, impeded by the Hilton Solo, started sixth but got himself up to second place, challenged by Sue Murray (Laser 4.7) and for a long time by Linda Spiller (Laser 4.7) until she let go her tiller at Pinkie, capsized, went aground and unsurprisingly found it hard to recover lost water. Dave Perrett (Solo) observed from behind until Linda’s moment enabled him to gain a place. The Dabbs/Heasman Bosun towed Geoff Floyd’s Solo throughout, even leading him to go the wrong side of home1 on a couple of laps. Both boats were DISQ.

Results:

1. Nathan Pollard (Aero 5)
2. Sue Murray (Laser 4.7)
3. Dave Perrett (Solo)
4. Bob Sampson (Aero 5)
5. Linda Spiller (Laser 4.7)
   Retired: Adam Hilton (Solo)
   Disq; John Dabbs and Roger Heasman (Bosun), Geoff Floyd (Solo)

Many thanks to Robin Spiller, who again ran the race.