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.

Sailboat 6

Bob Sampson went ahead in the multi-tack beat to Pinkie Buoy with Liam Routley starting close behind on the opposite tack wt others going with him to avoid a gaggle of paddleboarders. Jane Anderson beat Bob to Pinkie with Liam Routley and Linda Spiller close behind and three Solos in a pack with Brian and Tash in the Graduate following on. On the run down to the Big Yellow buoy, Bob Sampson overtook Jane Anderson and Liam Routley, Linda Spiller. The winds proved more westerly than expected meant more criss-crossing to the West buoy. Liam caught Jane Anderson at Dam Green but lost his position after avoiding more paddleboarders. Positions stayed much the same on the second lap when winds were more gentle; they picked up for the third.

Results:

1. Jane Anderson (Laser 4.7)
2. Linda Spiller (Laser 4.7)
3. Bob Sampson (Aero 6)
4. Dave Perrett (Solo)
5. Liam Routley (Laser)
6. Robin Spiller (Solo)
7. Brian Pollard and Tash Routley (Graduate)
   Retired: Adam Hilton (Solo)

Cup 8

The Graduate was first over the line but Bob Sampson was first up to Pinkie. Then came the Graduate, Jane Anderson’s Laser 4.7, two Solos and Linda Spiller’s Laser 4.7. On the run back the Pollard/Routley Graduate was fighting side by side with the Anderson Laser. They led at Dam Green but were overtaken shortly after. Their tussling continued throughout the race. Linda Spiller gained a small lead over the two Solos and caught up to the Graduate on the third lap.

Results:

1. Bob Sampson (Aero 6)
2. Jane Anderson (Laser 4.7)
3. Linda Spiller (Laser 4.7)
4. Adam Hilton (Solo)
5. Dave Perrett (Solo)
6. Brian Pollard and Tash Routley (Graduate)

Thanks go to Nathan Pollard, Officer on Duty, and to photographer, Mandy Pollard.

Roger’s Bowl 4

It was hot and it was gusty; very hot and very gusty. Bob Sampson had a five on his Aero; Geoff Floyd and Adam Hilton had small sails on their Solos – neither of them finished the race. The heroes were Linda Spiller who risked a Radial on her Laser and Dave Perrett with 8.7 square metres of canvas up the mast of his Solo. These two sparred throughout, Dave starting first and leading at the end of lap 1 but Linda taking over on lap 2 and starting a mutiny which ended the whole exhausting and precarious business at the end of lap 2.

Results:

1. Linda Spiller (Laser Radial)
2. Dave Perrett (Solo)
3. Bob Sampson (Aero 5)
   Retired: Adam Hilton (Solo) Geoff Floyd (Solo)

Thanks to Robin Spiller, who ran the race..

Commodore 5

Liam was first over the line in a light variable breeze. The Graduate and Laser were soon following the 2 Aeros with the 2 Solos close behind the pack with Roger in his Miracle at the rear but moving well after a slow start. With a slow beat to Pinkie buoy, the Graduate gradually gained on Robin and Dave in the Solos. At Pinkie Robin struggled to make the buoy and was overtaken by Dave who then passed the Graduate on the run back to Dam Green buoy with Robin tailing. The second lap saw Nathan extending his lead on Bob and Liam retiring with a broken mast along with Robin who missed H1 buoy at end of the lap. Nathan lapped Roger on the way back up to Pinkie though Roger retired anyway after missing Zebra buoy and nudging West buoy.

Results:

1. Nathan Pollard (Aero 9)
2. Bob Sampson (Aero 7)
3. Dave Perrett (Solo)
4. Brian Pollard & Tash Routley (Graduate)
   Retired: Liam Routley (Laser), Robin Spiller (Solo) and Roger Heasman (Miracle)

Pursuit 5

Only 4 sailors entered the second race. With the wind freshening slightly over lunchtime Nathan swapped his 9m sailor for a smaller 7m sail. As with the rest of the pursuit race series, the length of the race is predetermined at 68 minutes with the slowest boat, Vicki’s Topper, starting at 0 minutes. Following were Dave at 13 minutes, Brian/Tash at 14 minutes and Nathan at 20 minutes. Vicki was at the far end of the course by the time Dave started and nearly lapped Nathan starting last. Lap 2 saw Nathan passing Brian/Tash just before Pinkie and the following lap he also overtook Dave on the run back down the lake. He repeated this manoeuvre on the subsequent lap, shooting past Vicki to gain 1st place.

Results:

1. Nathan Pollard (Aero 7)
2. Vicki Duncalf (Topper)
3. Dave Perrett (Solo)
4. Brian Pollard & Tash Routley (Graduate)

Thanks go to Officer on Duty Linda Spiller and Mandy Pollard for the photos.

Roger’s Bowl 3

The forecast brisk NW wind had dissuaded many of our usual Wednesday sailors from making the journey to Upper Tamar Lake. However, these weather conditions are those that Nathan and Bob revel in, so they launched their Aero 5 and Laser 4.7 respectively. John in his Bosun, with Linda as crew, also entered the race albeit with a set of small sails.

The course was a simple one: three trips up to Pinky and down to Dam Green with excursions via Zebra to Inlet and West. Just a few canoeists and the occasional hydro-foil to avoid.

Nathan took an early lead, closely shadowed by Bob, and so it continued to the end of the race less than 40 minutes later, with just one minute separating them on corrected time.

After completing the first long downwind leg from Pinky to Dam Green, John decided that he had no appetite to repeat that exercise twice more, so he retired.

Results:

1. Nathan Pollard (Aero 5)
2. Bob Sampson (Laser 4.7)
   Retired: John Dabbs & Linda Spiller (Bosun)

Thanks go to Robin Spiller as Race Officer.

Cup 7

Good start from Nathan and Dave close to the Clubhouse in light airs. The front three boats (Nathan, Dave & Linda) gained an advantage by starting near the bank as Bob, Jane, Brian & Tash, Liam & Robin were soon becalmed. Bob soon took 4th place from Jane now 5th. The front 5 then rounded Dam Green buoy for their run up the lake with Liam, Brian + Tash & Robin still only a few boat lengths from the start. Few changes at the front but Robin passes Liam and starts to close on Brian & Tash. Boats became becalmed again at the ‘Zebra’ mark. A series of gusts arrived helping Dave to bear down on Nathan for the lead when the gusts cause reverse conditions for both leaving Nathan consolidating his lead and Dave being overtaken by Bob. Liam and Robin retired on the second lap.

Results:

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

Tamar 7

Zoom, Brian and Tash away like a flash in their Bosun but lose out 1st place to Nathan around Dam Green and with Bob & Jane soon after. As the race progressed there was a huge wind shift from SE to NNE meaning the simple run from Dam Green turned into a series of tacks for all. Vicki had joined the 2nd race in her Topper and kept in touch with the back markers and looked to be well placed after handicaps were applied as the end results proved with only Nathan getting the better of her.

Results:

1. Nathan Pollard (Aero 7)
2. Vicki Duncalf (Topper)
3. Jane Anderson (Laser Radial)
4. Bob Sampson (Aero 7)
5. Linda Spiller (Laser)
6. Brian Pollard & Tash Routley (Bosun)
7. Robin Spiller (Solo)

Thanks go to Paul Anderson as race officer and Mandy Pollard for the photos.

Roger’s Bowl 2

The order over the start line was Robin Spiller (Solo), Geoff Floyd (Solo), Ian Chatterton (Enterprise), Linda Spiller (Laser Radial), John Dabbs with Leila Farmer (Bosun) and Colin and Louise Witchell (Bosun). If Linda was unlucky with her start she was amazingly lucky with her winds which took her past everyone to be first at West White and then at Pinkie and from then on. The two Solos were battling but got separated when Ian’s Enterprise got past Geoff on the second lap. On the third Ian overtook Robin. The handicaps took the Dabbs/Farmer Bosun up the order from fifth to second and shoved Ian Chatterton down from second to third.

Results:

1. Linda Spiller (Laser Radial)
2. John Dabbs and Leila Farmer (Bosun)
3. Ian Chatterton (Enterprise)
4. Robin Spiller (Solo)
5. Geoff Floyd (Solo)
6. Louise and Colin Witchell (Bosun)

Egg Cup 5

There was more wind but fewer boats. Sue Murray in her Laser Radial had however joined the fleet and crossed the line in first place chased by John Dabbs, now with Louise Witchell, Linda Spiller and Geoff Floyd. Linda took over the lead, probably at West and held it. Geoff Floyd took the inside line at Dam Green and got ahead of the Dabbs Bosun. Sue Murray tacked early on the way to West hoping to gain advantage but the wind dropped. The handicaps shoved Geoff back down below John.

Results:

1. Linda Spiller (Laser Radial)
2. Sue Murray (Laser Radial)
3. John Dabbs and Louise Witchell (Bosun)
4. Geoff Floyd (Solo)

Many thanks to Bob Sampson, who ran the race.

Roger’s Bowl 1

The winds were substantially stronger and gustier than the 7mph forecast, nonetheless eight boats took the start. The Aeros set off first, Nathan taking a lead he meant to keep. The Solos followed, Adam’s with a small sail, Geoff’s with a standard but 8.7 sq meters proved too much and Geoff retired after one lap. By White West Sue had taken over third place. The northerly winds meant tacking up to Pinkie with the high-pointing Solo giving Adam an advantage which Sue generally pulled back elsewhere. This battle continued throughout the three laps of the race. John and Linda in the Bosun were close at the beginning, less so by the end. They were followed by Ian Chatterton’s Enterprise, admirably sailed in the wind and by Louise piloting the Bosun.

1. Nathan Pollard (Aero 6)
2. Adam Hilton (Solo)
3. Bob Sampson (Aero 6)
4. Sue Murray (Laser 4.7)
5. John Dabbs and Linda Spiller (Bosun)
6. Ian Chatterton (Enterprise)
7. Louise and Colin Witchell (Bosun)
   Retired: Geoff Floyd (Solo)

Egg Cup 4

Sue Murray and Bob Sampson were neck and neck at the start behind Nathan’s Aero but a familiar patern soon emerged with Nathan well ahead, Bob following, Sue’s Laser valiantly chasing and John and Linda bringing up the rear. The gaps got bigger as the race went on but the order stayed the same.

1. Nathan Pollard (Aero 6)
2. Bob Sampson (Aero 6)
3. Sue Murray (Laser 4.7)
4. John Dabbs and Linda Spiller (Bosun)

Roger Heasman very kindly took over from Nathan Pollard as Officer of the Day.

Tamar 6

Twin boats dominated a race run in very light easterly winds. The Aero 7s led, Bob Sampson’s off the start but Nathan Pollard’s by the third buoy. Jane Anderson’s Laser Radial trounced Linda Spiller’s. Anderson had a great start, Spiller a terrible one. The Solos of Dave Perrett and Adam Hilton were never far apart, Perrett’s generally leading until he retired at the end of lap one. The Pollard/Routley Bosun and the Liam Routley Laser Full were the non-conforming singletons.

Results:

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

Barnwell 7

The winds had turned right round to the northwest and strengthened. The Solo twins had gone but there was now a Bosun pair, John Dabbs joining the race with Adam Hilton as crew but Brian Pollard/Tash Routley leading the Bosuns once they had recovered from a highly congested start. Bob Sampson led away and Nathan Pollard took some time to catch him. Meanwhile Liam Routley’s Laser held a very creditable second place. However the handicap demoted him to fourth with the Radial twins – Linda Spiller leading Jane Anderson – taking second and third places. Vicki Duncalf’s Topper mainsheet malfunctioned and she limped home with no help from the safety boat.

Results:

1. Nathan Pollard (Aero 7)
2. Linda Spiller (Laser Radial)
3. Jane Anderson (Laser Radial)
4. Liam Routley (Laser Full)
5. Bob Sampson (Aero 7)
6. Brian Pollard and Tash Routley (Bosun)
7. John Dabbs and Adam Hilton (Bosun)
   Retired: Vicki Duncalf (Topper)

Grateful thanks were offered to Robin Spiller for running the races and to Mandy Pollard who took the photos.