Jane Anderson’s Topper leads the fleet away at the start of the midday race, closely followed by Nathan Pollard and then Alan Comber and John Weller in the Enterprise
The leading duo now joined by Sue Murray, also in a Topper
Adam Hilton’s Bosun (sporting Otter sails from former member John Chandler) and Nicola Sayer just ahead of the Enterprise
A good show of nearly all the fleet on a run downwind to Inlet White, prior to skirting the headland under the trees on the way down to Pinkie
Sue Murray getting her Topper onto the plane, just ahead of Nathan Pollard
The fleet coming up to the start line as they prepare to start the afternoon race
Bob Sampson’s Laser 4.7 pressing Jane Anderson’s Topper hard as they head downwind
And a little later Bob has overtaken Jane prior to building a big lead – but Jane still managed to win on handicap
Right on the line for the start of the midday race, with the bulk of the fleet opting for a port tack start tight in against the Home 1 buoy (Interesting to see a picture shot from the Devon bank of the lake, back towards the Race Hut – it also shows just how tall the trees in the plantation on the hillside against the skyline are becoming – and presumably making any westerly winds at this end of the lake more fluky as they grow)
The fleet now starting to spread out, against the backdrop of the car park and the play area, with Bob Sampson leading the fleet away
And a few seconds later, with Vicki Duncalf heading this group
A nice composition of boats inching their way round Inlet White, with Robin and Linda Spiller’s Bosun in the foreground
Boats moving much faster as the wind picked up for the afternoon race, with Paul Whybrow’s Solo showing just ahead
A zoom shot of the front of the fleet heading downwind back from Pinkie
John Savage looking nicely balanced going upwind in his Solo
Roger Heasman developing more of a heel in his Streaker
In the lightest of zephyrs, the fleet inch towards the line, with Bob Sampson’s RS200 ahead at the clubhouse end
Sue Murray’s Topper Topaz emerges from the pack to lead the chase after Bob and Jane
And now a close-up….
With the wind filling in and swinging round to the north, the start to the afternoon race was a much less laboured affair, but Bob’s RS200 was still first away
A nice shot of a tightly-bunched group of boats running from Inlet White back to the dogleg round Zebra
Alex Clifton has the RS200’s gennaker up as they chase Jane Anderson’s Laser Radial
And now the gennaker looks to be pulling really well after gybing onto port tack
Later in the race, Robin and Linda Spiller lead a group of eight boats on the beat up to Pinkie
On a blustery day, Alan Comber goes for a port tack start, whilst the bulk of the fleet opt for starboard
A few seconds later, Bob Sampson’s RS200 seems to have established a clear lead
With a course restricted in length because of a major fishing competition, the races comprised no less than six ( very short) laps, inevitably leading to the faster boats lapping the slower ones
James Pollard leading Nicky Buckett as the two Laser Radials head towards Inlet
n the afternoon race, Toby Tobias gets the Bosun away to a storming start
An excellent close-up of Toby Tobias and John Dabbs looking comfortable and at ease in the Bosun, in contrast to the more frenetic efforts of some other helms in the gusty breeze
Vicki and John opt for different tacks as they pull away from Dam Green
Really good to see Adeney Pooler back out on the lake in his Graduate after a long absence
The fleet gets away into a stiff northerly breeze at the start of the midday race
Trio of Roger Heasman, Ruth Hieghton-Jackson and Jo Talbot-Adams in the club Bosun; note Alex Clifton in the background hiking out hard to keep his Topper the right way up
Two Bosun helms for the price of one: Adam Hilton and John White double up in Adam’s Bosun
Start of the afternoon race, with Vicki Duncalf stealing a march on the rest of the fleet
Start of the afternoon race, with Vicki Duncalf stealing a march on the rest of the fleet
James Pollard in the only Laser venturing out onto a choppy lake
Jane Anderson’s Topper at full tilt on a downwind plane
Three happy faces as everybody is up on the gunwale to keep Toby’s Bosun flat on a reac
Bob Sampson seems to have made use of a small phalanx of paddleboarders to keep the pursuing fleet at a distance….!
Good close-up of Adam Hilton as the Solo starts the beat up the lake from Dam Green
And a similar shot of Nicky Buckett in the Laser Radial
James Pollard has stolen a lead of several boat lengths as the fleet crosses the line at the start of the afternoon race, with brother Nathan Pollard well placed in second
The two Solos neck and neck at the start, whilst Sue Murray opts to dodge across the fleet on port tack in her newly-acquired Laser 4.7
The RS200 and Roger Heasman’s Streaker have closed up with James Pollard on the beat up to West White
Adeney Pooler about to lean into a tack in his Graduate
Jane Chadney tacks away from the Graduate and Enterprise
Enterprise and Graduate again, but this time with Adam Hilton’s rarely-seen 420
Nice shot of the Adam’s 420, with crew John Dabbs behind the sail
Good action shot of Rachael Pomeroy heading the Topper upwind on a day when she became ‘top Topper’ in the midday race
Bob Sampson’s RS200 to windward of John Duncalf in the Topper
nteresting to see the range of sail colours on some race days at Tamar this season: instead of the usual preponderance of white, there’s now a broader palette, with a lot of blue
James Pollard gets away first in the midday race, with Paul Whybrow tucked in just behind
Bearing away onto a broad reach towards Inlet, many boats are getting onto the plane and the one or two heeling dinghies show the strength of the gusts
Bearing away onto a broad reach towards Inlet, many boats are getting onto the plane and the one or two heeling dinghies show the strength of the gusts
A much smaller fleet get away for the afternoon race
On the same course as the morning, Bob Sampson’s RS200 rounds Inlet White, with Roger Heasman’s Streaker not far behind
Good close-up of Roger Heasman’s Streaker heading downwind
Tight racing in the Topper contingent, with Vicki just ahead of John
Eventual winner on handicap in the afternoon race, Nathan Pollard leaning forward his Topper
Simon Veal and Brian Pollard head downwind in a quiet patch as the chasing Enterprise shows an impressive bow wave
Guarding against an accidental gybe as they run downwind, Louise Stevens keeps a firm hand on the boom in the Enterprise, with Nicky Buckett doing the same on the Bosun in the background
Bob Sampson away first in the afternoon race, too, but this time it’s Nathan Pollard heading the chasing pack
Sue Murray and John Dabbs keep their Bosun to windward as they beat up the lake after the start
James Pollard now just ahead of Bob Sampson as they run downwind
Enterprise, Bosun and Topper just about to round Zebra
A good action shot of the Bosun in mid-gybe at Dam Green, with Nicky Buckett ducking as the boom swings across, with Vicki Duncalf in the Topper just sheeting in for the beat towards the finish line