Robin Spiller showing ahead in his Streaker to leeward, with James Pollard nicely placed to windward as boats approach the line at the start of the midday race
The whole fleet in view at the top end of the lake (14 boats – a good number for a blustery November): Bob Sampson and Brian Pollard keep a watchful eye in the foreground
Close competition amongst the Topper sailors: Alex Clifton, Nathan Pollard, Elliot Pomeroy and Jane Chadney almost in line abreast, with Rachael Pomeroy not far behind
And equally close quarters in the middle of the fleet, with Adam Hilton’s Solo and the Bosuns of Toby Tobias and Nicky Buckett more-or-less level pegging
Steve Axford’s Laser, having to spill wind in many of the gusts, is only just ahead of James Pollard’s Laser Radial in this shot
John Savage in the Solo getting onto the plane just behind Nathan Pollard’s Topper
Tony Tobias and John Dabbs make a brilliant start in the afternoon race
Lasers and Bosuns still tight together on the first lap, heading at speed up towards Far; in the background, the lack of foreshore shows the lake has now completely refilled, with water going over the spillway
The start of the midday race, with five boats and crews heading up the lake into a heavy driving drizzle
Elliot Pomeroy to windward of Vicki Duncalf on what looks to have turned into a beat – the wind, which initially looked to be mainly westerly, turned progressively more northerly during the course of the day
Steve Axford and Bob Sampson on the plane. The duo were never far apart for the whole race, but Steve, who was just behind as they rounded Dam Green on the final lap, managed to snatch victory by a tactical tack in the last few yards
Vicki Duncalf keeping ahead of the Bosun of Adam Hilton and John Dabbs. Note the fisherman in the background, who is so unworried by the chill of a bitter early Spring day, that he’s prepared to stand in the water
Start of the afternoon race: the Bosun has stolen a march on the remainder of the fleet by getting away quickly and well to windward. The streaks of foam on the water show that the wind remained pretty strong
Good telephoto close-up of Elliot Pomeroy, wrapped up against the cold
The Bosun’s excellent start means that it’s still in the lead as it beats up to the first mark at Middle
No early-season rustiness for Sue Murray, who looked very comfortable in her Laser 4.7 – and ended up in the 2nd place
A crowd cluster around Home 1 as the fleet (15 boats, an impressive number for March) get away for the midday race, with Roger Heasman’s Streaker looking well placed
Jane Anderson’s Laser pulled out an impressive lead in the fluky breeze, which stopped, started and came from practically every direction on the compass; here she gybes at Dam Red, with only a cormorant for company
Robin’s Streaker and Linda’s Comet running slowly back down towards the Dam in close company
James Williams at the helm of Toby’s Bosun
Start of the afternoon race, with the RS200 getting away clear this time, with James Pollard at the helm whilst Bob Sampson was on safety boat duty
Looks to be a slow drift as a cluster of boats inch their way round Dam Red
The safety boat (with Bob Sampson and Sue Murray) keep an eye on the fleet as it heads to Inlet White
John Dabbs’ Gull (sail number 2269) up with nominally much faster boats on the way to a brilliant position in the afternoon race
Lots of pressure on the start line these days, with a couple over the line at the hooter having to thread their way back through 20-odd boats in order to re-start
Interesting mix of classes showing at the front of the fleet on the first beat with, from leeward: Graduate (Adeney Pooler), Laser (Steve Axford), Solo (Adam Hilton) and, almost hidden, Gull (John Dabbs)
Simon Veal and Nicola Clay managing to get the Bosun’s spinnaker pulling well, despite the fluky winds; John Savage’s Solo just behind
Good action shot as James Pollard hardens up on rounding Dam Green
Good to see Stuart Mealing out on the water, as the Laser beats up towards the Home 2 mark
Start of the Commodore’s Cup series in the afternoon: slightly fewer boats on the water, but still lots of pressure on the windward end of the line
Not much wind as Nicky Buckett’s Laser ghosts away from Zebra, with Paul Whybrow’s Solo just coming up to the buoy
Adeney Pooler’s Graduate and Nathan Pollards’s Topper, with both helms apparently concentrating on their hands
Adam Hilton and John Dabbs get away clear in the first race of the Sailboat Series
Quite a good number of boats for a very windy day in April
The fleet rounds the first mark at Home 2 and starts the beat towards West Wight, across the windiest part of the lake; Adam Hilton’s Bosun still holding onto the lead
James Pollard planing at speed on the reach back towards the Dam
Nice action shot as Simon Veal’s three-up Bosun puts in a tack
Looks relatively peaceful (temporarily) as James Pollard and Jane Anderson cross the line at the start of the afternoon race
A contrast in angles of heel in the two Bosuns: Simon Veal’s leans to the wind whilst behind, club Bosun the ‘Mike Ford’ stays bolt upright as helm Nicky Buckett opts for a gentler approach on the bea
Probably the best shot of the day as James Pollard has to hike out hard even on the reach
Using Start Line 2, a leading group of boats head for the first mark at Zebra, with Alan Comber and John Weller showing ahead in the Enterprise
Spot the difference…. Bob Sampson’s full rig Laser sandwiched between the smaller 4.7 rigs of Jane Anderson and James Pollard
Bob Sampson’s Laser appears to have pulled out a lead of almost the length of the lake over the bulk of the fleet on the way to his eventual victory in the midday race
Adam Hilton’s Solo leads a trio of boats round the dogleg of Dam Red and Dam Green
The fleet already well spread out at the start of the first Cup Race of the 2015 season
Some close-quarters jostling for position at Zebra, just after the start
A study in concentration: a fabulous action close-up of Roger Heasman and Annie Quartermain in the Kestrel
Toby Tobias and Brian Pollard get the Bosun moving well in a fresher patch of wind on a day of sometimes fickle breezes
The Bosun of Adam Hilton and John Dabbs make a good start to the midday race; in the foreground, it’s good to see Geoff Floyd out racing in his Solo
Heading up to Pinky on the first lap, it’s now a different Bosun, with Nicky Buckett and Annie Quartermain, who are in the lead, with the Toppers of Nathan Pollard and Jane Anderson, plus the Streaker of Robin Spiller, not far behind
Most of the fleet in line astern as Nicky Buckett and Annie Quartermain still hold on to the lead, only shortly before having to retire when there were more problems with the Bosun’s rigging
A second good start of the day for Adam Hilton and John Dabbs
Close quarters racing as five boats (Linda Spiller’s Comet is almost hidden from view) tack round the mark
It was an afternoon dominated by the club’s burgeoning Topper fleet (they took the first four places on handicap); the distinctive light blue hull at the back of this quartet is Jane Chadney, who has moved from her Laser into a Topper
Jane Anderson’s Topper is pulling out a substantial lead, though the foreshortening effect of the telephoto lens makes it look less in this picture
There was a fascinating ding-dong between the two Bosuns of Adam Hilton and Simon Veal throughout much of the afternoon race: even one of the cattle in the field behind is sufficiently interested to stop eating and watch!
