HC 2 - The return of the breeze
Five boats eventually gathered for Saturday’s race thanks to an excellent service from south west trains to delivering the crew of Z53!
Rendezvousing at Yola, there was a brief interlude debating the course, moving to KB boats the wind dropped making the programme start time impossible.
The course suggested on the south-westerly was quickly changed as the wind started to come from the north-east. As the second sequence wa under way the wind backed to the north-east, making it apparent that the gate boat was laying the first mark. Abandoning that start, the course was reset to KB(gate)-PS(p)-GL(p)-YO(s)-GL(p)-YO(fin).
The fleet readied themselves for another go at a start. Z54 opened the gate and due to a wind shift and the starters wanting to start later, a sizeable advantage was made for the gate. Big shifts on the small first beat allow the following boats to trade places. Z54 followed by Z75, Z53,Z73 and Z68.
The run to Gleeds the spinnakerless Z73 fend off Z68 all the way to hold fourth place through the crew work (welcome to another couple of new Z73 crew - Dom & Ginny)
The next leg the fleet compressed with Z54 being chased down by Z75. Z68 overtaking both Z53 and Z73.
Places stayed the same over the next lap with some veer and haul on separation. I won’t say about the small issue on Z75… well done Max for sorting…
In the end Z54 takes the second win of the series (though a short race finishing before 1600). Z75 had closed the gap with Z68 finishing the top three…. But hold on the exciting finish was between Z53 and Z73. With Z73 squeezing a neck and neck finish over Z53 at the final mark. “Awesome” said Dom on the finish!!!!
Hopefully next weekend there will be a start without incident….but for now the weather for the Saturday racing has been superb with the same sociable gathering in the bar afterwards….
See you next weekend…
Scam
(Sorry no photos)