What a day was had by all who ventured down to join the 25 or so volunteers of Wealden Sailability at Chipstead. A nearly completely blue sky and 10 to 14 knots of westerly wind – veering and backing between SW and NW. Most of the WS Racers arrived early and had plenty of time to test the wind around the course of the Windward Mark A, followed by a broad reach to Mark B and then a downwind run to Mark D and a short reach to Mark J, before tacking and beginning the tough beat back up the lake to pass through the Start/Finish Gate and sail onward to Mark A.
Here is an extended video of the Start and how the leading group got away and how the groups of boats in the middle and at the back of the fleet fared! (As always, do try to find your own boat in the film and decide if you can see whether you can learn anything regarding, for example, better positioning on the Start Line, or the timing of when you tacked on your way to the first Mark. Ed.)
The Result was:
- David Mason in a Liberty Sail # 24
- Malcolm Hill and crew Douglas Haig in Martin Sail # 125 (+3 seconds per lap behind the boat ahead)
- Ann Frewer and crew Helen Fairfax in 303 Sail # 6 (+8 secs)
- Mike Blatchford in Martin Sail # 126 (+5 Seconds)
- Keith Eeles in Liberty Sail # 21 (+52 seconds)
- Imogen Fletcher and crew Di in 303 Sail # 1 (+2 seconds)
- Fay Watson and crew James Thomas in 303 Sail # 10 (+9 seconds)
- Peter Wagner in Liberty Sail # 22 (+6 Seconds)
- Martin Norman and Sebastian in 303 Sail # 2 (+15 seconds)
- Ben Gubb and crew dad, Ian, in 303 Sail # 4 (+12 seconds)
- Geoff Taylor in 303 Sail # 7 (+47 seconds)
- Mark Cayzer and crew Ralph in 303 Sail # 8
Well done to all the Racers and many thanks to Alan Cayzer for his assistance in the Race Hut and all the volunteers who crewed.