May Day race

 
May Day Races
Monday 2nd May 2016
Today's three races were heralded by a South Westerly wind - Force Four, this strength of the wind was to be a contributory factor in the numbers which turned up for these three races.  The plan was to hold Races 1 and 2 back to back and then break for lunch and then sail the third race.  The laying of the course was further out due once again to a falling tide.

Seven boats were out there for there for the start of the first race and right from the outset Laser 165710 went into an early lead which was never to be challenged by the rest of the fleet.  In second place was the RS Feva 4530 which demonstrated great skill in flying it's distinctive Spinnaker between SP2 and SP3 where a number of boats were to become a cropper and capsize.
In the gusty conditions there were numerous capsizes and retirements from the race and sadly one of these was the RS Feva who following a spectacular catastrophic technical gear failure while on a screaming broad reach heralded the end of their sailing for the day.

Results for Race 1
1st Laser 165710 Colin Smith
2nd Laser Radial 42839 Olaf Throndsen
3rd Re Vision Phil Rees, Julia Rees and Matt

Race Two
The second race of the day had a much reduced fleet, from seven boats down to three, two of the Lasers had sailed in the first race and the newcomer was the RS Feva of Luke Herhily and Douglas Oliver.

The Laser Radial of Graham Harbord went into an early lead but because of the gusty conditions the lead was to change and for a brief period it was the RS Feva who went into the lead, they maintained this lead despite a near capsize on the way up to SP2, close behind was the Laser Radial of Olaf Throndsen,  the second Laser Radial managed to catch up with the other two boats and pass them but upon rounding the Gybe mark promptly capsized leading the other Laser Radial to go into the lead and pull away, unfortunately this too was to suffer a capsize and gear failure which led to it's retiring from the race.

The Race Officer shortened the race to enable a break and prepare for the third and final race of the day.

Results for Race Two
1st RS Feva Luke Herhily and Douglas Oliver
2nd Laser Radial 154735 Graham Harbord.
 
Race Three
After a short break, some running repairs to one of the Laser Radials and a course change, the third and final race was ready to start, once again there were only three boats, 2 Laser Radials and the RS Feva.

​This might have been a reduced fleet but as in the first two races it was a very competitive race.  The Laser Radials were very much vying for first place, Laser Radial 42839 went ahead of the the other Laser Radial, having said this, the second Laser Radial was never far behind.
Once again the Gybe Mark was to prove tricky to round and saw a few capsizes, the first being the RS Feva, however, they were able to right themselves and continue the race.  Laser Radial 159735 would also be a victim of this Gybe mark and eventually retired from the race.

Results for Race Three
1st Laser Radial 42839 Olaf Throndsen
2nd RS Feva Luke Herhily and Douglas Oliver