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A small fleet came back
a
second time to
Stone Sailing Club in Essex
August
3rd-5th, for the Monday to Wednesday
of Stone Week,
racing on the Blackwater Estuary (alongside the Unicorn Nationals.)
The big low-pressure system hammering Scotland gave warm SW-SE winds, so
the local and visiting fleets were tested by gusting Force 4-5 SWs for
two days (photos below) easing and swinging S-SE for
the final day. The strength of the wind blew the Unicorns off the water
(so Catapult gained credit for racing hard throughout) but was unlucky
for new member John Coster, getting an excess of breeze twice in two
events.
George Evans consistently pushed to the front, with four wins in six
races, with Alastair Forrest behind.
The small fleet at Stone all moved usefully up
the
TT Leaderboard and John Terry (absent and
with a DNC score to count)
had the Yellow Pennant prised off him, as Alastair got to the
top, just three points from George.
(Below: Syd at speed as he rides his luck downwind, Day 1)
(Photo John Coster)

Race 1 got off to a
scrambling start with unfamilar signals, with Alastair
Forrest leading from the windward end to the top mark, and holding the
lead round a course of a shallow triangle and windward/leeward laps.
George Evans pulled up to battle for the front, finally holding a small
lead. Paul Ellis and Syd Gage stayed close, until Paul trapezed to
the end for a close 1-2-3 finish (Photo below).
By Race 2 on the same course, the strengthening
tide against an 18 knot breeze gave a steep high chop, so tactics
depended on keeping some speed going banging into the steep waves,
tacking in any smooth water, and managing a quick smashing gybe in the
strong breeze at the top mark. Alastair was eventually first around
gaining downwind, but messing up his quick tack after the bottom mark
put him plumb in front of Paul on starboard, and a 360' put him to the
back, with all the battle upwind to do again. George pulled upwind into
the lead, holding round the next lap to the finish. The Club shortened
to two laps, as rescue boats were fully stretched by club and Unicorn
casualties.
(Below: Paul comes through the start-gate at speed, Day 1)
(Photo John Coster)

Tuesday brought the same SW breeze, with strong gusts, again
with a steep chop as the tide turned and built. The Unicorns elected to
stay ashore. A good start for Race 3 saw Alastair ahead
in the scrambling tacks in steep seas at the top mark, defending
the lead from George. Paul trapezed to good effect but was then hammered
over by two successive gusts, the mast sticking in the mud below to
prevent recovery. George chased Alastair hard, catching on the last long
downwind legs, until Alastair caught a big gust, roaring past and then
still stretching away after the gust reached George, for a lead at the
final turn, just enough to hold the lead at the finish by a few yards as
George came up fast.
Race 4 was almost a replay, on the same course
(again round two laps only, with rescue boats fully stretched) with a
tight fleet reduced to three by now, beating up in steep seas to the
lurching gybe at the top.. George took back Alastair's intial lead, and
kept it round the course, with Syd in touch but not threatening.
The steep seas gave brief downwind surfing, limited by the bows burying
in the next wave, not quite "checking" as an imminent capsize, but needing
fast jumping back in the gusts.
(Below: Finish, Race 1, George leads from Alastair and Paul)
(Photo John Coster)

On Wednesday the low pressure system shifted north, to
give warm S-SE breeze under cloud, Force 3-4 The Unicorn withdrawal the
day before benefitted Catapult, as the Club agreed to run two races for
both fleets (instead of joining the Club Long-Distance and Pursuit
events) The Club set a "W" course anticipating a shift SE, with long
starbord-favoured beats, so that the tactical question became how far to
avoid the main tide going upwind.
Race 5 started on a broad lead, Alastair leading off
well, only to have the sail head slip off the hook, so running off to a
shingle bank downwind for repairs took him far behind. The reduced fleet
stayed tight around the dog-leg course for the two laps with Syd chasing
Paul for the lead, until Paul pulled away in the windshifts in the final
beat, and George came through for second.
Race 6 kept the same dog-legged course but reversed the start,
giving a running start, with the tide---so this meant that not being
early and swept over the line was crucial. Alastair timed it well with a
good lead, and again George pulled up for a close battle. The wind swung
SE to give two long beats on the next legs, and Alastair kept George in
his wind shadow through the beats back.
Downwind again George sportingly hailed Alastair's rounding the wrong mark
but gained a lead at the mark, both staying out in the fairway for the beat
back. Behind, Paul and Syd chose to tack to come along the shore,
risking less breeze to avoid some of the tide, with a gradual gain.
Syd’s showed great boat speed on the final beat lifting him away from
Paul to threaten Alastair, closing on the final run, but with the finish
coming up, defensive luffing to the different ends of the long finish
line allowed Alastair to defend the second place.
(Below: George chased through the moored boats downwind by
Paul, Day1 )
(Photo John Coster)

George's
consistently pushing to the front let him count four wins after with
Alastair behind. All the
small fleet moved usefully up
the
TT Leaderboard and John Terry (absent and
with a DNC score to count)
had the Yellow Pennant prised off him, as Alastair got to the
top, just one point from George.
RESULTS
Race 1 2
3 4 5
6 Total
Nett
1) George Evans
1
1 (2)
1 2
1
8
6
2) Alastair Forrest
2
2
1 2 (5) 2
14
9
3) Syd Gage
(4) 4
3 3
3
3
20
16
4) Paul Ellis
3
3 DNF6
(DNC 8) 1
4 25
17
5) John Coster
DNF 6 DNC 8 DNC 8
(DNC 8) 4
DNF 6 40
32
(Below: George and Syd in technical
discussion beside the wide expanse of the Blackwater at high tide.)

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