Grafham 2006

Grafham - 2006

Grafham 20 May 2006

Saturday 20th May was an early start for some, but not for Dave Kent, who had arrived on Friday night with his new boat. He was raring to go - in such a hurry that he had forgotten his bolt to attach his boom to his mast!

Dave, Claire Smith, & Katie Mapplebeck joined eight Splashes for the 2nd NMT of 2006. In spite of the grim weather forecast of rain and 25mph winds, the Race Officer, Alan Jessop, got us on the water promptly at 10.45am for two races before lunch.

The course was a simple trapezoid-outer loop, with only one lap of the loop! It was just the right length for the day's testing conditions : )

Race 1: Wind F5, gusting F6
The line was slightly biased to port, but the wind kept shifting to the right. Dave started closest to the pin, with Claire next and Katie nearer to the Committee boat end. Dave zoomed off using his extra leverage to good effect. In spite of not pointing very well, he reached the windward mark with a good lead. Next round was Katie, closely followed by Claire. The leeward mark was a gybe mark!! Dave managed to gybe (every time), Claire tried, but Katie remembered the training at Rutland and decided that caution was needed and a quick tack was in order! By the end, the Splashes were following our example.

To our credit, none of the Europes capsized, but Katie spent 30 mins upside down between races 1 & 2. Good job it took the Splashes another 35 minutes to finish. Katie says "make sure the knot in the main sheet is tight at all times!"

Race 2: Winds F5/6
Katie & Claire had great port flyers off the pin and sailed over Dave, who started on starboard, at the wrong end. But again Dave (who had raked his mast more upright to improve his pointing) tacked behind Katie and sailed over her and Claire, using his weight advantage to great effect. Dave reached the windward mark 1st, with Katie next and Claire in 3rd. This is how it stayed to the finish. The race officer then told us to go in for lunch : )

Catering always fantastic at Grafham: A*!

At 2 pm (the scheduled time to start race 3), we were all stood on the shore, watching squalls and rain blow through, but the race officer radioed ashore to enquire whether anybody was going to sail the race, which he was about to start (don't think he was enjoying the rain and the chop!).

Race 3: Wind F6 gusting F8!!
Katie again had the best start, but, with the conditions worsening, Claire decided "home!". Dave and Katie had a closer race. but Dave led all the way.

After race 3, Dave & Katie decided that enough was enough and went in, to find that the anemometer at the Club showed that the wind had been up to F8, or 42mph, during the race! Three of the splashes decided to sail a 4th race.

Overall Results (not surprisingly)

Sailor	Club	R1	R2	R3	Total	Place
Dave Kent	Crosby SC	1	1	1	3	1
Katie Mapplebeck	Ogston SC	2	2	2	6	2
Claire Smith	Plymouth University	3	3	RTD	10	3

Where were you all on such a good day of sailing?!

Excellent course & race officer.
Usual great catering & very helpful Bosun (says Dave).
Thanks to Robin, Adrienne and the Splashes for all the organisation to make this happen (please ask us back!).
After Rutland and Grafham 2006, no South Coasty can complain of lack of wind in the Midlands!
Hope you enjoy the pictures (thanks to Alan & Robin), especially Dave's nose dive.

Katie Mapplebeck GBR385