Report on Europe Traveller and Scottish Championship at Loch Tummel Sailing Club, 18/19 September 2004

Loch Tummel Sailing Club is on the south shore of the loch, which runs East/West between high hills. The club and the sailing area is at the west end where the loch is at its widest and less enclosed, although there are funnelling effects from the local topography which can create significant wind shifts. The courses were all set as Trapezoids, with a windward/leeward section between the two wing marks to keep the handicap fleet away from the asymmetric boats using the primary windward/leeward leg. Six races were planned over the two days. The forecast was for 60mph gales in the North of Scotland and the weather for the Saturday afternoon races had winds varying form 15 to over 20 knots from the west. The wind dropped on Sunday until the afternoon when it had again risen to close to 20 knots.

Perhaps the forecast had put off some visitors who had been originally planning to make the trip, but the number of Europes was disappointingly lower than expected. Two visitors added to the three local boats for an entry of five. The Europes sailed in the Handicap Class with results for the class extracted.

Race 1

The wind before the start of the first race was already strong at times, but with some enticing spells of 12 to 15 knots between the stronger gusts. Liz Ashburn thought better of risking a borrowed boat, while Pete Dowker ventured out until he discovered that past the shelter of the adjacent high ground the wind in the race area was gusting 20 knots plus and he returned to shore, leaving only the three local sailors, Fiona Barron, Fiona Annan and Brian Finnie to start the first race. On a generous start line all three Europes made a good start on Starboard and continued left to the southern shore for the expected shift. Fiona Barron led the way, followed by Brian. Lightweight Fiona Annan was having difficulty with the strength of the wind and decided to retire early. The fleet had trouble with the trapezoidal course, and many, including both the remaining Europes missed the first wing mark, causing confusion from that point on. Fiona, having realised her mistake early, went back to correct the omission, but Brian, although realising that he must have missed a mark failed to orient himself with the course and, having sailed far out to the wrong side of the asymmetric course, could not locate the missed mark in the chop, leaving Fiona unchallenged for the rest of the race.

Race 2

Race 2 started back to back with the first race in a still strengthening wind. Only two Europes were at the line this time for another straightforward start. Once again the fleet went left towards the southern shore. Brian Finnie and Fiona Barron stayed together up the beat, but a fluffed tack from Fiona at the windward mark left her in irons allowing Brian to get through ahead, only to capsize while gybing at the first wing mark, which put Fiona ahead again. At the second wing mark it was Fiona's turn to capsize, from which she failed to recover, having let the centreboard come out of the slot and, unable to right the boat, succumbed to the rescue boat. Brian now had a clear path to continue for a place. One lap later Brian was just one tack and twenty metres from the line when he also made a bad tack and was blown over, and was then unable to recover from having the mast in the mud.

With the weather continuing to worsen and several boats in difficulty, the Race Officer called it a day and abandoned any intention of a third race that afternoon.

Race 3

On Sunday the day started with a light and fitful breeze from the west, although stronger winds were forecast for later. With Brian's boat having suffered some damage during the recovery operation the previous day, only four Europes made it to the line. Liz Ashburn got off to a good first leg and led round the windward mark, only to get stuck in a hole in the wind along with Fiona Barron. Pete Dowker and Fiona Annan stayed with the leading section of the handicap fleet, opening up a gap ahead of the tail-enders who had been dumped by the hole in the wind. The Race Officer decided to shorten course before the trailing pack passed the line and the Europes were split, the leading pair having to sail an extra lap in conditions that continued to be somewhat variable. With the result in the hands of the Average Lap Time calculation, the original leaders found themselves placed behind the earlier finishers. To make things worse, Pete Dowker had failed to go through the gate at the start of the second lap and found himself with a DNF instead of a place.
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Race 4

Other than the first beat this race was an uneventful procession for the Europes. Pete led up the first beat until Fiona Barron just came out ahead at the windward mark. Fiona Annan and Liz Ashburn were left behind. These places were maintained to the end with Fiona just keeping her lead over Pete at the line.

Race 5

After lunch, the wind had risen to the previous day's strength, and having shifted towards the southwest, had more sharp gusts in it coming through the gap in the hills. Only Pete Dowker and Fiona Barron decided to start. Liz had set off but returned to the shelter of the southern shore from her exploration of the exposed far side. Pete got off to another good start, but by the windward mark Fiona had pulled ahead again by two boat lengths. Pete worked hard to catch Fiona on the next two reaches and was still within reach when he capsized by the second wing mark, taking a long time to recover. Although Pete continued the race, Fiona by now had an unassailable margin and finished leading Europe for the third time.

With the time edging into the visitors' travelling time, the Race Officer decided not to attempt the sixth race lost from Saturday