28 February 2015 – Vane 36 March Hare Cup Report

Horrible weather – wet, wet and that insidious light drizzle that gets into everything. Also cold (although not as cold as it could have been……) for our first event of the season but there was enough wind! I ignored rigs one and two in favour of three which was good for the Diversions. There was some incredibly close sailing. Three times I watched boats cross the line within a half or a quarter of a boat’s length and there were more close shaves.

Shaun Wyeth with his mate, youngest son, Thomas making his debut as a force to be reckoned with, beat Graham Wyeth and brother Lewis both ways. Peter Fothergill crewed by Paul Edwards won the upwind leg easily as Jacque Cook crewed by Eric Meighen did a too tight vane setting so Ppperfect in Pppink banked. In the next board Peter beat Shaun both ways but Mervyn won the upwind leg against Graham and crew Lewis but they got their revenge on the downwind leg. I am tempted to draw a veil over the next race as I completely lost the plot and Shaun sailed superbly to win both ways. We did manage to hit each other four times…… So four restarts, those ‘at the other end’ wondered if we were ever going to get there!!!! Meanwhile Mervyn gained the upwind points and Peter the down wind. By this time, my mate and I had worked out the wind and won the next two races, although not by much on one! Peter won the upwind against Graham but lost the downwind and Mervyn beat Shaun in the last race both ways.

The upshot of all this was a repeat win for Peter and Paul for the March Hare Trophy by 1 point!!!! Second were Shaun and Thomas with 12 points and third Jacque and Eric, also with 12 points. Mervyn was fourth and Graham and Lewis were fifth. That is really close competition. We are so lucky to have real talent here at Gosport; every event is a learning curve for me. A big thank you goes to Allan Oxlade who started races and scored for us. Allan was swapping his Vane A for a radio A in the Boat House which, he says, was sensible following his hospitalisation at the start of the Vane A Championship and has offered to run races for us. We are delighted that he will do this and hope that the Vane 36 will still be an option for him to join us racing.

Next Vane 36 - 21^st March, not only a Vane League but also a chocolate event – it is in the run up to Easter……

Jacque Cook Vane Class Captain