Mini40 Multihull Series Race 1 GMYBC
Saturday December 12th 2020.
The weather on the day was true to the forecast; cold, relieved by a bit of sunshine, with a strong, squally WNW wind. An unstable direction at the best of times and the East end of our lake has a large clubhouse right in the way! There was one recurring freeing shift close under the far bank which had boats lucky enough to find it reaching in at top speed towards buoy 3. Exciting sailing, with plenty of thrills and a few nosedives on the way!
Seven boats came to the water, and race officer Jacque Cook set a course incorporating a couple of beats and plenty of fast reaching and running. Most boats used 3rd or 4th rig.
Winning the first race, Lawrie Drapers sleek new cat demonstrated her potential; the first time in competition for this newly built boat. Gremlins struck, however in the next three races. Race No 2 was taken by Paul Edward’s Dann designed cat, No 3 by Peter Fothergill’s Dann cat, and No 4 by David Donin’s Mike Cooke designed tri. Race No 5 was again won by Paul, and 6 again by Peter. Race 7 was won by Mervyn Cook’s Dann cat, running again after early day electrical gremlins, and the final race saw Roger Paddey’s Cooke designed tri cross the line first.
So line honours were shared among competitors, and this latest chapter in the great Mini40 cat/tri dilemma saw two races going to tri’s while six went to cats! Next time it’ll be different again. Overall winner was Peter Fothergill, sailing ‘Doofer’, who put together a stunning day’s racing with two firsts, there seconds and two third places.
Our next Mini40 racing will be on Saturday the 9th of January, in the New Year. Jacque and I wish you all as happy a Christmas as you can in the circumstances, and are looking forward to seeing you all in better times in 2021!
Mervyn and Jacque
