Results after 17 heats
Jacque Cook’s Reports
A Vane National Championships Sunday 31st July Report
A day with a promising SSW/SW forecast, however, the wind did become more gusty and it rained. Not ideal Gosport weather!
The Mayor, as patron of Gosport Model Yacht and Boat Club and Mayoress of Gosport welcomed competitors and visitors wishing them an enjoyable event. The Mayor started the first board of the 22 boats competing.
Five heats were completed. The unpredictability, shifting direction and varying strength of the wind turned many initially winning boats into having to settle for no points!
By the end of the day, three skippers were consistently winning, dropping only one run each to gain 23 points. Dave Geldard and mate Amber Geldard racing Siana, a Bill Sykes design; Chris Harris and mate Graham Bantock racing Jouster a Bantock design; and Graham Butler, and mate Keith Wiseman racing Dignity, also a Bantock design. They were closely followed by Sam Dicks and mate Mark Dicks with 19 points sailing another Sykes design and Thomas Wyeth and mate Sam Roberts with 17 points racing a Bantock boat.
Several skippers were real rookies in vane sailing and did well to score points.
At the end of the 5th heat, racing was called a day when the increasing wind led to two boats hitting the unforgiving concrete of the lake at speed and one skipper having to jump into the lake to prevent damage to his boat.
Hopefully tomorrow will be a bit less windy and drier!!!!!!! It is early days……
A Vane National Championships Monday 1st August Report
Today was brighter but windy at the start. Gradually it was calmer in the rain! A further six heats made 11 in all. Graham Butler and mate Keith Wiseman leapt into the lead with 7 points ahead of their nearest rivals, Chris Harris and Graham Bantock, and 8 ahead of Dave and Amber Geldard. Martin and Andrea Roberts moved into third equal place.
There were some exciting spinnaker runs, close finishes, changes of position and tacking duels as competitors raced the length of the lake. Inevitably there were quite a few re sails. The wind direction shifted almost doing a complete circle at one point, keeping competitors on their toes. On more than one occasion, a chasing boat suddenly was in front as their opponent headed across the lake and were able to take line honours and the points!
Day three tomorrow with less rain and some sun forecast.
A Vane National Championships Tuesday 2nd August Report
On day three, the wind was described as ‘all over the place’ but largely around the SSW and W directions with occasional bursts towards SW. However, the avenue of trees in the SW corner often made starts at the downwind end ‘interesting’…..
The direction is good at Gosport, giving some exciting tacking duels, where boats crisscrossed, banked, and attempted to avoid their opponents. As many may know failing to avoid your opponent just after you have left the bank will lose you the race! Some took risks and were successful, others………
The race teams, now in their stride, worked effectively to have a continuous stream of boats on the water or ready to go, So in spite of the great number of re sails a further six heats were completed.
As can be seen from the results sheet, the race leader, Graham Butler and mate Keith Wiseman retain their position, but with a slimmer 2 point lead from Chris Harris and Graham Bantock. Martin Roberts and mate Andrea Roberts, and Shaun Wyeth, Peter Fothergill with mate Paul Edwards and Derek Priestley with mate Lisa Priestley hot on their heels.
An analysis of the scores demonstrates that quite a few skippers are losing more points on the downwind spinnaker runs than on the beats. There is some contribution from the effects of the Avenue of trees but also from the variation in wind direction and strength along the course. The famous Gosport ‘knuckle’ lived up to its reputation frustrating the efforts of skippers and mates to speedily move their boats on. Conversely a couple of skippers were losing far more beats than runs, although some by a narrow margin. There were two dead heats, as well.
A huge thank you to Jeanette Geldard and her team for providing boxed lunches for the competitors and race team, packed with interesting finger food.
Tomorrow, Wednesday is the Yachting Monthly cup race. The forecast is not good so it may be necessary to restrict the event to beats. The forecast is not always right!……..
Nigel Barrow’s Reports
A Vane National Championships Sunday 31st July Report
MYA A class Centenary National Championships
After a welcome by the Mayor of Gosport and Jacque Cook, day one proved to be a windy affair. Whilst we had 10 -25 mph of wind Cowes week was abandoned and they were only a few miles away. The wind at Gosport was variable and squally. One moment it was straight down the lake and the next it had some southerly and blowing across the lake. The arrangement of trees on the windward side of the lake just added to the complexity.
Upwind it was not so much of a challenge as long as you set the vane free enough to negotiate the lifts, otherwise you end up on the windward bank unable to get off. In the afternoon there were some spectacular crashes on the runs as the wind built up.
As to the author he and his wife learnt huge amounts and had many close races only to finish second in most with nil point. To set a vane without any practice against people who have been doing this for years can make you look average to say the least but the experience fo racing yachts whether free or radio is invaluable.
So looking at the results, I was close in my prediction so far. Chris Harris is tied top with Davis Geldard and Graham Butler. Sam Dicks is 4th, Thomas Wyeth is 5th, Nigel Sharp 6th, Shaun Wyeth 7th, Peter Stollery 8th. I would post pictures but the internet and so called 5g in the caravan site is poor.
We start tomorrow at 9.30 on another breezy day.
A Vane National Championships Monday 1st August Report
A class centenary nationals update.
A nice morning followed by a wet cold miserable afternoon. You first timer in a borrowed boat is bringing up the rear of the fleet. Epically unlucky in a few close races and then the vane gear took on a mind of its own. This a precision sport with a strong mix of sailing nouse. I have the sailing nouse but lack the precision in set up.
A Vane National Championships Tuesday 2nd August Report
Ladies and gentleman of the jury, your MYA racing officer needs to be judged because last place is pretty humiliating! But in my defence, the racing was close. Several of the upwind and downwind legs, I was in the lead but failed when I made a change to the rig settings or illegal poling off the side.
The weather has been unseasonal and wind unpredictable and we have batted in our rain coats upwind and downwind with many issues and the odd breakage.
A huge shout out to Martin Roberts who came to my and many others rescue. I lost a top seam of a mainsail and broke a spreader and vane spring which Martin fixed overnight. Martin will fix anyone’s boat and I would class him as a true hero. Martin and Andrea will help anyone and their dogs. My wife was working the far bank with our two dogs.
Also a big shout out to Chris Harris who has helped me through the week. Before I and my wife came down to Gosport we were complete novices and had no experience of vane sailing and he has helped us through understanding how to set the boat up and race it effectively. Also Rob Walsh who helped everybody on the windy downwind legs as well as Sean Wyeth and his whole family who aided my wife who is not a model yacht sailor and not sailed for 30 years. I am sure there were many more wonderful people including those from the Netherlands and others from abroad which sums up the friendship of the class. They are an amazing group.
This is a brilliant event and every radio control sailor should experience this as the learning is invaluable.
So to conclude we have an amazing family of friends who have appeared from nowhere.
As a judge, the accusation on the result is not upheld. Experience is everything. Time for another Shackleton in the new van.
