2023 Ash Trophy Open for DF 95s at Abbey Meads

14 entries from 11 clubs from nearly every MYA District turned out for some excellent racing on a simple windward leeward course.  21 races were sailed in a variable, but basically easterly breeze, which in the afternoon, when the wind went a bit northerly would test the DF 95s off wind in the strongest gusts.

All but 6 competitors won a race and several won more than one, but the results were dominated by Dave Adams from the East Kent Radio Sailing Club, who won 10 races and when he was not winning was always counted podium scores.  

By lunchtime 13 races had been completed and the leaderboard was headed by Dave Adams with 20 points ahead of last year’s winner Buzz Coleman with 43 and Shaun Anderson 45.

For the afternoon there were 3 retirements, as Barrie Martin fell into the water getting his boat out and 2 other competitors no longer want to sail and went home.  With the wind more from the east north-east and increasing in strength, the afternoon racing was exciting with boats planing offwind for most of the downwind leg and in the dark gusts struggling to keep control with bows underwater, broaching etc. 

The afternoon results were predictable with Dave Adams sailing really well, sticking to the rhumb line on the beat and benefiting from the big wind variations to get 4 firsts in a row.  Local sailor, Alan Viney having won the very first race of the day carried on improving and won the very last race of the day to take him onto the podium in 3rd place.

Everyone said that they themselves and most of the incidents hailed by observers Martin Crysell and RO Roger Stollery were resolved on the water, with competitors taking advantage of the IRSA Short Penalty, which was in operation to do just a tack or gybe and keep them clear of the rest of the fleet.

At the prize giving the race team were thanked for running another good event at Abbey Meads and particular thanks went to Janet Crix & Slieve McGaliard for ensuring that the scoring system worked OK on the laptop.

Results:

1st Dave Adams, East Kent RSC   27 points

2nd Buzz Coleman, Coalhouse Fort RYC  54

3rd Alan Viney, Guildford MYC  62

4th Shaun Anderson, Whitefriars SC  76

5th Richard Calas,  Gosport  MYBC  84

6th Martyn Aspinall, Rotherham MYC  97

7th David Coode, Guildford MYC  100

8th Simon Johnson, Hampton Court MYC 110

9th Jay Williamson, Springfield SC   124 

10th Barrie Martin, London MYC  149

11th John Crix,  Eastbourne & Dist MYC  158 

12th Slieve McGalliard, Guildford MYC 172

13th Simon Collyer,  Alton RCSC  197

14th Mike Wilkie,  Hampton Court MYC 262 

Report by Roger Stollery

By |2023-04-21T16:28:32+01:00April 21st, 2023|Categories: DF95|Comments Off on 2023 Ash Trophy Open for DF 95s at Abbey Meads

Wednesday 8th February DF95 WSS 3

WSS 3 report by Roger Stollery

The journey to Chertsey was mainly sunny, but approaching the town the sun disappeared!  You could barely see the other side of the lake and that question was asked again, “Are we mad”!  It was good to have 8 competitors and especially David Coode with his 21/2 hour drive from Herefordshire.  After setting 5 marks for the south south-east wind including 3 windward marks, I tried my BOTTLE boat in what appeared to be no wind, but it sailed off into the mist and I was able to follow its progress down to the 2 blue gate marks, which you could not see from the control area steps!  To test whether we could race properly we started a practice race and satisfied ourselves that it might just be OK. 

When Race 1 started on the simple windward leeward course, the wind was not cooperative and you could see from the swirling mist that the wind was blowing from every direction, sometimes from the north and sometimes from the south and then sometimes not at all.  If you are lucky you might just about be able to see how your boat was reacting to it, but it was extremely difficult.  Having done a penalty early in the race, by the time I got to the gate my place was last with the fleet already starting back up the course on the rhumb line with very little wind.  The pace of the race was extremely slow indeed there were comments about “paint drying” being uttered in jest.  

With nothing to lose I opted to stay near the far bank where the wind was stronger and used the direction of the swirls of the mist to either sheet in or out.  With the basically southerly wind my plan was to use this to go some way towards the south bank before reaching back to the windward mark and approach it ‘at speed ‘ from above the normal lay line, whilst the rest of the fleet were struggling in the doldrums.  All would have worked well to round the mark first had I not hit the mark with the projecting jib boom of my swing rig!  Even a short penalty in next to no wind was not what was anticipated by taking this strange long route.  At this point probably after about half an hour there appeared to be no wind and the short leg back to the finishing line was really frustrating, but Mike Wilkie continued to extend his lead and cross the line 1st ahead of myself and Alan Viney, the eventual winner of the event.

The sun had started to burn the mist away, but the lack of wind did not encourage any more racing and we had a long break for lunch before deciding to race again.  I had rigged up my new 36″ XITE design, to test the workings of the vane gear on a new pintle plate, which had broken at Gosport on the previous Saturday.  The plan was to chase it in the inflatable dinghy, which in little wind should have been no problem.  However just as I launched the sun was fully out and the breeze filled in to give me a really hard time on the oars to keep up!

The fleet got back on the water and raced until 2 PM sailing another 4 races, which apart from Race 3 which was won by David Coode, were all won by Alan, as you can see from the results.

By |2023-02-13T16:29:23+00:00February 13th, 2023|Categories: DF95, Games|Comments Off on Wednesday 8th February DF95 WSS 3

GMYC DF 95 Winter Series Report & Results from WWS – Event 4

WWS Event 4 Report

19th October 2022, report by Roger stollery

More good racing at Abbey Meads! 13 races were sailed by an entry of 9 competitors in a strong, but very variable wind particularly late in the morning when the gust strength increased to make even B rig look too large! It was the sort of wind variation which allowed you to be going in a straight line and seconds later be on the opposite tack without having touched the helm!

There was no rain, absolutely no weed and even sunshine. The only downside was coming back to the bottom of the steps as the water level was so low that this could be awkward.

Roger set 5 marks for the start line, windward mark and leeward gate for a simple windward leeward course of 2 rounds. The racing was close with some very close finishes and the honours were shared by most of the entry with all but 3 competitors winning a race. Congratulations must go to Les Thorn who won 4 of these races to win the event easily.

Initially Roger started well as his BOTTLE boat only has 2 rigs, big and small and in the big rig before the wind got up too much he won the first 3 races. Les then showed his form by winning Race 4, followed that by 3 more wins, with Barrie being the only other multiple race winner. On the wind the big variations were very frustrating, but downwind in the strongest gusts there were some very exciting performances that everyone enjoyed!

At the end there was bit of excitement in that the inflatable dinghy floated off downwind, as it wasn’t tied on but just resting on concrete at the bottom of the steps. So we used our emergency dinghy again and by doing so found a better way of storing it in the clubhouse by just resting vertically against the wall on its transom, which will make it quicker to launch in an emergency.

With half of the Winter Series completed, you can see from the Winter Series scores that there is all to sail for in the 2nd half to win that beautiful trophy and to enjoy a lot more fun!

By |2022-10-20T16:13:36+01:00October 20th, 2022|Categories: DF95|Comments Off on GMYC DF 95 Winter Series Report & Results from WWS – Event 4

Guildford Model Yacht Club will be sailing a new class in 2020 the DF95

In the summer months on alternate Wednesday mornings, we are initiating a series of events for the DF 95 class. These events between 10AM and 2PM start on 8 April. The invitation to come and sail to enjoy our fantastic lake at Abbey Meads, Chertsey is open to everyone, so you would be most welcome to come and join us at these events. Currently members are building up a fleet of DF 95s to complement our racing of Marbleheads on Saturdays.

Our lake is a large open sailing water, which is ideal for radio racing. We may not have a clubhouse with facilities, but we do offer fantastic sailing from raised bank control areas with great visibility round permanently laid marks. Two launching platforms allow us to set good courses relating to any wind direction. You can drive onto both control areas and operate out of the back of the car. We have no depth or weed problems in the summer. More information is available on our website www.guildfordmyc.co.uk or contact Roger Stollery on 01483 421801 for access details.

DF 95s sailing with BOTTLE boats at a Wow! event in 2019

By |2020-02-09T19:28:03+00:00February 5th, 2020|Categories: DF95|Tags: |Comments Off on Guildford Model Yacht Club will be sailing a new class in 2020 the DF95
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