A sunny but cold day with brisk easterly wind greeted 10 competitors from 5 clubs for the penultimate GAMES event. This was an A rig wind, which increased to B rig for some boats later in the event.
The 3 Rivers race team set a good long course parallel to the bank with 2 laps of a windward leeward course with a separator forming a triangle on the first lap.
Colin Goodman, who has been house renovating rather than sailing his GRUNGE this year, showed that his great sailing skills have not been lost and he won the first 2 races. Roger Stollery sailing his UP won the next which interrupted Colin’s run of wins, as he went on to win the next 5 races on the trot!
Newcomer to Marblehead racing, John Howell sailing a VICKERS V1, won Race 9, only to let Colin win again in Race 10. John Shorrock sailing a QUARK was by now becoming tired and despondent about his poor showing in the morning, but cheered up when he won Race 11 and went on to win Race 13! His wins were only interrupted by Roger, who won Races 12 and the last Race 14.
The breeze was far from steady with a very calm area created by the trees near the windward mark, where an element of luck was needed to get round with any sort of speed on. There were some very short strong gusts, which whilst allowing these fantastic oats to plane very impressively off wind, also led to boats going out of control by broaching. Phil Holliday, sailing his NIOUTRAM was unlucky in one vicious gust in Race 4 to break his mast at deck level. Sailing with his B rig, was then not so much of a disadvantage, as it suited the increasing wind strength.
The 3 Rivers race team showed their usual efficiency in running this GAMES event and were thanked by the prizewinners.
In addition, the club are generating both new ideas and building new Marbleheads themselves. Max Lembke had an interesting variation of an offset pivot swing rig on his own design hull, which was very simple and applied to the A rig sail proportions. Peter Popham was sailing one of the 3 UPROAR designs built by club members using Roger’s moulds, which with the copious instructions are available for DIY enthusiasts to borrow.
It is not just making new boats, but their existing Marblehead fleet is being upgraded, with John Male’s new sails making a big difference to the performance of his 18 year old STARKERS.
Results:
1st Colin Goodman Chelmsford GRUNGE 16 points
2nd Roger Stollery Guildford UP 31
3rd John Howell Watermead VICKERS V1 42
4th John Shorrock Datchet QUARK 53
5th Phil Holliday Datchet NIOUTRAM 53
6th John Male 3 Rivers STARKERS 54
7th Dick Grainge 3 Rivers STARKERS 65
8th Trevor Innes 3 Rivers STARKERS 87
9th Max Lembke 3 Rivers MAXLEM 89
10th Peter Popham 3 Rivers UPROAR 115
