Post by salop on Jun 15, 2010 10:23:10 GMT
Shropshire SC’s plan to incapacitate early arriving sailors by giving them copious amounts of alcohol at Saturday night’s BBQ was rendered ineffective by the travellers plying themselves and all around with liberal helpings, before sailing most successfully on the Sunday.
The BBQ was enlivened by live music from home member Jim Shipp, competing in his first Moth open for many a year, and a succession of silly games by fire light.
Shropshire sailors who stayed overnight were impressed, and not a little intimidated, to hear New Boy out rigging Asbo at 6am on Sunday morning, but it later emerged that he had visited the toilet and locked himself out of his camper van while Bambi slept on. Happily, after a bit of tinkering with Asbo to occupy his time, he remembered he could climb in through the driver’s door and peace returned for a few hours longer.
By the time 10 sailors took to the the water for the inaugural Moth open at the club, the early sunshine had been replaced by cloud and a wind hovering around 15mph. The three home boats of Jim Shipp (459), Tom Dutton (755) and Paul Dutton (827), were joined by Shropshire SC Laser sailor Angus Bartaby, who borrowed 828 'Gromit' for the day from the generous Graham Pope, who was competing in 881 'Xmoth'. Other travellers were Frampton pair Roger Witts and Laura Honey, Richard Keefe (and Sam) from SESCA and Elaine Laverty from MWYC.
Race 1
Despite some nasty shifts, the wind settled from S/SW and OOD Helen James set a ‘bow tie’ course with two beats. Roger and Tom both got off to good starts from the committee boat end of the start line and managed to squeeze through the inside at the first mark. Roger never looked back and gradually extended his lead over the 50 minutes.
Behind him there was a good fight developing, with Richard (817) holding second place for a long time in Painted Lady, until he suffered tiller problems during the fourth lap and by the time he had rectified it, Graham, Laura (700) and Mark (872) had slipped past.
All that remained was for Graham to hold off Laura, who had sailed through from sixth at the end of the first lap, to clinch second, with Laura third, Mark fourth and Richard fifth.
Race 2
Sadly, Elaine had to drop out for the rest of the day, after her bridle suffered damage during the first race. Having sailed within herself to finish, 850 was unable to continue.
A strong wind now blowing in from the west forced a change of course, but the OOD maintained two beats. The wind accounted for Tom, the only junior in the field, who recovered from a capsize at the windward mark to find he'd lost a block from his boom, and made conditions challenging for everyone.
Roger was again leading in 880 by the end of the first lap and maintained his dominance. In his wake Laura was leading the pack, with Jim Shipp close behind in an aft-rigged Moth restored after being rescued from dereliction in a Chester garden. But neither could maintain their positions as Xmoth pulled into second, pushing Laura into third at the finish and Richard recovered from sixth at the end of the first lap to fourth by the end.
This race was enlivened by a low-level flypast by the Red Arrows, returning from a display at RAF Cosford.
Race 3
With time passing, it was decided to hold two 30 minute races back-to-back. The strength of wind in the first races persuaded Laura to call it a day despite two excellent thirds and for Tom, who also received a nasty blow from his boom, to put up his Firefly sail. Inevitably, the wind then subsided.
Paul got off to a flyer on the start line, judging his approach to the second on port at the pin end, and held his lead to the windward mark. Angus, who was getting to grips with Moths' quirks after two sixths, closed up fast and settled in behind Roger who, by then, had taken the lead.
Jim used all his local knowledge to push up among the leaders, but couldn't hold off Asbo or Painted Lady, who both had strong second laps. Roger first, Angus 15 seconds behind, Graham third and Richard fourth.
Race 4
After the heavy rain which had fallen during the previous race subsided, the faintest breeze turned this into a one lap race. Angus, well acquainted with Whitemere's moods, stuck his nose in front and stayed there to everyone's delight, eventually gliding home nearly two-and-a-half minutes ahead of Roger, who in turn beat Graham by a single second. After another battle close behind, Mark slipped in three seconds ahead of Richard.
Thanks to all those Mothists who travelled to this 'northern' outpost on the Moth circuit and put on an impressive show for Shropshire SC members and especially to OOD Helen James and all the race officials for coping with the Moths and a home club regatta.
Overall Results (3 from 4)
1. Roger Witts, 880 'Same Same' (FOSSC), 3pts
2. Graham Pope, 881 'Xmoth' (FOSSC), 7pts
3. Angus Bartaby, 828 'Gromit' (SSC), 9pts
4. Richard Keefe, 817 'Painted Lady' (SESCA), and Mark Wiltshire, 872 'Asbo' (FOSSC), 13pts*
6. Jim Shipp, 459 (SSC), 19pts
7. Paul Dutton, 827 'Nutmeg' (SSC), 22pts
8. Tom Dutton (j), 755 'Fast One' (SSC), 25pts.
DNQ. Elaine Laverty 850 (MWYC), and Laura Honey, 700 'Tabitha Twitchit' (FOSSC).
* identical results on countback, including discard.
Report by Paul Dutton
The BBQ was enlivened by live music from home member Jim Shipp, competing in his first Moth open for many a year, and a succession of silly games by fire light.
Shropshire sailors who stayed overnight were impressed, and not a little intimidated, to hear New Boy out rigging Asbo at 6am on Sunday morning, but it later emerged that he had visited the toilet and locked himself out of his camper van while Bambi slept on. Happily, after a bit of tinkering with Asbo to occupy his time, he remembered he could climb in through the driver’s door and peace returned for a few hours longer.
By the time 10 sailors took to the the water for the inaugural Moth open at the club, the early sunshine had been replaced by cloud and a wind hovering around 15mph. The three home boats of Jim Shipp (459), Tom Dutton (755) and Paul Dutton (827), were joined by Shropshire SC Laser sailor Angus Bartaby, who borrowed 828 'Gromit' for the day from the generous Graham Pope, who was competing in 881 'Xmoth'. Other travellers were Frampton pair Roger Witts and Laura Honey, Richard Keefe (and Sam) from SESCA and Elaine Laverty from MWYC.
Race 1
Despite some nasty shifts, the wind settled from S/SW and OOD Helen James set a ‘bow tie’ course with two beats. Roger and Tom both got off to good starts from the committee boat end of the start line and managed to squeeze through the inside at the first mark. Roger never looked back and gradually extended his lead over the 50 minutes.
Behind him there was a good fight developing, with Richard (817) holding second place for a long time in Painted Lady, until he suffered tiller problems during the fourth lap and by the time he had rectified it, Graham, Laura (700) and Mark (872) had slipped past.
All that remained was for Graham to hold off Laura, who had sailed through from sixth at the end of the first lap, to clinch second, with Laura third, Mark fourth and Richard fifth.
Race 2
Sadly, Elaine had to drop out for the rest of the day, after her bridle suffered damage during the first race. Having sailed within herself to finish, 850 was unable to continue.
A strong wind now blowing in from the west forced a change of course, but the OOD maintained two beats. The wind accounted for Tom, the only junior in the field, who recovered from a capsize at the windward mark to find he'd lost a block from his boom, and made conditions challenging for everyone.
Roger was again leading in 880 by the end of the first lap and maintained his dominance. In his wake Laura was leading the pack, with Jim Shipp close behind in an aft-rigged Moth restored after being rescued from dereliction in a Chester garden. But neither could maintain their positions as Xmoth pulled into second, pushing Laura into third at the finish and Richard recovered from sixth at the end of the first lap to fourth by the end.
This race was enlivened by a low-level flypast by the Red Arrows, returning from a display at RAF Cosford.
Race 3
With time passing, it was decided to hold two 30 minute races back-to-back. The strength of wind in the first races persuaded Laura to call it a day despite two excellent thirds and for Tom, who also received a nasty blow from his boom, to put up his Firefly sail. Inevitably, the wind then subsided.
Paul got off to a flyer on the start line, judging his approach to the second on port at the pin end, and held his lead to the windward mark. Angus, who was getting to grips with Moths' quirks after two sixths, closed up fast and settled in behind Roger who, by then, had taken the lead.
Jim used all his local knowledge to push up among the leaders, but couldn't hold off Asbo or Painted Lady, who both had strong second laps. Roger first, Angus 15 seconds behind, Graham third and Richard fourth.
Race 4
After the heavy rain which had fallen during the previous race subsided, the faintest breeze turned this into a one lap race. Angus, well acquainted with Whitemere's moods, stuck his nose in front and stayed there to everyone's delight, eventually gliding home nearly two-and-a-half minutes ahead of Roger, who in turn beat Graham by a single second. After another battle close behind, Mark slipped in three seconds ahead of Richard.
Thanks to all those Mothists who travelled to this 'northern' outpost on the Moth circuit and put on an impressive show for Shropshire SC members and especially to OOD Helen James and all the race officials for coping with the Moths and a home club regatta.
Overall Results (3 from 4)
1. Roger Witts, 880 'Same Same' (FOSSC), 3pts
2. Graham Pope, 881 'Xmoth' (FOSSC), 7pts
3. Angus Bartaby, 828 'Gromit' (SSC), 9pts
4. Richard Keefe, 817 'Painted Lady' (SESCA), and Mark Wiltshire, 872 'Asbo' (FOSSC), 13pts*
6. Jim Shipp, 459 (SSC), 19pts
7. Paul Dutton, 827 'Nutmeg' (SSC), 22pts
8. Tom Dutton (j), 755 'Fast One' (SSC), 25pts.
DNQ. Elaine Laverty 850 (MWYC), and Laura Honey, 700 'Tabitha Twitchit' (FOSSC).
* identical results on countback, including discard.
Report by Paul Dutton