Flying Fifteen Southern Travellers at Llangorse Sailing Club

Seventeen boats contested the annual Open Meeting on Llangorse Lake on a very sunny and windy start to the weekend. There were 5 Open Fleet boats, 4 Silver and 8 Classics. Seven of the competitors were visitors. This event is part of the Southern Travellers series.

On Saturday forecast was F4 gusting F6 from the West. This direction allowed the Race Officer, Robert Dangerfield, to set long challenging beats. The 1st race produced some great sights. Flying Fifteens being blown flat as the crews coped with 25 to 30knot gusts swinging all over the place. The Open Fleet was led initially by Bill Anderson and Sally Farrant in 3453 followed by the local boat of Nick and Claire Taylor (3751), and David Morgan and Lorina Walden (3780) all with light crews. This race was won by 3751 from 3780 who did some spinnaker over the bow practice. The next 2 races were just as challenging with boats washing their spreaders. In race 2 Bill Anderson fell out but Sally managed to pull him back in .Both of these races were won by David Morgan with the Taylors and Bill Anderson trading places. Max Passmore from Chew changed things around and came 2nd in Race 2.

Before the start of the Silvers the Tatlow’s retired having broken their boom on a rather innocent gybe. Peter & Stephen Card (3144) won the first race in the Silver fleet followed by Jacquie Layton & Dave Hemingway (2880). The second race had only 2 silver boats as the others were ashore repairing broken booms. This was reduced to 1 boat when 2880 pulled the starboard shroud out of the wooden deck plus a very bent mast. The Cards then continued to mix it up very well with the Open Fleet and obviously winning the third race.

The Classic fleet began their contests with Johnny Craddock & Kendal Paul (2695) showing the rest of the fleet a clean pair of heels winning the race by a comfortable margin. Not without incident. In Johnny’s words “I washed the spreaders twice” The tussle for second place had Richard Taylor & Kate Holligon (2626) and Bob Tait & Bob Musgrove(2606) changing places a few times but with Bob Tait taking second. Race 2 followed a similar pattern Craddock winning but with Duncan Baird & Tim Bowen (1155) getting a good third. Race 3 looked set to follow this pattern with Craddock’s main halliard failing when he was well in the lead. This left the race for Richard Taylor followed by in second place by Neil & Stuart Bartholomey(2549). This retirement by Johnny Craddock would turn out to be very costly.

Some very tired crews retuned to shore.

Tally for the day.2 broken Booms. I bent mast. 1 deck ripped out. 1 ripped jib and a broken main halliard. At least there were a few tales to tell at the Red Lion to go with the Curry and real ale.

On Sunday the weather was sunny & very little wind.

After a short postponement the Race Office set a windward-leeward course for the Simon Dangerfield Memorial Race in its third year. With very little wind it was time to spot the shadows on the lake. David Morgan led the Open fleet throughout and Peter Card won the Silvers race. The Classics were dominated by Craddock with Bartholomey second with Taylor third.

The fleet was brought ashore to wait for the wind to fill in. After 45mins with no sign of wind the final race was abandoned.

With only 4 races sailed there was no discard it meant that Johnny Craddock with 3 1st places & a DNF only finished 3rd.

Overall Results: