NW Senior Traveller Series round 4 at Bolton Sailing Club

NW Senior Traveller Series round 4 at Bolton © Dave Woodhead

NW Senior Traveller Series round 4 at Bolton © Dave Woodhead

NW Senior Traveller Series round 4 at Bolton © Dave Woodhead

Bolton SC played host to round 4 of the NW Senior Traveller Series on Tuesday 18th June. Twenty one boats gathered on the Lancashire moors in bright sunshine to make the total entries up to forty competing boats in the series so far this year.

Winds were forecast to be light, however the first two races enjoyed 8 to 10 knots of breeze, only in the third race did things deteriorate to drifting conditions. This was the most open event so far this year with 3 different race winners and the final results only decided in the last few minutes of the last race.

In the first race, as normal, Martin and Rene Watts in their Merlin from Hollingworth Lake led the handicap fleet on the water on a largely windward / leeward course. This created a long beat and run with a tricky dog leg past the island. The Merlin however was unable to escape sufficiently from the chasing pack of slower boats.

Local Bolton boats, perhaps reading the wind bends round the island better than the visitors, were the threat and in the end it was the Graduates of Dave Ivins and Lesley Johnson and Dave and Liz Wilson who took first and second places. The hat trick for Bolton sailors was complete with Tony Critchley in his Supernova gaining third place. For the first time this year Solos were out of the podium places with Peter Dewhurst of Burwain S C leading them in with a 4th place, Martin and Rene having to settle for 5th.

A twenty degree shift in wind direction made all the difference for the second race. Now the long downwind leg became a broad reach with sufficient pressure to get Tony Critchley's Supernova up on the plane, the spinnaker boats were also now able to capitalise on this change and pull away from the slower boats.

Only the leading Graduate and Solo were able to stay in touch with the faster boats, the rest of the slower boats were not doing themselves any favours as they sailed round in a gaggle creating messy mark roundings and plenty of dirty air. Tony took 1st place in this race with the Graduate 2nd and the Merlin 3rd. Peter Dewhurst showing some consistency came 4th and the Albacore of Darren and Joe Neild (Elton S C) in 5th.

The third race started in very little wind which caused a couple of early retirements. The usual suspects were at the front however and Tony Critchley looked to be in a strong position when unfortunately for him some wind filled in from behind on the run bringing the slower boats down towards his becalmed Supernova.

Meanwhile Martin and Rene's Merlin was already going back up the beat in a strong position to take advantage of the new wind. The Merlin ghosted round the rest of the shortened course as the wind once more faded. This gave the race to the Merlin and Dave Ivins once more showed good boat speed in the lighter winds to bring his Graduate into second place and overall victory. Peter Dewhust secured 3rd place and Tony had to settle for 4th.

Overall Results:

The next event is at Hollingworth Lake on the 9th of July.