Osprey Open at Kielder Water Sailing Club
by Alan Henderson 16 Sep 2013 15:30 BST
14-15 September 2013
Mark Weston & Tim Keighley hold off Ros & David Downs during the Osprey open at Kielder Water © Judy Scullion
Osprey sailor reels in a big one
An Osprey, otherwise known as a fish eagle, is a bird which likes to swoop down out of the skies to pluck unsuspecting victims out of the water.
Did you know that sailors of Osprey dinghies are also skilled fishermen? So when Willie Crichton, helm of an Osprey at the Kielder Water open meeting, spotted a large wet object in the water, he didn't hesitate. Swoop, down he went, and landed his biggest catch yet. Pulling it in proved tricky though.
For his catch was none other than a 13 stone Tempest crewman. Winds were rising fast, past 30 knots, and two Tempests had already capsized. Tempests are keelboats, so conditions were a little, well, Tempestuous. Competitors hadn't even waited for the Race Officer to abandon, but were all heading for the shore at speed. But in attempting to dock, one Tempest lost his crewman, Graham Donkin, over the side. In the water, the wind whipped him away before he could even swim to the jetty, and off he went for an extended swim in the lake, meanwhile dodging other passing Tempests.
Luckily Osprey sailor Willie spotted Graham and went to the rescue. He tried as he might to haul Graham onboard, but landing this fish proved beyond his strength, and instead Graham enjoyed a somewhat undignified passage ashore, a hitchhiker hanging onto the stern of the Osprey.
But fear not, gentle reader, there are easier ways to get a test sail of an Osprey. Just come to the SailJuice winter series, where a team of Osprey sailors will be competing, and have a word. Or contact Osprey builder Hartley Boats.
In between rescuing passing swimmers, the Osprey sailors enjoyed an excellent open meeting at Kielder Water SC on September 14/15. Part of the national Wilkinson Sword Osprey series, the event had two contrasting days. On the Saturday, winds were shifty, up to about 10mph in patches. In keeping with the close nature of competition in the Osprey fleet, the three races produced three different winners, in Alan Henderson/ Alastair Barrie, Rob Shaw/ Ian Little, and Mark Weston/ Tim Keighley. Shaw and Little, sailing their new boat for the first time, edged the overnight lead by just a point.
On the Sunday two races were scheduled but with a forecast of severe gale, competitors launched with some trepidation. Winds were still light, with just the gusts hinting of what was to come. The race started promptly, and up the first beat the leaders were Weston and Henderson. By the second beat, big winds were starting to come. But Viola and Mike Scott belied their reputations as light weather demons by charging towards the leaders, overtaking on the run with the help of one of those big gusts. The gusts came with big changes of direction, one of which caught the Scotts on the next beat, costing them a swim and the lead. Weston and Henderson resumed their contest at the front, before being interrupted by another challenger, Alec Mamwell and Chris Lawrence, the latter sailing an Osprey for the first time. But Weston held on to win from Henderson, with Mamwell third. Shaw took fourth. The big wind duly arrived, and there was no chance of a fifth race. With three teams covered by just a point, it was Henderson and Barrie who took the event on a tie break from Shaw and Little, with Weston/ Keighley third.
Overall Results: (top five)
1. Alan Henderson & Alastair Barrie, Prestwick SC, 5pts
2. Rob Shaw & Ian Little, Kielder Water SC, 5pts
3. Mark Weston & Tim Keighley, West Riding SC, 6pts
4. Alec Mamwell & Chris Lawrence, Coniston SC, 12pts
5. Viola & Mike Scott, Kielder Water SC, 13pts
Next Osprey Open: Shoreham SC, 28/29 September.
Did you know? Ospreys can be raced legally with a crew of three, so if ever you pick up a stray swimmer, you can keep racing!