Streaker P&B Southern Paddle Open at Stewartby Water Sailing Club
by Ian Parish 8 Jul 2014 15:44 BST
5 July 2014
On Saturday 5th June 2014 there was a Streaker P&B Southern Paddle event at Stewartby Water Sailing Club, Bedford on the same day as a Solo and Laser open that worked well with over 40 boats on the water,
the Streaker being the most popular. The day started cool, very dull and quite misty with rain and 14 mph winds. Why we were there I'm not quite sure! But we were.
I turned up late and expected only the really hardy sailors to turn up and had fears of there only being 2 or 3 boats as the weather was that bad and there were other open events on the same on the same day elsewhere.
When I got to the club 3 boats were driving through the gate; the car park was full of boats, cars and sailors like busy bees. Such a dismal day, obviously there was nothing else to do that day as the weather forecast was really bad and what other excuse could the sailors have given to there wives to make them drive miles and miles to go sailing? It must have been the good food, 264 acres of water and lovely people, better to go there than stay in!
Race 1
We started first time and all laid the first mark in one, the wind was not playing the game and was not quite sure which direction to blow or when. Alan Gillard from Sheffield Viking got away with Ian Bradley (Ouse Amateur) and Mike Hobin (West Oxfordshire) 3rd. Local sailor Ian Parish from Stewartby passed Mike and race 1 ended up with Alan Gillard 1st, Ian Bradley 2nd and Ian Parish 3rd.
Race 2
Mike Hobin got off to a great start followed by Ian Mansfield and James Wilson of Loughborough 3rd. Bill Strange of Stewartby lost a 4th place but soon regained it but could not quite catch James Wilson. Alan Gillard missed the line and had to go back on the first lap and told Bill Strange off for pointing too high and making him tack and miss the line.
Race 3
James Wilson started well on a tricky windward mark as the rain had stopped and the weather was getting much better. Alan Gillard and Paul Jaga (Attenborough) followed and that is how it finished. That concluded the Streaker Southern paddle event.
Race 4
The 4th race was completely different to the other three; the sun was out the wind had left us and we were all starting to be slowly cooked in our wet and dry suits and on the water whilst waiting for the wind to decide to come back and hopefully start the last race.
With great patience and doing a sort of wind dance in the committee boat, the R.O. managed to entice the wind to come back. The wind did return as the race started and Ian Bradley led, followed by Paul Jaga and Alan Gillard showing their skill in the finicky winds. After 20 minutes or so after the R.O. decided to call it a day as the wind died.
The horrid start of the day had given way to a wonderful evening that we all enjoyed after the racing.
Overall Results: (top three)
1st Alan Gillard (Sheffield Viking)
2nd Ian Bradley (Ouse Amateur)
3rd Mike Hobin (West Oxfordshire)