Lightning368 Grand Prix at Up River Yacht Club
by Lee Bratley 28 Apr 2015 08:05 BST
25-26 April 2015
It was a long break between seasons, but at last we were all back together again. Yes, the Lightning368 fleet were back out on the water as the 2015 Grand Prix season got underway at Up River Yacht Club in Essex.
Magnificently supported by Allen, the event was blessed with bright sunshine, making this lovely club from which to go sailing even better.
With gales promised for Saturday training a respectable 8 Lightning 368's turned up and went for a play on the river.
Lee and Emma, being fashionably late, watched from the bank as the assembled Lightnings brushed away the close season cobwebs with some super high wind, planing action.
Chairman Simon had set a triangle course with lots of gybes to make sure everyone tested the water temperature at some point. Being a spring tide the weary sailors discovered that the saltings, just underwater at the top of the ride, was a great place to run ashore for a breather and watch the antics (Including Julie who literally crawled ashore at one point.. . minus her boat!).
As the fleet headed back to the club, upwind with the tide, they discovered you can get big waves on a small river! - and, after spotting a wedding party having pictures taken on a river-fronting pub lawn, most of the fleet also tried their level best to photo bomb the gathering.
This was followed by the traditional take away, too much beer and plenty of demonstrations of Bryan's wine pouring party trick.
Sunday - race day - was a compete contrast and 19 Lightning sailors sat over breakfast watching the odd zephyr of wind drift across the river. Ever hopeful, the fleet launched for the first of 2 races back to back.
Race one started just as the wind turned off completely leaving most of the fleet wondering how you sail against the tide with no wind. It was locals Ian Gore, Mike Ince, Simon Hopkins and Penny Yarwood who showed them how, whilst John Claridge was the chasing visitor.
On the long run down river with the tide, Ian Gore did the proverbial horizon job never to be caught. Penny put her new boat to work and sailed through Mike and Simon only to have it all undone when the wind arrived and bought a large portion of the fleet back together. In the resulting chaos of trying to get back up tide to the finish, Penny was the big loser whilst Mike Ince slipped through to second ahead of Simon.
Race 2 was back to back and with a gentle breeze now blowing across the river, the fleet once again headed up tide to the first mark. Hot off the line were Ian, Simon and Ben Harris but making the mistake of staying too far out in the tide.
Hugging the south bank, locals Graham Lazell and Nathan Beven found some private wind and surged forward hotly chased by the ladies Penny, Caroline Key and Sue Thomas. Penny eventually rounded first and Ian joined in the mix just getting ahead of Caroline and Sue. This was the order all the way to the finish with Nathan hanging on for fifth.
After a fine break with tea and cakes provide by Mrs H, the fleet launched for the final race against the flooding tide.
The first beat was easy this time as 5 knots of tide helps your upwind speed. John Claridge was the man on a charge and rounded ahead of Simon, Penny, Ben and Ian. Unfortunately local knowledge at this point paid as John went to the south bank whilst all the locals headed for the North bank. As we drifted down the bank much credit was given to John for being the first boat to sail this particular leg all the way along the south bank and still get a creditable sixth place! Meanwhile back on the 'right' side of the river Penny and Ben slipped past Simon and Ian by staying out on the tide for longer where there was a small bit of breeze, with Ian slipping inside Simon for third.
With nearly zero wind it was a seriously long run/reach/beat all the way back and several boats had enough and went home.
Ian and Simon caught Ben at the headland as he drifted backward with the tide and demoted him to fourth before the wind arrived and the whole fleet charged home line abreast, with Ben unlucky to lose out to Paul White on the line.
With two wins, the Open meeting was won by Penny Yarwood, who had taken delivery of her Claridge boat just a couple of hours before the start. Should we all be worried now?
Ian Gore took second and Simon came home third.
The fleet retired to the club house where team Hopkins had prepared a lavish spread to feed the weary sailors after a spectacularly good start to the new season.
Many thanks to all at Up River YC for making the event so successful and thanks to all that joined us in our pre-race festivities!
A massive thanks must also go to Allen for providing a huge amount of prize goodies, enough to see everyone go home with that little bit extra and even bigger smiles on our faces. Thankyou.
Here's to a fantastic season ahead.
A small break now before the fleet moves on to Manor Park SC near Lichfield on the 6th June. No moving waters at this one just the famous 'gap' to contend with.
See you there.