Silvers Marine Scottish Series

Silvers Marine Scottish Series - Day 3

by Janet West 24 May 2015 19:52 BST 22-25 May 2015

Silvers Marine Scottish Series day 3 © Marc Turner / www.pfmpictures.co.uk

Big Sunday

Conditions out on the water today were almost perfect with a westerly wind of between 22 – 30 knots for the race round Inchmarnock. It was an absolutely spectacular sight at the mouth of Tarbert harbour as the fleet enjoyed a spinnaker start for the run down to Inchmarnock and the return beat home. This was a forecast that would suggest the possibility of damage to the fleet but, thankfully, it got off lightly.

Sir Arnold Clark's Drum, which is being sailed very well by a youthful crew, seven of which are under 25, had a fantastic day today taking line honours. Surely they must be in contention for the Crawford McInnes Trophy sponsored by Hempel Paints.

It's all change at the top of IRC Class 1 with Rod Stuart and William Ram's Aurora pulling out a three point lead ahead of Steven Cowie's Zephyr. You can never discount Zephyr and you can be sure they will fight for the win tomorrow. However, Aurora is showing that consistency pays off. Slipping to third today is Jamie McGarry and Colin Moore's Eala of Rhu. But with just six points separating first and third in this class there is still all to play for, and bodes well for the next Commodore's Cup team.

IRC Class 2 and Ireland is topping the table with Robert McConnell's Fools Gold which loved the big winds which Sunday brought. This is still a wide open class which will go right to the wire and will be decided in tomorrow's next three races. John and Brian Hall's Something Else and Ian and Graham Thomson's Sloop John T are snapping on their heels – there is only two points separating first to third.

IRC Class 4. Craig Latimer in Wildebeest V had an excellent day and was always in control in the big breeze. He has his regular crew, which has sailed together for three seasons, and it showed as the day belonged to them. The top three boats in this class look great and both Roddy Angus' Trastada and Stephen Quinn's Lambay Rules who are both sailing consistently remaining in touch of the top spot.

CYCA Class 5 and Geoff and Norman Howison's Local Hero is well clear of the pack. The big story in this class is the battle for second with Howard Morisson's Enigma and Ian Macdonald's Significant revelling in the conditions.

CYCA Class 6 and Alan Dunnet's Valhalla of Ashton has a comfortable lead. However there is certainly a battle for the rest of the podium places with only one point separating second and fourth. Andy Malcolm's Nemo currently lies in second with Kenneth Halliwell's She of the North in third but A Campbell and R Man's Stargazer could still cause an upset to the scoresheet.

CYCA Class 8 Restricted Sail. There were no spinnakers in this class but Jochr and Windhound remain locked in a fierce battle being separated by just one point. Eureka IV in third lies just one point ahead of Richard Smith's North Star.

CYCA Class 9 Restricted Sail and we have two Clyde Cruising Club members battling for top honours with just one point between them. Stephen Owen in Halcyon currently leads Clive Reeves' Lyrebird with John Roberts from Whitehaven Sailing Club closely following in Poppy. However the day belonged to Marc Ritson in Saracen who took the win in his Sigma 36 and is currently lying in fourth.

Over on the Crewsaver course an it's a change at the top of the Sigma 33 Class sees Gallagher and Bradshaw's Busy Beaver taking the top spot ahead of Harper and Robinson's Leaky Roof 2 who had an OCS in race 2. And Donald McLaren's Sigmatic brought himself right into the mix with a second and a third to find themselves in third.

It's all over bar the shouting in the National One Design Sonata Series as Steve Goacher's Eric the Boat continues to dominate the class. Cochrane and Galbraith's Old School leads D Matthew's White Magic, but there are still three races to go tomorrow so there may be an upset.

Ovington Boats maintain their lead in the VX Class ahead of Jono and Benji Shelly's Robber's Dog, who continue to show their pedigree in second and Duncan Hepplewhite's Zhik in third.

Silvers Marine Scottish Series day 3 - photo © Marc Turner / www.pfmpictures.co.uk

The J70 Scottish Championships and it's no change to the top of the table with Ian Aitken in boats.com in first, Paul Heys and S Hawthorn's Jacuzzi in second and Christopher Hawforth's Django in third.

There's still all to play for in the Hunter 707 Class with just two points separating M Fleming and D Smith's Rammie in first and Carl Allen's More T Vicar in second. T Clark and S Parker's Black Sheep remains in a solid third.