Optimist open meeting at Blackwater Sailing Club
by Chris Nicholls 5 Sep 2016 11:44 BST
3 September 2016
Race fleet first start in the Optimist open meeting at Blackwater Sailing Club © Chris Nicholls
The Blackwater Sailing Club Optimist open meeting attracted over 30 entries from around the eastern region. These were divided into Race and Regatta fleets, each having their own committee boat starts from the same downriver line.
Wind strength started at F4 with gusts which drove the incoming tide current into an irregular steep sloppy chop – just right for stopping Optimists!
The first race starts got away first time and the Race fleet demonstrated their skills in making good progress towards the windward mark around the lumps, while many in the regatta fleet found the conditions challenging and capsizes were common – especially on the downwind legs.
At completion of the first race, the Regatta fleet were sent home for fun and games on the training lake with Monkey* where they completed three more races, while the Race fleet prepared for their second start. This produced a general recall followed by a black flag start which concentrated minds on the tide strength.
The wind had built to F5 plus gusts and the chop had turned into more regular downwind wave trains which the experienced helms were able use to great effect both up and downwind.
The wind direction necessitated a shift of windward and wing marks before the start of the third race and the tide was just starting to ebb – reversing the current at the start line so many helm found themselves well behind the line. This led to a scramble to get across the line without impeding other boats or snagging on the pin end buoy or committee boat anchor chain.
The wind remained a steady F6 for this race with fewer gusts, but a little light rain added some interest. Once again, helms who could surf the wave trains and make progress upwind made large gains – as long as they stayed upright!
Main Fleet top 3:
1. Matty Evans
2. Terry Hachen
3. Jonathan Bailey
Regatta Fleet top 3:
1. Isabelle Evans
2. Alfred Woolf
3. Matthieu Bernard
* - Ewan Harris is one of the exuberant and effective youth coaches at BSC