Flying Fifteen Open at Dovestone Sailing Club

by Caroline Addison 6 Oct 2016 19:20 BST 1-2 October 2016

Flying Fifteens at Dovestone © David McKee

With light and variable winds, sunshine and mild temperatures, Dovestone Sailing Club hosted an enjoyable final event of the 2016 Waples Wines Northern Travellers series over the weekend of 1-2 October.

A good turnout from the home fleet, together with a smattering of visitors from Windermere, Bassenthwaite, RCYC and Burton sailing clubs, saw 16 boats on the water for the first race. In a competitive start to a course which covered the length and breadth of the reservoir, Steve Goacher with crew Tim Harper of Royal Windermere, were judged OCS by Officer of the Day Mark Rhan. Tight racing among the rest of the fleet saw Dovestone SC's Andy McKee and Chris Massey (3805) in first place, with David and Sally Mckee (4005) a close second and Mike Moore with crew Kayla Sheard (3996) from Bassenthwaite in third at the end of the first encounter of the meeting.

Post-lunch Race 2 in similar winds was super close with a boat length finish between Andy McKee (1st), David McKee (2nd) and Steve Goacher (3rd). Great racing too from DSC's Rod Rowlands in FF Classic 496. Setting the scene for final Race 3 of the day, with Andy McKee never seriously challenged for first place from the windward mark, an improving performance from series sponsor Justin Waples with young DSC crew Andrew Robinson in second, and Steve Goacher in third.

Dovestone SC produced its usual enjoyable evening entertainment in the clubhouse, with wine tasting courtesy of Waples Wine, followed by supper and games – including the Pennine favourite of competitive nail-knocking with the thin end of a hammer...

Competitive nail-knocking at the Dovestone Flying Fifteen Open - photo © David McKee

Day two of the open meeting dawned sunny with a light breeze. The full fleet assembled early to catch the best of the wind with two back-back races in the morning. Steve Goacher led from the start of Race 4, but confusion about the finish line meant he was pushed into third place by Justin Waples and David Mckee who nipped passed to take first and second places respectively. Race 4 followed on quickly, with David Mckee taking an early lead only to become becalmed on the run back to the clubhouse in weakening winds. A close battle for the finish with McKees senior and junior chasing Steve Goacher who won out at the last.

Overall Results:

Pos	Sail No	Helm	Crew	PY	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	Pts
1st	3805	Andrew McKee	Chris Massey	1013	1	1	1	‑4	3	6
2nd	4005	David McKee	Sally McKee	1013	2	2	‑4	2	2	8
3rd	4021	Steve Goacher	Tim Harper	1013	(OCS)	3	3	3	1	10
4th	4033	Justin Waples	Andy Robinson	1013	‑6	6	2	1	6	15
5th	3996	Mike Moore	Kayla Sheard	1013	3	‑7	5	7	4	19
6th	3391	Colin Pierce	Mandy Thackray	1026	4	5	‑8	6	7	22
7th	3437	Rod Rowlands	Isaac Marsh	1041	7	4	7	‑12	5	23
8th	2620	David Naylor	Norman Christie	1041	5	9	6	5	(DNF)	25
9th	3535	Matt Pallet	Andy Spencer	1013	9	8	11	8	‑12	36
10th	2681	Jim Carrigan	Christine Buxton	1041	10	10	9	‑11	9	38
11th	3236	Dave Hill	Lucy Clough	1026	‑13	11	10	13	10	44
12th	3380	John Halliwell	Ann Webb	1026	11	12	‑13	10	11	44
13th	3847	Phil Milner	John Hodson	1013	14	‑16	15	9	8	46
14th	419	John Clarke	Mick Scholes	1013	8	13	12	‑15	14	47
15th	3351	Brian West	Paul West	1026	12	14	14	‑16	15	55
16th	2804	Howard Wolstencroft	Iain McNeill	1026	15	15	‑16	14	13	57