Volvo Noble Marine RS400 Nationals at Mount's Bay Sailing Club - Day 3

When sailors come ashore not caring about their result it's usually because the day has been a shocker. But Day 3 in Mounts Bay was very different. This was a day to remember for all the right reasons.

A 15-18 knot breeze, bright sunshine, moderate waves and perfect courses delivered a day of racing that many rated as the best of the season and possibly more. After four hours afloat the fleet was left buzzing.

Volvo Noble Marine RS400 Nationals day 3 - photo © Lee Whitehead / www.photolounge.co.uk

But there was one particular element that was the talk of the slipway as the boats were hauled up - dolphins.

In the second race a pod of 10 or more chose to hang out on the port layline to the windward mark, guiding anyone who took their advice towards a perfect rounding. As they darted under the bow and leapt out of the water on either side less than a metre away, the sight was utterly mesmerising. Fortunately the pod chose to appear on the second and third laps of the second race when the traffic was more spread out, justifying their reputation for being smart. Had it happened at the first mark rounding when the fleet was still bunched up who knows what chaos would have ensued as crews started feeding back all kinds of unconventional verbal gibberish to their helms. "Oh my God," is usually an expression reserved for a different set of circumstances that lead seconds later to a swim. Here it was commonplace.

But in any a pack there's always a rogue, even among dolphins. Barging at the weather mark with no overlap inside two boat lengths is simply not on whether you're a fish or not. Some even missed out the spreader mark and cut the corner to ride on the quarter waves downhill – the cheek of it.

The first race had been a tricky one for pretty much everyone who hadn't started seconds after the gate had opened.

A left hand shift during the start saw the pathfinder, Francisco and Teresa Lobato lifted on port, away from the bulk of the fleet who had politely set themselves back from the proposed start line. Bearing away to gather speed wasn't really an option unless you wanted to reach back down the line to where the Lobatos had come from.

Volvo Noble Marine RS400 Nationals day 3 - photo © Lee Whitehead / www.photolounge.co.uk

The result? Plenty of space to leeward of the pathfinder along with plenty of red faces, gritted teeth and another pack of 74x400s that had some big names mixed into the middle of the fleet.

When it came to stand out performances throughout the day there are a few to mention starting with Jon Gorringe and Oli Wells who scored a couple of bullets to extend their lead in the overall series.

The first race saw their lead unchallenged from the start while the second was trickier apparently, but with the same final result.

So what was their key to success?

"We started early to get to the wind convergence off the south east side of the Mount," explained Oli. "In a south-easterly the form guide says that there will be more pressure there which should justify not going offshore. As it turned out there was, just. So for us the left hand side of the course was always favoured, upwind and down."

Volvo Noble Marine RS400 Nationals day 3 - photo © Lee Whitehead / www.photolounge.co.uk

The second boat that drew attention as that of Alex Barry and Richard Leonard who once again threw themselves into the mix despite looking lighter than the Oakeys. Few, including the Oakeys, thought this was possible, and even fewer reckoned it was a combination for breezy conditions. But with a 4th and an 11th on the board after today, clearly it is.

Volvo Noble Marine RS400 Nationals day 3 - photo © Lee Whitehead / www.photolounge.co.uk

Then comes the team of the day, John Downey and Sandy Rimmington sailing 522.

They finished 10th in the first race, an impressive performance for an old boat. That made them pathfinders in the second race and to prove that their first result had been no fluke they went on to finish 4th in the second.

Not only is this a superb performance for an old boat, but their efforts have increased the value of the entire second-hand fleet overnight while leaving those of us who have made flimsy cases at home for investing in a new boat feeling rather exposed.

Volvo Noble Marine RS400 Nationals day 3 - photo © Lee Whitehead / www.photolounge.co.uk

Nevertheless, in the highly undemocratic system of nominating a team of the day within the daily report and my jury of one, they get it.

Well done to all who walked away with the daily prizes, but for many today wasn't really about results. And for one man the day marked a turning point, he hoped.

"After the weather we have been dealt for some of this year's events we are owed a good Nationals from him upstairs. I'm certain that this is the first day of a run we're going to remember," said class captain Max Tosetti who admitted that his direct communication with the Almighty's weather department has been down for much of this season.

In fact, so good was today that word is going around that maybe it's time to introduce a new rule in the class that bans racing in under 15 knots and sunshine. As a super extra-medium proportioned, curry munching sailor, it gets my vote.

Results after Day 3: