Wineglass Spring Open at Fishers Green Sailing Club

Sunday 11th May

Fine and sunny it was as the first race got under way, port biased was the line but only two brave souls tried it and it worked, a short port tack and then onto starboard gave Brian Conroy and Ron Elston in 508 ‘Moon Indigo’ and Frank Maskell and Elaine Hare in 506 ‘Blue Moon’ an advantage they kept to the windward mark. Joining them in third and fourth places as they rounded, were Lee and David Eynon. having made the classic starboard start in 501 ‘ Harvest Moon’ and Roger Castle and Dick Reynolds in 008. These four stayed in front of the field, Conroy in the lead, with Eynon having passed Maskell, second. Maskell though third, did not stop trying and was able to catch Eynon as did Castle, pushing him down to fourth place.

The second race on a different course, still favoured a port start, but Conroy this time went behind the fleet to cross the line at the outer mark and luckily found a better breeze to put him at the windward mark first, closely followed by Maskell and Eynon, then came the wing mark, placed in what had become a wind shadow area. First into the mark was Conroy, then Maskell and Eynon in what was no wind. Out the other side Eynon caught the breeze first, then Maskell, both leaving Conroy in their wake having sailed over him. Despite all efforts in a fickle wind, that is how the race finished, leaving all to sail for in the third and final race.

This last race, in what seemed to be a lessening breeze, was full of surprises; only four boats finished the race. The course was much improved and Maskell, Eynon and Conroy took up their tussle again. Maskell led early on but was turned by Conroy gaining from a shifting breeze, Eynon too squeezed past Maskell, only for Maskell to regain the lead as the wind increased. Several capsizes reduced the fleet and on a jibe Maskell broke off his tiller extension and broached allowing Conroy and Eynon to tramp passed in what was now a fine breeze. Conroy won the race, Eynon was second with 502 ‘Veuve’ sailed by Graham Hobart and David Withall third.

Overall Results: