Blackwater Icicle 2010 at Maylandsea Bay Sailing Club
by Alan Jackson 5 Jan 2010 08:01 GMT
3 January 2010
With ice coated puddles and the flags frozen to the flagpoles the Mayland fleet gathered to contest the Blackwater Icicle trophy.
A third of the fleet were visitors from near and not so near adding a healthy upturn to the spicy mix of who’s who in the line-up of line honours.
It was to be a day of tremble and shiver as the light northerly breeze started to fail with Bill Wright heading the Race Box team, which had now taken to the water in the committee boat for a start in the middle of Maylandsea Bay.
By the time the start flag fell the light breezes had headed to the East with the fleet tending to be line shy.
The short-ish leg to the first rounding mark, laid on the outer curve of the deeper water at the top of the bay, presented a gain and loss decision of more pressure against less tide which split the fleet with half taking to the south side while the rest headed to the north. The north side won with Dave and Celia Charlton rounding first closely follow by Andy Mclver sailing a Blaze and Andy and Derek sailing a Merlin. The fleet rounded mark 4 and headed out up Lawling creek against the incoming tide and a failing wind and another twitchy choice to tack back to the south side or continue on up to Mundon spit on the north side.
Wind now had all but died with the tide holding the fleet almost to a standstill. Dave and Celia sailed part way before taking to the south bank and had broken well clear of the fleet to be joined by Jacko and Lorna, ‘Merlin’ having hung on for a little longer. A short battle followed as the wind slowly backed to the north east ending Jacko’s bid for the lead. The fireball fleet having stuck to the north side, took advantage of the new N.E. breeze and made good time as they crossed past Mundon spit to Steeple race mark but with the fleet having stood still on the tide and the elapsed time running the real race was back in the mid fleet, some 7 minutes behind. The fleet rounded Mundon race mark and with 6 knots up the chuff and with the tide it was a drag race to the finish line.
Mick Wright's ‘Laser’ beavered away holding line in the light airs against the tide to finish 3rd
Dave and Celia having made a good start, and seeing off the Fireballs, being lead boat and taking line honours to finish 2nd.
Tim Riley sailing a Solo making a good start and picking the side to be at the right time, holding concentration in the doldrums, sailed an error free race sorting some pretty accomplished sailors to take the bullet and the Blackwater Icicle Trophy away from the Blackwater River, and very deservedly so.
Next Race Day is the start of the Open Frostbite Series starting on the 17th Jan. at 12:00 with 2 races. More information at www.maylandseabay-sc.org.uk
Overall Results:
1st Tim Riley, Solo
2nd Dave and Celia Charlton, Merlin Rocket
3rd Mick Wright, Laser
4th Alan Jackson and Lorna Laval, Merlin Rocket
5th Andy Mclver, Blaze
6th Neil Fulcher, Phantom