Ullman Sails B14 TT at Derwent Reservoir Sailing Club
by Phil Eltringham & Kev Rutherford 1 Jun 2010 11:02 BST
29-30 May 2010
The late May bank holiday weekend saw the B14 fleet join the Scottish Skiff Series and Musto Skiff Northern Circuit series for a trip to Derwent reservoir, for round 5 of the Ullman Sails TT series. Three travelling stalwarts of the class met with two local boats and open meeting first timers for what would prove to be one of the best weekend’s of sailing so far this year. With the travelling teams arriving the day before and a late start to racing on the Saturday the morning become an impromptu training session with the new boats to the open fleet getting a good going over, and techniques and tactics discussed.
The fleet launched into around 18 knots of easterly breeze for three races. In race one Phil Murray and Kev Rutherford in 757 lead from the start followed by Phil Eltringham/Carl Donaldson in 777 and Barry Price/Al Storer in 766. Phil and Kev pulled away down the first run leaving 777 and 766 to fight for second. In the end 757 took a comfortable win with 777 second and Graham and Katherine Vials in 711 recovering from a late start to snatch third.
In race two Graham and Katherine made the most of local knowledge to pick their way through the easing and increasingly shifty breeze and led from the start to take the win. Phil and Carl in 777 stayed close and took second, but the real fight was for third between 766, 757 and Hender Blewett/Tom Blanchford in 761 with Phil and Kev in 757 taking third.
The final race of the day was definitely more of a mental then a physical challenge with crews starting to edge towards the foredeck. 711 again abused their local status and took the win with 757 not far behind. 777 and 766 fought for third with 777 just holding on despite taking two attempts to round the final bottom mark.
With racing over for the day and the top three boats separated by as many points the fleet headed ashore for the more important matter of the legendary DRSC social. The club put on a fantastic event on Saturday night the Pimms, BBQ and tug of war being particular highlights, and the party continued literally until the sun came up!
Sunday morning dawned the second time and the fleet were greeted with a mirror image of the previous morning of 20 knots from the other end of the reservoir and blue skies. The prompt start caught out a few teams, so it was 757 and 777 who lined up for the start gun. Phil and Carl in 777 went hard left up the first beat and rounded with a comfortable lead only to run out of talent on the first gybe and promptly went swimming handing the win to Phil and Kev but recovering to finish second. Meanwhile 766 had made the mistake of allowing the helm to rig the spinnaker and didn’t make it to the race course, unfortunately 671 suffered wing/tramp failure and they too had to head back.
Race five started in an ever increasing breeze with some vicious gusts stretching the whole length of the reservoir. A much depleted fleet lined up for a pin end start and again it was 711 who led the way from 757 showing some excellent boat handling to round the windward mark clean ahead. Downwind was an absolute blast with the majority of the fleet miscalculating the gybe angles resulting in some full on, on the edge sailing. The demanding conditions were certainly making it hard work for the two B14’s and 711 again took the win.
Race six and the final race of the event started again in around 20knts of breeze with the fleet sheltering around the Northern shore prior to the run in. 757 & 711 took off from the line with 757 going left and 711 right, some minutes later it was 711 who rounded the windward mark ahead and held this position until the finish to cap off a fine display in tough conditions.
The Ullman Sails team of the weekend prize goes to Hender Blewett and Tom Blanchford for coming ashore on Sunday with a broken boat but with huge smiles having had an “awesome sail” and just wanting to get back on the water again to get ready for this year’s nationals at nearby Sunderland YC, great dedication guys, see you in September. Our thanks to all at DRSC for yet again putting on such a fantastic event, we are all very much looking forward to returning next year.