Flying Fifteen Open at Chew Valley Lake Sailing Club
by Max Passmore 9 May 2011 20:08 BST
7-8 May 2011
Chew Valley Lake Sailing Club hosted its Flying Fifteen Open Meeting over the weekend of 7-8 May in very blowy conditions. Eight home boats and four visitors, all modern boats, braved the conditions over Olympic courses.
In the first race, David and Sally McKee made a clean start to lead from start to finish with Ian Cadwallader and Bill Chard second.
The start of the second race saw a port-end bias. David McKee was over the line leaving Cadwallader leading at the first mark followed by Doug and Gail Pattison and Max Passmore and Sue Norton. Cadwallader luffed Pattison allowing Passmore through.The Pattisons suffered a further setback when their tack in front of Keith Harris and Terry McGrane was just a bit too close and two turns were duly performed. David McKee gradually worked his way back to the front with Cadwallader second followed by Russell Abrahams (well built for the conditions) and Danny Pilgrim, who sailed a very fast final beat, third.
The wind increased for the third race. David McKee led from start from start to finish. Messrs Pattison and Harris avoided further confrontation and the race finished Cadwallader, Pattison and Harris behind McKee leaving McKee an unassailable lead.
On Sunday morning the wind increased and two boats stayed ashore. Doug and Gail Pattison made a brilliant start and led round the first leg. Unfortunately their spinnaker drop resulted in a broach and they passed the mark on the wrong side allowing Cadwallader and McKee through. With the Pattisons recovering Keith Harris and Terry McGrane seized their moment and tried to overtake them. At the critical moment crew McGrane missed his toestraps (a substantial achievement as he is quite tall) and fell into the water. By the time he gathered his wits his boat was well down the track and the rescue boat was required to return him as he was unlikely to be collected on the next lap. Russell Abrahams and Keith Jameson with local crew Josh Praeter took their chance.
The wind was gusting well over 30mph for the last race. The McKees decided to pack for home having retained the trophy. The Pattisons again sailed the best first leg but Cadwallader and Chard executed a better gybe and went onto win.