Unicorn Nationals at Stone Sailing Club
by Julius Mach 7 Aug 2011 17:44 BST
1-5 August 2011
Day 1 (three races) - The morning race was sailed in light winds with wind over tide. Bob Dorks revelled in the conditions until he chose the wrong side of the river for the final beat and slipped back to third place. Gary Piper was first with Richard Taylor second. Two races were sailed in the afternoon with a force 4-5 wind against the spring tide of about 5 knots. Sailing was fast and a pattern for the week was established with Gary Piper coming in first in both races with Richard Taylor and Peter Toft finishing second and third. Taylor subsequently learned that he had been OCS in the second of the afternoon races thereby promoting Toft to second and Julius Mach to third.
Day 2 (two races) - The race officer, Wendy Robinson, held the fleet waiting on the water in very light winds until unbeknown to the fleet and from her higher vantage point and receiving information from the windward mark safety boat she spotted the wind coming in. She commenced the starting sequence and the wind reached the fleet promptly at the start. Two races were sailed in near perfect conditions in a force 3-4 over the tide. The lead results were the now predictable Piper, Taylor, Toft.
Day 3 (rest day) - The sailors and the wind rested. Hottest day of the week.
Day 4 (two races, monsoon day) - A rising wind across the tide produced exciting sailing with Piper and Taylor first and second as before. Mach took full advantage of the conditions to take third place in both.
Day 5 (final race) - Although the first and second places were already decided the whole fleet went out to ensure that sails dried out after the previous days deluge. In bright sunshine and light winds around low tide the septuagenarian Dorks, sailing on his home waters, led at the first mark and all subsequent marks to the finish. Piper and Toft were second and third.
The only Unicorn to capsize during the week was during the light weather race on Monday when Mach, sailing away from the shore, hit a gravel ridge, pirouetted and fell over.
Overall Results:
1st 1100, Gary Piper, Stokes Bay SC, Piper hull, Needlespar mast, Caws sail
2nd 1098, Richard Taylor, Stone SC, Piper hull, Needlespar mast, Caws sail
3rd 1074 Peter Toft, Condor hull, Stone SC, Needlespar mast, Caws sail
4th 1092 Julius Mach, Weston SC, Piper hull, Needlespar mast, Caws sail
5th 1011 Bob Dorks
6th 1086 Steve Pooley
7th 1067 David Taylor