Brass Monkey at Liverpool and Tranmere Sailing Clubs Day 5

On the bright side, at least it wasn’t freezing

The temperature, soaring to a balmy 3 degrees above, greeted our eleven dedicated yachts and crew, but of breeze there was no sign through a foggy haze.

More in hope than expectation, Race Officer John Myerscough set canny courses for five Class 1 and six Class 2 fleets and a good clear start saw all our yachts ghosting across the line and disappearing in the direction of Dingle, a 9.5 metre tide under them.

The Race Officer and team, on arriving at the vantage point off Otterspool between G7 and G9, were met with a confusing sight.

Bada Bing and Diva having overshot G7 were making valiant efforts to make their way back against a huge tide with not a breath of wind to assist, whilst all the Class 2 boats were struggling to round G9.

It transpired that, Easy Tiger and Mighty Max had just about scraped round G7 en route to G11 (Easy Tiger, fenders out, missing the mark by inches!) and had disappeared into the fog by the time the Race Officer, arriving in time to spot Daydream Believer in the middle of the channel, advised him to motor out of the way of commercial vessels making passage in and out of Garston Docks.

At this point John decided to shorten for Class 2 who had no reasonable chance of getting beyond G9. Stuart managed to round G9 by the seat of his pants and a last ditch effort of a crew member risking life and limb in fending off from the buoy (don’t ask!!).

On ascertaining the whereabouts of Mighty Max and Easy Tiger, John also shortened for Class 1 at G11; Neil promptly dropped the hook and made a cup of tea praying for a bit of breeze to get round his, now, last mark.

Kahu and Bada Bing, decided to call it a day and, just as it was looking increasingly likely that the race recorder was about to have a day off, it started to blow a bit from the north.

Diva took off and was soon around G7 and on her way to G11 against tide, while all the Class 2 boats which had been struggling to stand still at G9, suddenly got a new lease of life and led by Quattro and Saphoenix, Tango and Impact were round and on their way home in pursuit of Skukusa.

A good home leg saw Quattro gain line honours from Skukusa and Saphoenix, but first place went to Tango on corrected time.

For Class 1, Mighty Max crossed the line first but lost out to Easy Tiger on handicap, Daydream Believer coming home third; but special mention must go to Diva for perseverance and a brave run from G7 to G11.

Race 5 Results: