RS200 Travellers at the Chanonry Sailing Club Dinghy Regatta

The RS200 fleet round the leeward mark during the Chanonry Dinghy Regatta © Neil MacGregor

The RS200 Class completed the fifth round of their Scottish Traveller circuit when they visited Chanonry Sailing Club at Fortrose in the Highlands of Scotland on the 6 & 7 August. The club was holding its annual dinghy regatta attended by 44 boats from across Scotland. The event incorporated the Scottish Championship for Fireballs and Scottish Traveler events for RS200 and RS300 and Laser 2000 as well as general Fast and Slow Handicap classes.

Saturday provided a light to moderate east north east wind which, having blown over the Black Isle before arriving over the waters of the Inner Moray Firth, provided shifty conditions with many stronger gusty periods. This, when combined with an ebbing tide across the course required competitors to keep tactical decisions under constant review. The shifty conditions were not so difficult as to give the Race Officer, David Gibb, and his team too many problems. Three 45 to 50 minute long, back to back races were started in quick succession with the minimum of delay between races. Holidays and other commitments restricted the fleet to only 5 boats but this did not prevent strong competition and all boats frequently changed places and regularly were all within a span of no more than 10 boat lengths. Any misjudgment of tide or wind was immediately punished by the other boats. On coming ashore competitors had a lot to talk about during the early evening meal and social at the clubhouse.

Sunday began with a very light northerly wind, again over the land, however as boats congregated around the committee boat for the first series of starts at 10:30 the wind filled in to around force 2 to 3, again with some stronger gusty periods. The wind prevailed long enough to complete Sunday’s 3 races, this time on a rising tide and by the early afternoon boats were back ashore and packed up to go home in good time for the prize giving at 4pm.

Overall the event provided some very interesting racing; all participants were race leaders at some stage and at various times all showed remarkable speed, especially upwind when the wind strengthened. The only premature starters in 6 races were Douglas and Kirsty Hamilton from Loch Tummel SC who, after restarting correctly went straight into the lead at the first mark and lead all the way to the end. Their determination must have stemmed from having gone from first to last in the previous race due in part to gooseneck trouble downwind!

After 5 races local sailors Richard and Val Evans needed to be ahead of the Hamiltons in the last race to be sure of winning. This race produced some of the closest tactics of the weekend after the Hamilton’s fast upwind speed gave them the lead at the first mark only to be overtaken by the Evans superior speed downwind. The Evans kept them under very close cover thereafter and went on to win the race and the weekend.

Commodore Helen Rowson acknowledged the valuable sponsorship of the event by local chandlery, Caley Marina. She also thanked the Avoch Sea Scouts for the provision of two fully manned safety boats and especially thanked David Gibb, Race Officer, his team on the water and the tireless galley crew who provided food and drinks endlessly throughout the event.

Full results and more pictures can be found on the club web site at www.chanonry.org.uk