2000 class Nationals at South Caernarvonshire Yacht Club - Day 2

Arriving on the beach at Abersoch for the LDC and Noble Marine sponsored 2000 National Championships, we were greeted by a dull and very cloudy day. A gentle wind was blowing on the sheltered beach - but the forecast was for somewhere between 24 and 34 knots!

The boats were held on the beach for 20 minutes (the class advises no racing if it is blowing over 25 knots), and when released quite a number of boats were noticed with their covers still on - sensible people!

The run downwind to the starting area was lively - and the look back up wind could be described as "scary". The dogs weren't on the chains anymore, and even the chains had been blown away! The race started, and at each windward mark rounding, one or two more boats decided that heading in was better than the sleigh ride and swimming downwind.

Following on from their first day success, Fergus Barnham & Serena de Nahlik sailed very smoothly through the confused seas to lead around the first mark, and disappeared into the distance down-wind. Rob & Sarah Burridge confounded the heavy weather experts by rounding in second. Matt & Clare Sargent chased Rob & Sarah for the first lap, and then gybed off down the second run to move up a place, with Natalie Roach & Alex Pickles finishing fourth.

The first 12 boats were closely grouped at the finish, but the next 15 had all had some swimming practice somewhere around the course!

The Race Officer very wisely decided, that for the safety and pleasure of the fleet, the second race should be postponed and sailed another day.

The 2000 fleet met up in the evening for a Barbeque and the Class Association AGM, which was surprisingly well attended - maybe the offer of a free drink was enough to encourage people!

Natalie, as the Peoples Pecker Picker, almost awarded the Sidmouth Pecker for a second day to Chris Cunningham & Jay Edwards - they had tied the Pecker to the top of the mast in order to give him a good view of the racing; but when they landed at the end of the day they couldn't lower the mainsail, the boat capsized, and the pecker was off swimming!

But the real award was to the Class Association President and his helm: Mark Foley / Trevor Bradley had made sure the main halyard wasn't blown away by tying it securely to the Army's quadruple stacker trailer. When trying to move the boat down the beach, they couldn't understand why it was moving - had they fallen into a big hole in the sand? No: They were still firmly attached from the top of the mast!

The Chairman's Champagne Moment was awarded to Guy Russell & Clare Collett - who were clearly enjoying the strong wind sleigh-ride, and beat the Chairman to the finish.

Results after day 2: