RC Laser Northern Series round 6 at West Lancashire Yacht Club
by Tony Wilson 19 Dec 2018 19:39 GMT
16 December 2018
West Lancs RC Laser Northern Series round 6 © Tony Wilson
Southport was our venue for the concluding part on the early winter RC Laser Northern series. With the best of three results to qualify, a number of skippers were still out to fill that last place or try and better the results they already had.
The wind was coming from the south and it was set for the day. Saturday had seen some really high winds breaching 50 miles an hour, but now at the back end of that weather system we would be lucky if we hit 10 knots.
Apart from a lonely full-size Laser on the water, we also shared the lake with what looked like a convoy of surfboard-paddling Santas, but they were in the distance and certainly weren't bringing us any presents.
Nine Skippers all kitted out with the B rigs and Derek joined us at the mid morning break after we had just completed race number five. A quick defrost and with the hands working again we were back out on the water. Hugo had won the first race, then Skip had three in a row, and then Shaun snatched one before his boat started to develop sail winch problems.
Derek had catch up to do, but then again we never doubt Derek's ability to do well. Sailing Alan's triangle and sausage course was done in a jiffy and the rescue boat rarely got an outing, only at lunchtime to move a couple of marks, but then only slightly altering the course. Skip had chanced the A rig just before lunch and it looked like a couple more would be joining him for the afternoon session. Ten races had been completed, so we were well on course for another six to give us the three discard benefit.
Tony was now the only one out with the A rig as he knew Hugo was just ahead of him on points and thought something else might work. He won one race, then had a small group follow him with the big rigs, but it was really a B rig day after all and probably an unwise choice as John and Derek had it right all day long to lead most of the races of the day.
The scores were totted up and the regular prize-giving went ahead. Results for the series were also announced and a couple of the guys had leapfrogged their positions on the table.
Results for the day:
1 John Sharman 31 pts
2 Derek Priestley 35 pts
3 Skip Reaser 44 pts
Results for the series:
1 John Sharman 300 pts
2 Hugo Chandor 240 pts
3 Tony Wilson 233 pts