Sailing Chandlery Enterprise National Circuit Round 7 at Penarth Yacht Club

Sailing Chandlery Enterprise National Circuit Round 7 at Penarth Yacht Club © Tracey Dunford

Nigel and Andy Bird finish 3rd in the Sailing Chandlery Enterprise National Circuit Round 7 at Penarth Yacht Club © Tracey Dunford

Jonathan Woodward & Chris Keatley win the Sailing Chandlery Enterprise National Circuit Round 7 at Penarth Yacht Club © Tracey Dunford

The seventh round of the Sailing Chandlery National Circuit was raced at Penarth Yacht Club on 7th/8th September in near tropical conditions, with a light Force 2 wind.

Race 1 - with pin end bias, but a strong left to right tide the entire fleet started by the Committee Boat. Patchy pressure across the windward leg with short 10 degree shifts oscillating to and fro gave several boats the potential to lead at the first mark. Racing a trapezoid course with an outer loop it was Ann Jackson and Alan Skeens who led for two legs, the run becoming a snakes and ladders of opportunities. Those choosing the rhumb line lost out with the tidal effect and the intermittent pressure reductions, whereas those that went hard right in less tide initially made gains, but lost out again approaching the mark.

Ann and Alan re-took the lead on the second lap followed by Jon Woodward and Chris Keatley, but on the final beat of the third lap overtacked and fell out of her boat for a refreshing dip. Jon and Chris snuck through with Phil Ford and Jane Bromley in second. Ann and Alan 3rd, Nigel and Andy Bird 4th.

Race 2 - The wind veered about 50 degrees for the start. Ann and Alan again led at the first mark being the only boat successfully to lee bow the now strong tide. At buoy 3 Phil and Jane manoeuvred to commence the windward return of the outer loop. He was persuaded by others, who all had memory loss, that he should continue to buoy 4 along with the rest of the fleet. After some discussion it was noted that Phil was correct, Phil Kirk had already realised the error and had turned back along with the Birdies. Finishing in that order in the one lap race with Jon and Chris 3rd and Ann and Alan 4th, Phil and Jane were more or less cheated out of a race win in 5th.

Sadly PRO Ioan Lavery called it a day on Sunday at 11:50 when the forecast wind failed to materialise. Thanks to Penarth Yacht Club for hosting the Severnside Area Championships in conjunction with the National Circuit meeting sponsored by Sailing Chandlery.

Sailing Chandlery Enterprise National Circuit Round 7 at Penarth Yacht Club - photo © Ann Jackson

The next Sailing Chandlery event is at Looe Sailing Club on 5th/6th October. the final Sailing Chandlery event and Winter Championships is at Northampton Sailing Club on 2nd/3rd November.

Overall Results: