UKLA Grand Prix and Streaker Open at St Marys Loch Sailing Club

UKLA Grand Prix at St Mary's Loch Sailing Club © Alison Boyd

UKLA training event (Saturday 29th May)

A much looked forward to prequel to the open meeting, hopefully trepidation reducing activity designed to ease the nerves due to 18 months without racing. The day dawned with a beautiful blue sky and NO WIND! A high quality trio of RYA coaches led by Lewis Smith, head Laser coach for Scotland, sorted the group into standard, radial and youth sub groups for on shore learning with the hope that the wind would fill in later.

Group learning included a much needed racing rules refresher which was led by Ali Morrish who has a fantastic and very practical understanding of the rules in action - great fun and very informative. Lewis Smith had brought his Laser along and used it to talk us through detail of each of the main controls, covering how and why he sets the boat up for different conditions and demonstrating the use of kicker, cunningham, outhaul and traveller, also where to store your drinking water and how to keep water out by using steel springs in the bailer! The third session was run by Kieran Graham.

In the afternoon, the wind did what it was supposed to do and filled in with a nice 2 or 3. The Radial group followed Ali Morrish out in the rib and had an excellent afternoon sailing triangles, tacking and gybing on the whistle and then a series of 4 short triangle races with regular regrouping for feedback round the rib and individual coaching form Ali following each of us as we raced.

In all it was an excellent day's coaching and the despite mixed range of experience in the groups we all felt there was a tremendous amount for everyone to take away.

Huge thanks to the RYA coaching team.

UKLA Grand Prix (Sunday 30th May)

After a warm welcome from Hamish Dobbie, Commodore and Gerry Goodfellow, race officer, there followed a very clear briefing on planned races and club Covid preparations and rules to keep everyone safe, the fleet got on the water around 11.30 am.

The wind was not playing ball delivering a shifting 0kts to 5kts, however by midday the pressure was more steady, but still light and racing got under way shortly afterwards.

UKLA Grand Prix at St Mary's Loch Sailing Club - photo © Alison Boyd

The Radial fleet numbered 26 with a good turnout of club boats and a large group of very competent visiting sailors, the on-water competition was brilliant, whether you were at the front of the fleet, middle or following there was always someone to race against. The three fleets, Standard, Radial and 4.7 (plus four Streakers) each had a start - very well managed by the race committee and the competitors played their part to ensure there were no delays to a very full starting schedule. As the day went on the sun got stronger and those of us wearing dry suits began to boil in the bag! While waiting between races I was asked if I was a local? Yes, I replied - 'is it safe to drink from the Loch?'. This visitor had clearly not seen Lewis's session on race preparation and where to stow your drinking water!

The wind held out and all three races were completed for each group. Congratulations to the race officer - despite at times light and shifty conditions the race courses held well with good beats and downwind legs for all.

We were all back ashore by around 16.30 to get our shorts and T shirts on and pack boats away in lovely warm sunshine.

A great re-introduction to post lockdown dinghy racing, superbly organised offering a warm welcome, close racing and and a safe environment in a Covid world.

Overall Results: