RC Laser Winter Series at Fleetwood Model Yacht Club - Week 2
by Tony Wilson 5 Feb 2023 11:32 GMT
29 January 2023
A small rig option for stronger winds on a Radio Controlled Laser model yacht © Tony Wilson
While checking out the forecast at home, if you could choose which sail to take along and if only limited to one of them, my guess would have been the 'C' rig.
Looking to be dry and a wind speed from the West at around 16 - 20 MPH or in whatever that is in Knots which ever would suit best, we were on to a winner at Fleetwood.
Peter Isles thought he was going to be the lonesome sailor for the day, until the draglings eventually turned up and we were now into the numbers seven, all present and correct, Four rigged out in 'B' rigs sailing at the calmer end of the lake, weren't fooling anyone, as we all eventually went for the original sized storm sail from over a decade ago by the start of the proceedings.
An easy peasy course was set. Start across near the clubhouse, beat all the way up to the top two little marks using one of them as a spreader. Then run all the way back to the centralised buoy at this near end and then finishing part way up plumb straight across, all taken to Port. We were going to do some walking.
The racing went as per usual with Shaun at the pointy end and Tony sharp on his heels. Ian Sinclair hadn't been out with the RC Laser for about a year and was treated to using his smaller sails for once along with Peter Guest. Peter was surprised to how much easier it was to sail, than when battling with too big a rig.
John Armstrong wasn't having a good day with his radio letting him down and no suitable backup, but is eager for next weeks return to sailing. Ian S. was having winch trouble early on and Tony's winch also played up just before lunch on a race that he thought was his on the final rounding.
Six races had and it was the one just before lunch that we dropped another dress size, with the appearance of those little white horses on the lake.
During the lunch the chop increased, but we weren't deterred and just tightened up those little rigs to dump as much lift as possible. Shaun was still claiming as many wins as possible, with a few very close calls on the finish line.
We were going to close the day on 12 races, but we pleaded for just one more. Superstitious Trevor wouldn't go for thirteen, so we had a couple more. A quick change of batteries for Tony that saw him good. But Ian S. and Peter G. will learn that lesson maybe for next time as they had to abort race fourteen part way through.
Thanks to race Officers Trevor and Ian Hawtin.
Same again next week.Racing on Sunday.
Results:
1 Shaun Holbeche 14 pts
2 Tony Wilson 25 pts
3 Peter Isles 40 pts