Rockshore / Bosun Bobs RS400 Winter Series at Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club - Day 6

Rockshore / Bosun Bob's RS400 Winter Series day 6 © Gerry Reid

Well, that was one to forget. Dreary, drizzly, damp and despondent conditions greeted the sailors and race management team on arrival at RNIYC for the latest installment of the RS400 Frostie Series.

To cap it off, the North Down drainage system wasn't coping with the rain and a hillside worth of rain water had left a 2 inch layer of suspicious murky brown water in the dinghy park. At the same time the previous brisk southerly had been silenced by some visiting Dementors who brought with them a hanging surreal grey mist and a few capricious zephyrs mostly from the north west.

Race management resolutely laid a course for that direction and ten boats drifted around the committee boat trying to avoid being washed out to sea by the strong spring tide. Twice a preparatory signal was made when a teasing 4 knot breeze appeared, both times to vanish as the start signal was followed by a rapid race abandonment.

At this stage some populism broke out and a verbal vote was held to see who wanted to go ashore and join those by the fire having a sumptuous festive lunch in the cosy club bar; nearly unanimous, but then a voice of authority said "Give it 5 more minutes" and the will of the populists was broken.

Another zephyr tempted Gerry Reid, PRO, into another preparatory signal; this time the starting starboard boats were able to just outpace the outgoing tide and limp slowly to the weather mark; the best starts were made by Patrick Hamilton/Jakub Ozarek and Luke McIlwaine/John Driscoll. These two rounded the windward mark with a gap behind them although a slow motion reach and fetch to the finish somehow allowed Ross Kearney/Andrew Vaughan to sneak between them.

As the last boat crossed the line the Dementors decided it was time to head back to Hogwarts - the mist lifted and a solid 15knot westerly filled in to give us a fast close reach to the slip, because no one was in a mood to stay out for more!

Series Results so far: