Streaker HD Sails Scottish traveller series at Loch Tummel Sailing Club

Streaker HD Sails Scottish traveller series event at Loch Tummel © Ian Baillie

Saturday September 12th saw the penultimate event of the HD Sails Scottish traveller series at Loch Tummel SC jointly with the Solos. The forecast was uninspiring to say the least with rain and a wind forecast to be 18mph gusting 30!

We arrived after a wet journey but the rain soon cleared. The wind forecast once was blowing down the loch reducing the shiftiness but not the gusts. Due to the forecast and holidays the turnout was unfortunately the worst of the series.

At the briefing we were told that the plan was for four races.

Race 1 was on a trapezoid course. David (Aberdeen & Stonehaven YC) led round the windward mark in around 15mph of wind with a few gusts followed by Barney (Craven SC in Yorkshire) and Katie (St Mary's Loch SC). They were followed closely by Shona (St Mary's) who was using the recently acquired class demo boat which has yet to be formally launched.

Despite using the Wave sail she was showing that when windy there was little performance difference especially upwind. David then couldn't see the next mark as it was much further downwind than imagined. Barney lead Katie round the rest of the race with no further dramas.

Race 2 was again trapezoid but with a much longer bottom reach. David again led from Barney and Katie after the first beat and reach but again had route finding issues towards the re-positioned bottom mark allowing both through with Shona again just behind.

The wind was now really picking up with a few capsizes amongst the Solos. David passed Katie up the beat but after the top reach and run was still 50 yards behind Barney who decided that tacking round to reach the mark was the best option. David successfully gybed and was on Barney's transom at the mark.

A drag race down the bottom reach was survived but even with a big right hand shift couldn't quite get past on the short beat to the finish.

Race 3 was windward-leeward. David again pulled into the lead up the first beat only for his outhaul and cunningham to spectacularly snap ending his race. Your scribe didn't see much of the race as he was trying to fix his boat before race 4 but Barney beat Katie.

Race 4 was then cancelled due to the increasing wind speed. This meant Barney won from Katie.

The final event is at Dalgety Bay on October 3rd.

Event Results:

Barney Proud wins the Streaker HD Sails Scottish traveller series event at Loch Tummel - photo © Katie Masterton