Boss Multi Gala at Datchet Water Sailing Club

Sponsored by Bank of Scotland

Ten Bosses turned out for the final Multi Gala event of the season at Datchet Water S C. The scene was looking very ominous as the boats and crews arrived one by one to stand and look at the reservoir flat as glass and without a breath of air. However, a bacon roll and a tea later a slight breeze started to develop which grew to a light but reasonably consistent sailable wind. The race officer delayed the start of the first race to wait for the wind to build but this didn't really materialise and so racing got underway with what little we had. The first race proved quickly how important it is to get your rig set-up right for the conditions and also to keep the boat moving. A leading group of 4 boats broke away with the positions changing all the time especially downwind as boats found isolated patches of wind. As the race entered the third lap the wind started to fade and so even keeping the spinnakers filling down wind was hard work. At this point Peter Bennett had established a stable lead closely followed by Steve Bell, Chris Gandy and Julian Cramp and this was how the final positions ended.

The second race was sailed in a lighter and a little more shifty wind making it almost possible to lay the windward mark off the start. At the first mark Julian Cramp had established a small lead only to lose it to Chris Gandy on the downwind leg. Back on the upwind leg Cramp retook the lead but proceeded to lose it again on the downwind leg and never managed to catch Gandy before the finish. Racing ended after this race as the wind was fading as was the daylight.

The Boss crews evening entertainment is always a good talking point the next morning and being the socialites they are, it was no surprise to hear that a number of them had been seen socialising with Maureen from 'Driving School'.

Sunday looked as if it was going to be a repeat of Saturdays weather but as the mist lifted so the wind started to fill in. The first race saw a new face at the front with Steve Murray leading round the windward mark followed a short distance behind by the rest of the fleet. Unfortunately for Murray he couldn't hold onto the lead and gradually Bennett and Bell and Cramp overhauled him. The second race was barely trapezing weather and the boats were much closer going round the windward mark nose to tail. The downwind leg again provided a mix of fortunes dependent on the route taken but at the leward mark although places had changed the boats were still tightly packed. The next upwind leg provided a chance for the boats to spread out and Bennett pulled ahead followed by Bell and new comers to the fleet Rory Ellis. Rory is the youngest member of the fleet at 17 years old compared to our oldest member Terry Hand at over 60!

As the wind increased to 10 knots for races 5 and 6 the racing became faster and most crews were twin trapezing at some point. The increased wind didn't change the consistency of the fleet leaders and Bennett, Bell and Gandy dominated the first three places. Final results were as below with Bennett taking the event and the Boss Class Inland Championships.

Overall Results:

More Information:

• YachtsandYachting.com BOSS Page