End of Season & Race 6 Report

In what seems like a blink of an eye, the season is over and what a great season it’s been. Twenty-eight races in all with only one cancelled due to bad weather. We had a very exciting last race of the year – Jay has the report.

RACE 6 RACE REPORT 29th October, RFF

A moderate breeze, possibly from the south, saw 13 starters for our last race of the season. With the west side of the starting line favoured, there was a lot of circling for position, Nick BB started well, I was just behind but able to tack back to the bank which gave me the lead, Mary , Lizzie and Emily, and Victoria and Ed were near the front, the fleet piled up around F , rounded to port, I just held the lead through the Carpenters narrows, where the wind played the usual tricks, zephyrs from every direction , escaping into the fair breeze to round Oxleys to port I built a lead of a couple of hundred yards before the fleet caught the breeze, heading back to Carpenters Dock, the wind died and snakes and ladders applied, Mary and Lizzie overtook me, one on each side! The East bank prevailed and Mary led to the leeward mark P, on rounding, the breeze headed and a quick tack on the mark secured the lead again. Mary and I ding- donged it back to the death zone at F . Becalmed again, Lizzie zoomed in from the Carpenters side, and rounded first, and Victoria steamed in from the opposite direction, ie from D, and rounded second, snakes and ladders again ! Lizzie and Emily held the lead for the last run and fetch to the line, I wriggled back to 2nd, with Mary 3rd and a 4th to Victoria and Ed .

Apologies for describing the battle at the front of the fleet, (runner up writes up), but it looked like all enjoyed close racing with our famously fluky winds.

Thank you to Tim who set a good course and Frances who juggled starting duties with serving a convivial tea, excellent nibbles and cakes . Thank you also to Mike Doherty and Vova for their safety service, fortunately not called upon.

A fine end to an excellent season.

I’d like to pass on our thanks to Tim for keeping the website updated and for posting all the wonderful photos we’ve collected this year.

One of the highlights of the year was our club rally to Newtown Creek and Guy McNair Wilson made a beautiful little film of the outing which can be viewed here:

Many thanks to Lizzie, who as Sailing Secretary, organises so much behind the scenes for us.

Looking forward to seeing some of you ‘off the water’ this time, at our AGM, on 19th November, 1800, in the Village Hall and hopefully at our BRSC 90th Birthday Celebrations on 3rd December at the Palais de Vaches.

Happy Hibernation!

Yours aye,

Victoria Bonham Carter
Captain of Scows