2015 Open Meeting 4 - Weston Skiff Open 13/14th June

[roland_trim]

I think that they are 90m.

Yes they are sooooo massive - over 90m not feet, it takes more than a few minutes to walk the length of them. The nav lights look bigger than some yachts spreaders. Incredibly impressive

[Clive Everest]

Another hazard for the weekend as if it was not going to be tricky enough with B&I14s
I will sharpen the foils tonight.

[andy_peters]

Just back from Weston.  8 or 9 Cherubs, I think we were just the most numerous class.   One day of decent breeze and one day of increasingly sub-epic wind although we did get in one good and one half decent race.  Lots of close racing throughout the fleet, 3 different race winners and not too much boat breakage (apart from the Knife who did enough for us all)

Mr Ching will be writing a voluminous report by virtue of finishing 3rd, second was our flying father and his 2 offspring, at times very fast, at times lacking a certain amount of control.  Be very interesting to see the sped in a proper breeze - awesome I would think IF it could be tamed.   First was Jill and me.

[dave_ching]

So if you were hoping for a short report which mentions a good curry, some breakages and thanking all three boats for showing like some previous reports, then I would suggest you look in the archives.
We had a turnout that was only equalled by the I14's and those who could have been here and didn't show are fools.
There were 7 boats that had top 4 finishes and 3 different race winners. There was close racing throughout the fleet showing consistency is the key not owning a fast boat.
Race 1
Andy and Jill took an early lead and showed that they were going to be a class above the rest this weekend while the tortoise (sorry for calling you half a tortoise Hayley)  and hare was being played out behind with Clive and myself. Unfortunately Clive hadn't read the script and beat the tortoise home in his first fully foiling race.
Race2
Andy shot out in front again Eleanor and Chilly (cool beans) swapping places until the finish. Chilly snuck over the line first with Robin finishing a very close fourth.
Race 3
Dean and Simon in Eleanor flew off the start and were not seen again taking the only comprehensive win of the weekend.
There was some synchronised capsizing at the gybe as a shift hit the closely packed fleet. Clive came out best to take second with Andy third after recovering from his start line swim. Roland finished a creditable forth in the windy conditions.
Race 4
Andy started in front and stayed there, while Chilly and Clive (now with a crew swap and in low rider mode) swapping places until the finish. (Robin you owe Hayley a pint, very graceful capsize though).
Race 5
In now decreasing breeze Clive and Andy swapped places at the front while the chilly closed the gap until a small kite problem allowed Eleanor and Shiny to catch up. There was close racing between the 2 groups until the end. Clive came first from Andy with Shiny third Chilly fourth and Eleanor fifth.
Race 6 mmmm.
If you were on Chilly possibly the best race ever.
It was a one lap race in light shifty winds. I'd like to tell you about the start or the first beat or even who led down the run but frankly I was nowhere near any of that.
So this is my self-centred account.
We had the biggest knot ever to grace a kite before the start and were only able to start a good few minutes behind the fleet with Hayley spending nearly all the beat fixing the kite we hoisted to find another knot at the top mark. Hayley doing another amazing job managed to untangle it by the downwind gate. Some how and I can't claim to understand why we had closed the gap on the fleet.
Upwind to the finished we found our own private wind to sail through the fleet with only Andy and Clive crawling over the line in front of us.
Thank you to Weston for a well run event.
Get your entries in early for Weymouth because if it is half as good as this it will be worth it. And Weymouth has a food festival on at the same time so lots of life in the town after sailing.

[roland_trim]

Epic weekend - thanks to all for making it so much fun.

PS first event I've been to at Weston in  years where I left with my rudder in one piece 
(even though I dropped the boat on it). Shame about the boom, but we predicted that was marginal after Robin put his bottom through it the weekend before and luckily there was a spare on the shore...

[Hayley_Trim]

Apparently we do pretty well if I spend most of the race with my head in the kite sock while Dave superstars it round the course and whispers the magic words to the wind gods. Our tactics are sorted.

Fab weekend though. And you can always rely on Sven to liven up Saturday evening entertainment...