WITH no official racing allowed currently under government lockdown rules, Shanklin Sailing Club set up a time trial competition using the club buoys, with individual sailors taking their own times.
A course was set to hopefully give a beat in any wind direction, with sailors permitted six days to complete the course and send their best times in.
There was a steady 15-knot wind limit to keep things consistent and sensible for all.
The course for the first week was 1, 3, 4, Start, 5, 7, which is a left-handed square, starting off to the south, followed by a triangle to the north-east, back towards land and then along the shore back to the finish.
Chris Murphy, Pascoal Fernandez and Liam Thom were rigged up in sport-mode (jib and main) at 2pm on June 16.
While Pascoal started promptly, Chris dilly-dallied and Liam waited for him to catch up before crossing the start line.
There was a force 3 south-easterly, which meant a beat on the second leg to Buoy 3.
Two laps were raced with Liam’s faster first lap taking 31.40. Chris was a minute behind, with Pascoal on 41.
On June 18, six boats raced at 6pm, with Simon Giles just behind.
The main group intended to race one lap of the time trial course, then changed the course to have an informal race with a better beat.
Yvonne Pike and Ian Wilkinson got the best start, but the wind was fluky in-shore and Ian infringed social distancing etiquette with Yvonne at Buoy 1 and had to take a penalty.
Liam, again in sport mode, got ahead and eventually won, but like the other June 16 sailors, he could not improve his time.
Meanwhile, Ian had caught Yvonne up and gallantly persuaded her that, despite rule 18.3, she was in the wrong and should do a penalty turn for his earlier indiscretion.
Ian was probably fastest on corrected time, but did not think to bring a chronograph.
Meanwhile, Simon Giles was taking it a bit more seriously. He aborted his lap and was now rattling round in a Force 4 win, setting a very impressive 24.47.
On June 20, there were a good number of boats trying to beat Simon’s time, in a sunny Force 4 southerly.
John Shenton landed on the beach looking very pleased with his 26.25 and Ian also came in early reporting a fastest lap of 25.32, despite inexplicably managing to capsize.
All sailors improved their times on the day, with those staying out the longest, doing best.
Yvonne posted a time of 24.24 — just two seconds behind Mark Pritchard, while Liam had bettered Simon’s time with a 22.36, again in sport mode.
On their last laps, Simon set out in standard, mainsail only mode, a minute ahead of Liam and, with the wind now perfect for fast racing, just below the 15-knot limit, the winning speed was likely to be set by either of these two boats.
Simon set a blistering pace and Liam could not catch him despite the extra sail.
Simon was the faster with 21.48 and Liam was six seconds slower — almost a minute behind on corrected time.
A new course will be set for the next two weeks to form a series of three races.
House Rules
We do not moderate comments, but we expect readers to adhere to certain rules in the interests of open and accountable debate.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article