If you had checked the half a dozen forecasting apps, Sunday’s Belfast Lough wind forecast would have ranged from two to five knots from either east or west, and it was going to be very cold, and sure enough, it was very cold. On arrival, RS400 Frostbite crews that had arrived early had spinnakers hanging limply from their masts, and the wind cups on the club’s mast were barely turning, so it was no surprise that only half the fleet turned up, and the half that did were pondering why they had even bothered.
The decision was made to go and a lovely breeze then filled in from the east.
A few of the usual faces were missing. Frostie Series leader Peter Kennedy had to abandon racing, so luckily Mike Ferguson parachuted into the driving seat in 1522.
Jocelyn Hill's place was taken by sister Emily in 741; and lastly, Bob Espey couldn’t make it, so his new chariot was offered to GP14 duo Ross Kearny & Dan Nelson.
The first race got underway sharp at 13.30. The start line had a massive committee boat bias, so everyone was jostling for space at the committee boat, and with the little breeze, it was easy to stall and get pushed out the back like me. 1522 with Ferguson & Kane leading the way to the windward mark, closely followed by Donnelly & McCaig in 2nd. It appeared to pay on the downwind leg to go for the lay lines; anyone who gybed off early seemed to suffer for it. Andrew Vaughan, in 1438 with Martin Weatherspoons, seemed to suffer even more as their wing wang had gone wrong, and as a result, they had no control of the Gennaker pole. They completed the race in 9th then threw in the towel for the day. Taking the bullet was 1522 Ferguson & Kane, followed by 1405 Donnelly & McCaig in 2nd, then 1533 Kearney & Nelson in 3rd.
Race 2 the race committee did move the start line forward to square it off but by the time the race started there was still a committee boat bias and again there was a good turn out at the committee boat. With twelve boats all having a clean start, the fleet slowly took off up to the first windward mark with a good split going left or right, and it appeared that the boats which sailed more right took the advantage. First to the windward mark were Ferguson & Kane, with Purdon & Hayes and Donnelly & McCaig following suit.
On the down wind, the wind clocked around and the boats that gybed early took the gains and you could nearly hit the leeward marks if you soaked hard enough. Ben Martin in 1179 managed to leapfrog four boats which he was pleased with as he had been at the rear of the fleet. It was in the second beat where GP14 champ Ross Kearney, who knows how to sail fast, couldn’t get 1533 to the point. He eventually realised that he wasn’t in a GP and figured out if you put the centre board fully down you could actually point these RS400s.
Ferguson & Kane held on to the lead, followed by Purdon & Heyes in 2nd and Donnelly & McCaig in 3rd.
By Race 3 the race committee adjusted the start line again. Ferguson & Kane, in 1522, thought that they would take a chance with a cheeky port-end flyer, but the wind shifted just before the start, and they were totally in the wrong spot. Kearney & Nelson in 1533 selected the right gears and lead the fleet to the windward mark. Ferguson & Kane put in a lot of hard work in to get back up to second around the mark.
Hammy Baker & Dan Sherriff in 1006 were doing a good but irritating job of cover taking 1353 Robert Hastings & Peter Todd, but they were victims of their own doing by putting in a downwind gybe and somehow, they sailed over their kite which stopped them dead. I didn’t snigger, honestly! Ferguson & Kane made some unusual mistakes, going to the wrong leeward gate mark and they also went up the wrong side if the beat for too long which didn’t do them any favours.
In the end, Kearney & Nelson in 1533 held on to take the win, Purdon & Hayes took second again, but they were given a run for their money on the last leg with 1353 Hastings & Todd taking a close 3rd. It was great to see Will & Rachel Browne in 1188 who are new to the fleet and to double handers taking 4th.
Overall, the fleet was all pleased to get out; the breeze filled in, the sun came out, and we got three good races in.
Winners for the day’s racing were, 1533 Kearney & Nelson, with a 3, 5 & 1. In second place with exactly the same points 1004 Purdon & Hayes with 5, 2 & 2.
With 15 races now completed and discards kicking in, the overall series leaders are still 1522 Kennedy & Kane on 29 points. In second place is 1004 Purdon & Hayes at 42 points, and in third are the Vaughans at 53 points. With a few more Sundays to go before Christmas, The overall trophy is not in the bag just yet!
