Like all DBSC members, the offer of training races for race committee members and competitors alike, has been a welcome feature for the Flying Fifteen fleet in these opening days of the 2021 summer sailing season.
Last night saw the full quota of Fifteens out on the water for what turned out to be a very interesting evening. As with all “training events” there are lessons to be learned, the first of which, for this correspondent, was – take a course card with you. My flawed understanding was that the Fifteens would be sailing windward/leeward courses on a Thursday night and that seemed to be the consensus when we arrived at the start area. However, what evolved was slightly different but most welcome.
A course that took in Battery (P), Bulloch (P), Island (P), Molly (P), Island (P), Molly (P), Pier (P) to an upwind finish – confirmed at my desk this morning (Friday) – explains some of the manoeuvres on the water last night.
The fleet was distributed along the start line with the tide just turned and a modest breeze. A slightly mistimed start by Mulligan and Bradley (4081) at the pin saw them having to go back and restart. This initially forced them to go inshore before the onset of starboard tacked boats forced them seawards. At that stage the seaward side of the course was occupied by newcomer to the fleet, Shane McCarthy, sailing with Chris Doorly (4085) and Ken Dumpleton (3955), with Joe, was lurking with intent out there too. I also recall seeing Alan Balfe and Frank Burgess (3995) in a slightly seaward location. The balance of the fleet had headed shoreward much earlier with Tom Murphy and Carel (4057) leading the early charge. Also, on that side of the course, was Alan Green & John Lavery (4083), but in reverse roles, John being crew on the night, David Mulvin & Ronan Beirne (4068), Neil Colin & Mick McCambridge (4028) and Alistair Court & Conor O’Leary (3753), among others.
McCarthy, Mulligan & Dumpleton then found that they weren’t off the pace and coming in from the left, joined the leaders of the shoreside group – Murphy, Green, Colin and Court. Still guessing as to what our weather mark was, we found ourselves on the right side of Battery, whereas Court/O’Leary had to tack and dip transoms to pass it on the correct side. Still of the view that a windward/leeward had been signalled, it was intriguing to see the SB20s hare off seawards on a two-sail reach.
At Bulloch, Murphy literally squeezed around the mark, the flooding tide pushing him towards it. He was followed by Green, McCarthy, Colin, Mulvin, Mulligan and Dumpleton, all heading after the SB20s towards Island. Down the two-sail reach there was no change to the running order and while the leg to Molly saw the width of the fleet increase, and a few gybes thrown in to take advantage of breeze and tide, there was no change to the running order.
After Molly, there was a divergence of thought! McCarthy took an early tack to head off to sea and was followed by Mulligan who considered that he was being adversely affected by Mulvin’s slightly higher windward slot. Murphy led the charge to the shore, distinctive in his bright yellow jacket. Again, the seaward route to Island paid dividends and while McCarthy got the bigger dividend by tacking early at Molly, Mulligan helped his own position too. Murphy led around Island for the second time, but McCarthy was hot on his transom, followed by Green, Colin, Mulvin and Mulligan. At this stage there was a lead group of three and a following group of three. The former stayed reasonably tight to each other, but the latter spread out with Colin going right and Mulvin going left.
Rounding Molly for the second time, one crew from the leading group will not look favourably on their spinnaker drop, losing a place on the water, but if my memory of the finishing order is correct, that will be put down to experience!
At Molly, Mulligan had managed to get ahead of Colin but only just. Down the two-sailer to Pier, Colin hounded Mulligan and on rounding Pier he went seaward again. Mulligan sailed on before tacking for the finish. The eventual finishing order (I think*) was McCarthy/Doorly (4085), Green/Lavery (4083) Murphy/Carel (4057), Mulvin/Beirne (4068), Mulligan/Bradley (4081), Dumpleton/Joe (3955), Colin/McCambridge (4028) and Court/O’Leary (3753).
The grey and drizzle did not detract from a great night’s racing!
Lesson for the evening, after all it was a training event – have a course card onboard!
*If my finishing order is incorrect, apologies to the aggrieved parties!
