Posted By: scooby_simon
Grafham cat open results and report - 10/20/08 10:47 AM
F16’s at Grafham.
9 F16’s made the trip to Grafham for the autumn open; we might have made 13 boats but a daughters broken elbow and a couple of late cancellations put the numbers down. We shared the water with 160 other boats on two courses.
Saturday dawned a little chilly and a light breeze was blowing; this was scheduled to build, and it did.We were racing as part of the fast single handed fleet(29 boats), but were racing for our own prizes.
The First race started in a good F5 with some gusts a little more. We were racing in a fleet of 29 boats and so a good start was essential. The first beat was a drag race for clean air and then a quick hoist and scream down to the leeward gate and remembering to avoid the finish line on the way down. The gate was a little exciting at times with the F18’s coming it very hot at times. I think we did 4 laps and ½ way down the last run I washed the sails from first place, Paul Warren sailed past thinking his luck was in, only to wash his sails as well just before the leeward gate. Mark Pressdee picked up the pieces to finish 1st F16 with Paul second and myself 3rd.
The second race was more of the same with big gusts. Mark P got caught up with an F18 and had to retire with a broken Tiller arm; I think Paul Warren washed his sails again; I finished first followed by John Terry and Dave Tugwell.
The third race of the day was sailed in more wind and some of the gusts were real rig shakers; A couple of times I gybe-set at the windward mark to do one less gybe with the kite up down the course and a couple of times I headed for the shelter of the club house wind shadow to get a gybe in the bank early. I finished first followed by John Terry and Dave Tugwell.
We then retired to the club for supper and war stories.
Sunday dawned cool and windy and we went out expecting big winds, big speeds and scary bits!
Again a good start was essential, I got a good one, but after a couple of laps I put my slow shoes on and Paul sailed past upwind as if I was standing still.
Paul finished first, I was second and John Terry was third.
5th Race I was going well but managed to catch my foot on something and had to retire hurt; Paul Warren had also called it a day and so the finishing order was John Terry and then Eric Noyau.
I was not on the water for the 6th race, but from what I could see, it was a wild affair; I could see lots of boats on all the courses were having problems. The Whole F16 fleet had had enough by now and so the job of packing up was undertaken.
Overall the results were as follows:
1st Simon Longstaff
2nd John Terry
3rd Jeffrey Knapman
4th Paul Warren
5th Eric Noyau
6th David Tugwell
7th Wayne Richards
8th Nigel Leeming
9th Mark Pressdee
A big thankyou to the event sponsors cook's of Bedford, the OOD and Grafham water.
For those that Fancy a sail between Chrismas and New year; the Grafham Grand Prix will be on the 28th December.
9 F16’s made the trip to Grafham for the autumn open; we might have made 13 boats but a daughters broken elbow and a couple of late cancellations put the numbers down. We shared the water with 160 other boats on two courses.
Saturday dawned a little chilly and a light breeze was blowing; this was scheduled to build, and it did.We were racing as part of the fast single handed fleet(29 boats), but were racing for our own prizes.
The First race started in a good F5 with some gusts a little more. We were racing in a fleet of 29 boats and so a good start was essential. The first beat was a drag race for clean air and then a quick hoist and scream down to the leeward gate and remembering to avoid the finish line on the way down. The gate was a little exciting at times with the F18’s coming it very hot at times. I think we did 4 laps and ½ way down the last run I washed the sails from first place, Paul Warren sailed past thinking his luck was in, only to wash his sails as well just before the leeward gate. Mark Pressdee picked up the pieces to finish 1st F16 with Paul second and myself 3rd.
The second race was more of the same with big gusts. Mark P got caught up with an F18 and had to retire with a broken Tiller arm; I think Paul Warren washed his sails again; I finished first followed by John Terry and Dave Tugwell.
The third race of the day was sailed in more wind and some of the gusts were real rig shakers; A couple of times I gybe-set at the windward mark to do one less gybe with the kite up down the course and a couple of times I headed for the shelter of the club house wind shadow to get a gybe in the bank early. I finished first followed by John Terry and Dave Tugwell.
We then retired to the club for supper and war stories.
Sunday dawned cool and windy and we went out expecting big winds, big speeds and scary bits!
Again a good start was essential, I got a good one, but after a couple of laps I put my slow shoes on and Paul sailed past upwind as if I was standing still.
Paul finished first, I was second and John Terry was third.
5th Race I was going well but managed to catch my foot on something and had to retire hurt; Paul Warren had also called it a day and so the finishing order was John Terry and then Eric Noyau.
I was not on the water for the 6th race, but from what I could see, it was a wild affair; I could see lots of boats on all the courses were having problems. The Whole F16 fleet had had enough by now and so the job of packing up was undertaken.
Overall the results were as follows:
1st Simon Longstaff
2nd John Terry
3rd Jeffrey Knapman
4th Paul Warren
5th Eric Noyau
6th David Tugwell
7th Wayne Richards
8th Nigel Leeming
9th Mark Pressdee
A big thankyou to the event sponsors cook's of Bedford, the OOD and Grafham water.
For those that Fancy a sail between Chrismas and New year; the Grafham Grand Prix will be on the 28th December.