April | June | July | August | September | October
Weekend Starting 9th of October
A strong fluky southerly wind greeted everyone who came down to enjoy the second last weekend of the autumn series. Luckily it was quite mild which prevented everyone from going home again. Seven boats where on the water for the start with Graeme Reid (another potential boat) being the race officer. Charles Willoughby and Ross McKerchar managed to just get clear of the fleet by the first mark closely followed by the rest of the fleet. A similar scenario was seen at the second mark with Charles and Ross again just managing to stay ahead of the fleet, with everyone still very close together. The fleet where in similar positions up the third leg, Charles and Ross still just in the lead with Charles and Chris Morrish a couple of boatlengths behind, the rest of the fleet still very tightly packed right on Charles and Chris' transom. Then, in typical St Mary's fashion the wind decided to change things a bit - a large gust came shooting down the loch, just catching Charles and Ross whilst missing the rest of the fleet by literally meters. In ten seconds Charles and Ross where 30 boatlengths ahead, the rest of the fleet having moved all of five meters!
All Charles and Ross had to do was stay upright to secure their victory, leaving the rest of the fleet to battle it out. On the first beat everyone spread out a bit, with Charles and Chris arriving at the windward mark 6 or 7 boatlengths ahead of Dave and Shona Redpath. The two then enjoyed a good tussle, with many place changes until the second gibe of the second lap - Charles and Chris decided to sample the water temperature! Murdo and Penny Macleod decided to join them at the same mark. With there main competition out of the way all Dave and Shona could do was hope for Charles and Ross to capsize - despite some tantilizingly hairy Gibes they didn't, leaving Dave and Shona with second, followed by Ian Malcolm and Caragh Morrish.
Just to complicate matters St Mary's decided to chuck everyone a strong onshore for coming onto the beach. With the wind change there was a temperature drop and everyone had a much needed hot drink. When it was time for the second race the sudden onshore had picked up to a 7 or 8, which meant, to the relief of a lot of crews, there was going to be no more racing.
Weekend Starting 25th of September
The First Aid course held on Saturday saw quite a few people down despite it being fairly late on in the season. The light winds did not stop half the topper fleet going out. But, from the shore, it seemed more like a swim than a sail with all the (deliberate I think) capsizing to compensate for the lack of wind.
Sunday dawned in typical St Mary's fashion - not a drop of wind! With not so much as a burp at 10:30am the last topper race of the series was abandoned, securing the series for Niki Birrell.
Luckily for the Enterprise sailors the wind filled in just enough for the first race at 2:00pm. Despite there being four Mirrors on the water none of them seemed to be interested in a race so only the Ents raced. There was quite a good turnout with about eight boats lining up for the start. Charles Willoughby and Ross McKerchar managed to get a good start, resulting in them being a few boatlengths ahead at the first mark. This allowed them to miss quite a busy mark rounding and get clear air. Throughout the rest of the race they clocked up a huge lead, with the nearest boat being a leg behind. This left the rest of the fleet fighting for second. Graeme and Shona Reid lost there clear second to Kirsty McSeveney and Roy McCubbin and Graeme Henry and Joanna Foulkes on the beat. They managed to hold there fourth whilst Graeme and Jo just managed to scrape in front off Kirsty and Roy.
There where not quite so many boats in the second race with Graeme unable to resist taking his RS400 out, Shona Redpath abandoned her helm after a better offer from Graeme leaving two Ents on the shore when the second race started. When the course was set everyone was having second thoughts - no wind and a course which had "DJ" in it didn't seem a very exciting prospect!
Despite a very chaotic start involving five boats, X mark and a pile up it proved to be quite an fun race as the wind picked up too a nice Force 2. Some of the lighter crewed boats even enjoyed a brief hike on the beat! After a good start again, Charles and Ross managed to secure a lead with Kirsty and Roy hot in pursuit. Despite Kirsty and Roy's best efforts Charles and Ross pulled comfortably ahead again leaving Kirsty and Roy with a second.
Roundup for Weekend Starting 11th of September
Saturday saw typical Scottish summer weather - cold and rainy all day. The wind made up a bit for the miserable weather - a strong South-westerly, but it was a very gusty and fluky wind making for difficult to sail in conditions. Despite this, I decided to try and take a Windsurfer with a 7.5m 2 rig on it and, unsurprisingly spent about 10 seconds on the board and 2 hours of it!
Luckily things brightened up for the Commodores Cup on Sunday, but with the unwelcome reduction in wind strength. The first race saw Charles Willoughby and Ross McKerchar get a good start and lead the fleet till halfway up the second last beat, when Katie Masterson and Joanna Foulkes chose a good route and managed to catch right up. Charles and Ross just managed to keep their lead until a gust saw Katie and Joanna scoot 20 boatlengths ahead, gaining a lead which they kept till the end. Charles and Ross managed to keep their second followed by Graeme and Linda.
Things went similarly in the third race, with Charles and Ross getting another good start, but, again on the beat they were overtaken, this time by Graeme and Linda. The tacking battle that ensued saw Katie and Joanna sail right down and past them on the other side of the loch to take there second win and therefore secure the cup.
Things went differently in the third race, with three boats, Katie and Joanna; Kirsty and Anne McSeveney and Ian Malcolm and Caragh Morrish, disappear of into the distance with a private gust. On the beat Ian and Cara waited for everyone but Kirsty and Anne and Katie and Joanna where well ahead having there own private tussle. Charles and Ross managed to catch everyone except the two leaders and came in third behind Graeme and Linda. Kirsty and Anne won the battle for first giving Katie a unneeded second as she had already won. Roundup for the Regatta
A very successful regatta at St Mary's started off with very light winds and lots of sunshine. There was a good turnout for the Enterprises with 35 boats competing. The Mirror Scottish Championships which took place at St Mary's this weekend also had an okay turnout except 10 out of the 11 Boats were from this club!
Because of the fluky winds the first race could have been anyone's - the two Enterprises that had led for a lap ended up coming 10 & 12. Whilst many boats that had been mid-fleet managed to do well up the last beat. Charles Willoughby and Ross McKerchar came from 4th last to 6th in less than two legs! Lawrence Young and Ian Brown managed to find the wind and consequently won by a comfortable margin.
John Hugo and Andrew Frost managed to win in the Mirror Fleet. Six out of the Eleven boats didn't manage to finish within the time limit much to the dismay of Fraser & Gavin Reid and Anna Renz & Niki Birrell who were both meters from the line when the time ran out.
After a long wait on the water for the Mirrors, it was looking like the racing was going to be over for the day. But, Roy Veitch, the Race Officer decided to try and fit in another race. It turned out to be a good decision as a nice Southerly breeze picked up and everyone enjoyed some good close racing.
Five Ents managed to pull away from the rest of the fleet, in this group Euan Dunn and Angela Murphy managed to pull away into the lead by a considerable margin. This left the four remaining boats to have a separate battle for second place. There where many place changes, out of the four Jonathan Woodward and Julie Moore managed to just take second place followed very closely by Charles Willoughby and Ross McKerchar who where just infront of Barry Moss and Jane Winn.
In the Mirror fleet John Hugo and Andrew Frost managed to gain a clear victory with Chris Morrish and Keith Renz coming in second.
The Barbecue followed shortly after everyone came off the water and everyone seemed to find enough space on the three packed barbecues to cook their dinner, the (very cheap) bar also opened. The Ceilidh started shortly after and almost everyone found the Bar too good value to miss. This resulted in some very ill people emerging from their tents the next day!
The wind looked a lot more promising with the Southerly from Saturday remaining. A late shift in the wind resulted in a biased and therefore chaotic start with half the fleet going for the prime spot right up at the port end next to the committee boat. Jonathan Woodward and Julie Moore managed to pull well ahead, leaving the rest of the fleet to tussle for the next few places which where up for grabs by anyone as the fleet was quite close together all the way around.
John Hugo and Andrew Frost managed to secure another victory in the Mirror fleet resulting in them winning the Scottish Mirror Championships comfortably with three 1st 's, they didn't even bother sailing the last race.
After an excellent lunch provided by the catering staff the fleet headed back out for what proved to be one of the strangest winds seen at St Mary's (which is quite an achievement). Whilst waiting for the start the wind picked up and just kept on getting stronger resulting in a lot of carnage especially at the second gybe mark at D where about half the fleet fell victim to what must have been a good force six. The mark rounding got more and more difficult as there was the added difficulty of trying to dodge the many upside down hulls in the water whilst either daring to go for the gybe or tacking round.
Shortly after most boats managed to get on their way again the wind suddenly died except strong gusts coming from every direction imaginable, including down. Two boats heading in the same direction planing on opposite tacks only yards from each other was witnessed many times! Other impossible conditions such as the main, jib and birgee all saying completely different things where also seen. Despite this Jonathan Woodward and Julie Moore managed to stay upright and then find a usable wind and so gained another large lead. Dave and Shona Redpath despite being well behind Jonathan and Julie where well ahead of the rest of the fleet and lay in second till the end of the last leg (it was a beat, reach and run!). There where many place changes on the last leg, Graeme Henry and Fiona Fotheringham managed the to come from well back to overtake every boat apart from Jonathan and Julie to get a second. Dave and Shona managed to gain a fourth which, although a good result, must have been disappointing since they were well ahead in second for nearly the entire race.
The best result for a St Mary's Loch boat came from the Mirror fleet - Fraser and Gavin Reid managed to win their race and become the only St Mary's boat to do so in the regatta.
Weekend Starting 21st of August
More good weather but not much wind greeted the relatively few people that game down for the weekend. The scheduled team racing had to be cancelled because of lack of entries from other clubs. The lack of wind meant that on Saturday almost everyone preferred to enjoy the sunshine on shore rather than off it.
Graeme Henry and Katie Masterson kindly ran a training day about team racing on the Sunday for about eight Enterprises and it went very successfully despite the still very light and fluky winds (not at all like St Mary's!). Those who dared to risk a three-mile paddle if the wind died found a nice breeze up at the other end of the loch. Scott and I had some very fun planes in his RS 400 whilst 50 meters away 10 boats sat watching jealously in absolutely no wind! The only other activity to be done was getting the clubhouse ready for the Regatta, which involved the fun tasks of cleaning the floors and toilets. Unluckily for the few left behind almost everyone decided to go home very early that day and so missing the all those pleasant tasks!
I hope that that everyone with an Enterprise or Mirror reading this will remember to come for a fun weekend - we're expecting some very big fleets so we'll hopefully get some close racing. There is also a barbecue and Ceilidh on Saturday night.
Weekend Starting 7th of August
The good wind certainly made up for the weather this weekend, a nice northerly made for fun but cold sailing. Saturday saw more training run by Ian Malcolm but not much else as almost everyone else decided to stay warm and indoors.
The wind had got up considerably for the Sunday with at least a force five from the North giving some very exciting racing particularly at the top where the wind was a lot stronger and steadier. The first race saw a good tussle between Charles Willoughby and Ross McKerchar, Neil Wood and Shona Redpath and Katie Masterson and Joanna Foulkes. Charles and Ross and Neil and Shona where then left to battle it out on there own when Katie and Joanna went for a swim on the first beat. After some very close racing where water at the Marks was hotly contested for Charles and Ross managed to pull ahead and stay there when Neil and Shona had a dunking after some rudder problems.
In the second race Katie and Joanna found out that it was a lot faster to sail the right way up. They pulled ahead on the first beat and stayed there despite Charles and Ross' best efforts to catch them whilst trying to stay ahead of Tom Lockie and Jamie McSeveney. Partly due to Tom and Jamie overstanding a mark by 50m they managed to stay ahead for second place behind Katie and Joanna.
Weekend Starting 31 of July
It was a very eventful weekend at St Mary's with the Family Fun Day on the Saturday and the Knock-out cup on the Sunday.
A lot of work was put in by the Adults and some of the kids to set up an assault course and other activities for everyone. It turned out to be very successful with many activities, on and off the water. It started off with a balloon collecting game where teams, sailing and paddling toppers had to collect as many balloons out on the water as possible. The object of the game was kind off lost when some teams turned to piracy!! But everyone still enjoyed themselves. The next activity was a race with some added extras again involving balloons. Next was an interesting variation of Tug O' war - on the water with teams paddling Topper hulls! Afterwards was the bit everyone had been waiting for, The Disc. The Disc was (surprisingly) a disc, made out of wood of diameter of 1m. It was towed behind the rescue boat with someone sitting on - a bit like water-skiing and VERY fun.
Afterwards came the dry land activities - including the assault course, a dry normal Tug O' War and a bit of rope ascending and abseiling for anyone who fancied a shot. Scott Willoughby and I ran it and quickly started feeling like we'd drawn the short straw, when everyone else was having a barbecue we where tied to ropes halfway up a tree belaying kids!
Sunday was the Knock-out cup, and we had a good turn out of 13 boats. Apart from the first race and the final the wind was a nice, almost steady!? Southerly which, with the short courses made for some very close racing. The format of the racing was many 2 boat races, like Match Racing, involving one boat being deliberately nasty to the other boat and other tactics like that. No boats where that competitive so, luckily for Jeremy Snodgrass the Race Officer, there where no protests.
There where two heats, one with 6 and the other with 7 boats in it. Everyone raced everyone else in there heat. The two boats with the lowest points qualified for the final. The two boats were Ross McKerchar and Dale Birrell and Dave and Shona Redpath - they'd both beaten everyone else in there heat so were the clear qualifiers.
A break in the weather resulted in flukier winds and rain for the what turned out to be a very exciting final. Ross and Dale where first over the line by half a boat length and where consequently first round M, the first mark. They where then heading up to Z which was a broad reach which turned into a run near the end. Dave and Shona managed to sneak by and where first to Z, by a few boat lengths. Then came the beat which included L and went all the way up to A. Dave and Shona left Ross and Dale standing as the wind got up and they selected a good line which lifted them right into the mark. They where about 100 meters ahead until the M - Z leg, where Ross and Dale saw some wind and stayed very far down to leeward too get a good gust which brought them right back up to Dave and Shona's transom for the start of the beat. Dave and Shona chose to tack onto port early after passing L while Ross and Dale stayed on Starboard. The two boats ended up far way and where both playing the shifts at opposite sides of the loch. They came together about 20 meters before A with Ross and Dale about 5 meters ahead. A close tacking duel followed with Ross and Dale try to chuck them dirty wind and stay infront. They just managed to hold there lead till A and had a tense reach afterwards with Dave and Shona only meters behind at the finish.
Weekend starting the 17th of July
With many families away on holiday and many boats away at Basenthwaite regatta it was an unusually quiet weekend at St Mary's.
The drizzle from Friday remained through to Saturday but at least there was a wind although it was gusty and fluky which saw a couple of capsizes in the Saturday training group. I went out for a shot in Charles Willoughby's Drascombe Cruiser, which made a change from the Enterprises, Toppers and Laser that I usually sail. It was nice for a change but I couldn't get used to just siting there when the boat heeled and not hiking!
It was a very sparsely populated topper race, with only five boats compared to the ten or fifteen that we're used to seeing. Sandy McSeveney just managed to win the Bowerhope group race and there was some close racing in the Summerhope group.
Soon after the topper race five Enterprises set out for the novice race. Ross McKerchar and Pete Birrell managed to get ahead on the first run and stay there to the finish with Charles and Catherine Morrish coming in second.
The normal Enterprises races set out shortly afterwards but unfortunately the winds had died considerably and it was a slow race. Charles Willoughby and Ross McKerchar managed to get ahead and stay there comfortably to win but Dave Milroy and Joan Wilson weren't too far behind.
The second race started in similar conditions and a chaotic mark rounding saw Charles and Ross hit Charles and Chris Morrish, so after completing their 720 they where last and had there work cut out to get a decent placing. There job was made even harder after hitting a mark and having to do yet another turn. They managed pass the fleet to just scrape in another first, partly with help from Dave and Joan, waiting for them at the wing mark by getting stuck in a hole. There was a good battle for second place, with Dave and Joan taking second place by going very far left on the last beat and just managing to pass Tom Lockie and Jamie McSeveney who had got passed them just at the top of the beat.
Weekend Starting 10th of July
Saturday dawned bright and Sunny for the Mini-Commodores Cup but it unexpectedly clouded over and started drizzling very quickly, along with the clouds came absolutely no wind all day and the four heats for the cup where held in very light winds to flat calm. Despite the wind there was some very close racing and big gains where made and lost, especially on the beat. The Qualifiers where two mirrors helmed by Chris Morrish and Alison Morrish and six toppers - Niki Birrell, Dale Birrell, Martin Fox, Anna Renz, Angus Taylor and Fraser Reid. After a few hours of waiting for some wind they had to accept the race officers only course of action which was to postpone the racing till Sunday in the hope of better wind.
Sunday started very similar to Saturday with Sun and clear blue skies, but it held for the day. Even better was that a nice North-easterly, about a force 3, blew up and stayed all day. It gave for quite a steady wind except in the middle of the loch where two valleys funnelled wind at each other and created some horrible doldrums.
To allow time for the Topper series and Enterprise racing the final of the Mini-Commodores Cup was held early at 10:00am with all the qualifiers apart from Angus Taylor (who had to go home) out for the race. Chris Morrish and Jamie McSeveney managed to be first at the windward mark, and surprisingly kept there lead round the whole course despite sailing against toppers which are faster boats. Because of this the won without even needing to put on the handicap. Fraser Reid then managed to beat Martin Fox to second place with Niki Birrell coming a close fourth. With the handicaps worked out Alison Morrish and Gavin Reid in a Mirror just managed to beat Anna Renz for fifth and despite finishing ahead of the Alison and Gavin, because of the handicap Dale Birrell came in seventh.
Shortly after the final most of the kids went back out again for the Topper series, there where many boats out and Gavin Reid managed to stay ahead of them all with Niki Birrell coming a close second in the Bowerhope group (for the older kids). Because of a capsize by Joan Wilson at the last Gybe, Ailsa Redpath just managed to get ahead to come second in the Summerhope group, for the younger kids.
The Enterprise Summer series racing continued on Sunday, with Dave and Shona Redpath getting a good lead and keeping it, some of the competition helped him by still being on the beach when the gun went. In the second race Charles Willoughby and Ross McKerchar managed to get a good lead, after a bad start with Dave and Shona second and the rest of the fleet well behind. The places had not changed after the first lap until Charles and Ross and Dave and Shona got caught in the March Wood doldrums at L mark. The whole fleet managed to catch resulting in a lot closer finish than was anticipated. Charles and Ross managed just stay ahead, but Dave and Shona where unluckily overtaken by five boats. They managed to overtake four of them on the last short beat and got a third behind Dave Milroy and Joan Wilson.
Weekend starting 26th of June
Not only was it warm and sunny, but there was a fair bit of wind for the training day on Saturday and many Enterprises took advantage of this fact and participated in the training. It was run by Roy McCubbin, with help from Kirsty McSeveney, Katie Masterson and Graeme Henry. Mark Rounding, starts, tactics and much more was practised with a video camera to aid learning. The wind got up in the afternoon and just about every boat capsized, mainly on the gybes because of the windshifts rather than just the strength. Soup and Rolls where provided by the catering staff for the sailors at lunch.
The weather held just long enough for a barbecue in the evening but the wind dropped and everyone saw the worst midges ever at St Mary's, with clouds of them all over the place. At about 11 O'clock a thunderstorm brought some torrential rain and lightning, but at least the midges had to go and hide for a bit.
Sunday was the Ladies and Juniors Enterprise Championships but it had clouded over and was still raining on Sunday morning, with very little wind the day was looking doomed, especially since the midges still hadn't gone away. Luckily a wind blew up from the west but it was quite light and fluky, although it did get up a bit every now and then. The first race started at 11 O'clock - the Ladies and Juniors raced together. Ross McKerchar & Martin Fox and Kirsty McSeveney & Roy McCubbin managed to pull away from the rest of the fleet and had a private tussle, with a few place changes but Ross and Martin just managed to hold on to first place for the Juniors. Kirsty and Roy got second place for the juniors but first place for the ladies event as Kirsty qualified for them both.
After an excellent lunch provided by the catering staff the second race was started well up the loch in still quite light winds. Kirsty and Roy managed to get a first with Katie Masterson and Karen Scott second, closely pursued by Ross and Martin. The third race was sailed back to back with the second race and was again started well up the loch in light winds. Katie and Karen and Kirsty and Roy pulled away from the rest of the fleet by a considerable margin, with Ross and Martin in between the two groups. On the last lap Ross and Martin managed to stay out of as hole that Katie and Karen and Kirsty and Roy got stuck in which brought them up right behind the other two boats. On the last beat Kirsty and Roy got stuck in a small hole and Ross and Martin managed to sail past them. They then did some very close covering to keep there first place in the Juniors - although Katie was ahead she was not part of the Junior competition. They managed to keep there cover well enough to win and therefore win the Juniors competition. Kirsty and Roy got the Ladies event though because of the two first places they got in the previous race for the ladies event.
Weekend Starting 19 June
Quite a quiet weekend at St Mary's started with a rescue boat training day ran by Dave Warburton with some people getting there RYA level one and others upgrading to there level two, needed to become a rescue boat coax at the club. It was run on a very wet and windy day, which was probably best because it simulated the conditions that people would be getting rescued in. Everyone passed the courses they where sitting despite having to carry out some difficult manoeuvres like trying to stay near and parallel to a wayfarer for thirty seconds whilst the wayfarer was swinging around in circles on it's mooring!
The Southerly wind of Saturday swung round more to the west for Sunday bringing a still strong wind but some sun as well - which would have been welcome if it was not for the flukyness of the westerly wind. It ranged from Force 6 gusts to flat calm.
Because of the conditions, there was no Topper or novice Enterprise race, but there was a novice Mirror race - although only one boat managed to sail the correct course!
8 Enterprises went out for another Summer Series race, although only a couple where actually on time for the start, the rest where still on the shore - a rough night maybe? As it turned out it was hardly worth getting out of bed for, chaotic light winds with the odd viscous gust did not make for good racing. Charles Willougby and Ross McKerchar managed to stay just ahead of Tom Lockie and Jamie McSeveney to take first place.
Things where looking up for the second race, everyone managed to be on the water in time, a few where even near the start line when the gun went and the wind had steadied out a bit. Apart from a bad gust dunking six people the first lap wasn't to bad so the race officer decided to send us round for the second lap. It turned out to be a bad idea when the wind dropped even more and the front of the fleet stopped dead to wait for the other end to catch up. With all the boats within ten yards of each other there was some quite tense racing, the silence only being broken by a certain red boat's crew.
Charles Willoughby and Ross McKerchar just managed to scrape ahead but where very close to being caught on the line by Tom Lockie and Jamie McSeveney again.
Weekend Starting 12th June
Another good weekend at St Mary's started with another training day on the Saturday, it was held in light winds and it was again very successful. as well as the boats involved in training (Mirrors and Toppers) there where a few windsurfers, a Laser and a Laser 4000 that Graeme Henry and Katie Masterson took down for Bob and Linda for the weekend.
The wind had picked up considerably for Sunday but luckily for the toppers it was still manageable when they went out for their race. Fraser Reid managed to hold his lead till the end but he had some close competition from Niki Birrell who was a close second, Sandy McSeveney was not far behind her to take third place. Shona Reid had a comfortable victory in the Summerhope group, with Alex Reeves second and Ailsa Redpath third.
Soon after the Topper race, the first Enterprise Novice Series set out in difficult, gusty conditions. The first gybe mark took many victims. Shona and Dave Redpath managed to stay upright for a victory with Joanna Foulkes and Graeme Henry not far behind.
The winds had picked up a lot for the Summer Series races and a course with many gybes made for some very wet racing - only six out of fourteen boats actually managed to finish the race. Despite some very close calls Charles Willoughby and Ross McKerchar managed to stay upright, whilst gybing every - apart from one - gybe and managed to finish first. Graeme Henry and Linda where not far behind coming in upright and second.
The winds had not died for the second race and only seven boats decided to go out, four of them managed to finish probably because of the very long course which was not shortened to the dismay of everyone sailing the race. The four boats that did finish were very close together which resulted in some tactical exciting racing in for the conditions. Luckily for everyone's legs, the winds had died a bit for the last two laps of the race. Charles Willoughby and Ross McKerchar managed to win again, with Graeme Henry and Linda second.
With the danger of being left behind if I didn't hurry I had to take down my tent very fast, again in the rain!
Weekend starting 5th of June
I was at East Lothian YC regatta this weekend so the roundups for there not St Mary's.
Almost 100 boats turned up for the regatta, but only eight of them were Enterprises, among the other classes where many Scorpions (it was there nationals), Laser 4000's, International Fourteens, Laser EPS' and Toppers.
The first race was started in a good force three Euan Dunn and Ross McKerchar made some good moves on the first beat and were well ahead at the windward mark. They increased there lead throughout the rest of the course and finished comfortably ahead of the rest of the fleet. Unfortunately halfway through the second race they, and a few other boats were told they forgot to Tally out and where therefore disqualified from those two races resulting in the first race officially be won by Katie Masterson and Karen Scott. Russell Short won the second race, which was sailed in very light winds. Luckily, for the third race the wind picked up a bit - from the opposite direction. Euan Dunn and Ross McKerchar managed to win the third race by picking the right side of a very biased beat after going ashore to tally out.
There was a jumbo-sized barbecue for the competitors on Saturday evening, after everyone ate there fill there was a Ceilidh and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves.
Sunday started off with brilliant sailing weather, bright sunshine and a nice force 3 with big waves to surd down. Unfortunately the wind dropped slowly throughout the day and it was barely a force two by the end of the first race which was won by Russell Short with Neil Piper a close second. After a long wait for the whole fleet to finish the second race was sailed in a similar wind, Neil Piper sailed the first beat well and kept his lead throughout the whole race. The wind had still not increased for the last race and some strange tidal conditions meant that it was very difficult to make any gains up the beats, this resulted in the whole fleet remaining very close together throughout the whole race. Neil Piper managed to get the lead by some good roll Jibes into the leeward mark. He managed to hold his lead but he needed Euan Dunn to beat Russell Short to win and despite Neil's best efforts to sail Russell off the line Russell managed to keep his second therefore winning overall.
Weekend Starting 29th of May
Saturday marked the beginning of the training at St Mary's, Ian Malcolm ran it and Joanna Foulkes helped. Four people learned to sail and another four improved their standard. It started in light southerly winds, which died at noon, and then reappeared stronger from the north. as well as the training quite a few toppers and a laser went out to enjoy the good winds - windy enough for some good planes in the gusts.
Saturday evening there was a party to celebrate the finishing of the drystane dyke, everyone who helped build it was invited. There was a big turnout and it was an enjoyable evening despite a very cold northerly wind for the barbecue.
Unluckily the good winds of Saturday didn't stay for Sunday and the Topper race was launched in very light and fluky winds again. The Reid's dominated the race a bit with Gavin and Fraser Reid getting first and second place respectively in the Bowerhope group and Shona Reid winning in the Summerhope group.
The winds had not improved for the Enterprise race and it was a long and boring two laps, despite having a bad start Kirsty McSeveney and Roy McCubbin managed to pass the entire fleet and win. There was an unusual finish though with Dave and Shona Redpath taking last rather than first place, from Pete Birrell and Ross McKerchar.
Luckily the wind filled in, again from the north for the second race but Kirsty and Roy still managed to win, taking the lead early on and keeping it. Dave Redpath saw himself up at end of the fleet that he spends most of his time, taking second place.
Weekend Starting 22nd of May
Very strong and fluky winds from the west started the weekend they remained till Sunday evening. Because of a traveller event for the Enterprises (RWSABC) there were very few people down - on Saturday only two Toppers went out because of the wind, it was gusting a strong force 6. After some scary planes and very interesting capsizes (one over the transom by Ross McKerchar!) the rescue boat got to show it's paces - Martin Fox needed rescued as he couldn't right the boat. The rescue boat and crew managed to get Martin out of the boat but the engine cut out when they went back to retrieve the topper so another rescue boat had to be launched.
On Sunday the topper race started in slightly lighter but just as fluky as the previous days wind. Many of the gusts where coming straight down! Because of that all the toppers where doing very good impressions of yo yo's - up and down lots.
Although more people came down, only three Enterprises decided to go out because of the conditions. Despite a capsize ten seconds before the start Charles Willoughby and Ross McKerchar managed to catch up on the second last beat and win the race. Graeme Reid and Pete Birrell finished second but were disqualified because the missed out a mark, giving second place to Mathew and Liz Hope. There wasn't a second race because of the horrible wind.
Weekend Starting 15th of May
A disappointing turnout for the work party was made up for on Sunday with 15 Ents and 3 Mirrors out racing for the Vice-Commodores cup, there was also seven boats in an unofficial Topper race.
Despite there being few people quite a lot was achieved at the work party with a lot of the clubhouse (inside and out) being repaint ed.
Sunday probably saw the closest racing St Mary's Loch has ever seen with the three top boats all having the same points at the end of the last race. Luckily the Committee had decided what to do in this scenario a few weeks earlier and it was the last race that dictated the overall results.
The first race was sailed in light fluky winds, and after a good start Charles Willoughby and Ross McKerchar took the lead and kept it comfortably till the end. They did have a few nervous moments when they suddenly found themselves head to wind after being on a run two seconds before. There was an good battle for 7th when right up till the line six boats where still in contention. A smart move by Eric and Robin Turnbull, bearing of to get clear air resulted in him winning the battle with Pete Birrell and Scott Fotheringham close after and Ian Malcolm very close behind him.
The second race sailed in very fluky winds saw Katie Masterson and Joanna Foulkes having a good battle with Graeme Henry and Karen Scott, Graeme and Karen managed to secure the lead and hung on till the end.
The third race was sailed in even flukier winds but they didn't seem to hamper Katie Masterson and Joanna Foulkes who after getting a good start sailed of into the distance and remained there till the end. After they finished they could only sit and hope that Charles Willoughby and Ross McKerchar managed to beat Graeme Henry and Karen Scott so that their victory was secured. Luckily, due to Graeme and Karen having some unlucky windshifts on the last beat, they did so Katie and Joanna won overall with Charles and Ross 2nd and Graeme and Karen 3rd. The Mirror trophy was won by Norm and Maggie Ellis with Chris Morrish and Fiona Foulkes coming a close second.
Luckily the weather stayed dry and I managed to get might tent down without getting wet!
Weekend Starting 8th of May
Pete Birrell wrote the roundup this weekend because I wasn't there (Higher Maths Exam on Monday)
The day dawned drizzly and flat calm. The drizzle stayed but by the time the topper race started the wind was up enough for some serious fun to be had.
Nine Toppers took to the water and after planing from M mark were closely bunched approaching Y. Some very strong gusts blowing from the Loch of the Lowes started knocking boats over giving the rescue boat a hectic ten minutes. By the time all boats were upright again the fleet were sorted out a bit with Fraser Reid taking and holding the lead closely followed by Niki Birrell with Sandy McSeveney taking third place.
The wind was fairly blowing by the time eight Enterprises took to the water. Capsize corner lived up to it's name, a particularly fierce gust taking out three boats at once. Dave and Shona Redpath took an early lead and held out to win from Matt and Liz Hope. Courtesy of staying upright Pete Birrell made a surprise appearance in the middle of the fleet.
Things had calmed down considerably by the second race where once again Dave and Shona took and early lead that they held onto until the finish. Satch and Annie McSeveney putting up a second place from Eric Turnbill in third.
At least three Ents stayed on the beach when their helms failed to find a crew - so anyone who doesn't own an boat but fancies getting involved, come on down, you are certain to get a sail.
Weekend Starting 1st of May
Bright sunny weather shone down for what turned out to be an eventful weekend at St Mary's. But first an apology. The Commodore took exception to Roundup making reference to his 'Gin Palace' last week. He pointed out that he hates Gin and that he drinks in the Crown - he doesn't wear one. Roundup apologises profusely for the error and all future articles will make proper reference to the Commodore's Whisky Bothy!!
Fine sunny weather on Saturday made for an excellent day to be at the Loch. A good crack was had around the first barbecue of the season and much merriment was had. After enjoying an after supper snooze on the comfy chairs the catering officer was rudely awakened about 1.00am by the chief cook to be informed that the clubhouse was on fire! Indeed it was, a faulty light fitting had fused and caught fire. Pausing only to kick a chair out of the way with his shin he managed to set off a fire extinguisher and douse the flames. An impromptu wiring party on Sunday saw remaining fittings changed to ensure safety.
Sunday saw the start of the topper racing with twelve club juniors enjoying some close racing in light winds. Fraser Reid took first place in the first group with Dale Birrell holding off Sandy McSeveney at the line for an exciting second place. Alex Reeves took first place in the second group - which had it not been for some encouragement from on shore may still have been trying to get round the windward mark!
A packed starters box and clubhouse enjoyed Lesley Reid display some of her military background, running the rescue boat up the beach Marine Commando style!
Fifteen enterprises and three mirrors (it was the start of their first series) took to the water for the racing, a quite exceptional turnout for the first weekend in May.
Starting off with a chaotic start, with fifteen Enterprises trying to fit on a line with space for five, the first race was sailed in quite steady light winds.
Alison Malcolm and Ginny Foulkes got a very good start and led the fleet till the beat when Charles Willoughby and Ross McKerchar took the lead and kept it. But Tom Lockie and Jamie McSeveney were hot on their heals on the first beat by playing the windshifts well.
Ian Malcolm and Ann Wilson gave Pete Birrell and Keith Renz a fright, nearly stealing his last place in the first race. Pete grabbed it back by a boat length on the line.
The second race had almost as chaotic a start, with Dave and Shona Redpath almost being sawn on in half on port by Charles Willoughby and Ross McKerchar. Katie Masterson and Joanna Foulkes were ahead on the first run but Charles Willoughby and Ross McKerchar managed to just beat them to the leeward mark. They kept the lead again, but there was a tense moment on the last lap, when a gust looked like it was going to bring the whole fleet with it while they lay becalmed.
Order was restored with Stewart Wilson and Pete Birrell having a rare old tussle for last place with Stewart just holding on.
Webmaster Ross got his tent down in the dry well before lunch!!
Weekend Starting 25th of April
There are two roundups this weekend, because I was away at Loch Earn SC Regatta, and Pete Birrell wrote a roundup for the racing at St Mary's Loch.
Loch Earn regatta roundup
There was a good turnout for Loch Earn's regatta, with 8 Enterprises, 9 RS 400's and many other classes of boats such as Moths, Flying Fifteens and B14s. The weather was generally chilly with steady light winds from the East.
Racing on Saturday kicked of in light winds, the last beat was very interesting as there were five boats close together with every boat covering the one behind, resulting in the last boat in the group dictating the whole fleet's movements. Graeme Henry and Fiona Fotheringham won, taking the lead for Charles Willoughby and Ross McKerchar at the beginning of the last beat.
The second race was postponed and it was beginning to look like racing was over for the day but it filled in long enough for a second race to be sailed. After being fifth round the windward mark Charles Willoughby and Ross McKerchar chose the right side of the loch for the run and where a good 20 boat lengths ahead at the leeward mark. They managed to hold the lead for the rest of the race, but had to fight off Graeme Henry and Fiona Fotheringham in a close tacking duel on the last beat and only just scraped the win - a very tense finish.
Sunday racing started very early at 10:30am, the winds were quite a bit stronger than Saturday with the odd white horse rearing its head. Graeme Henry won the first race again with Katie Masterson and Karen Scott second.
Keith Malcolm and David Findlay managed to get out of bed in time for the second race and sailed brilliantly and were well ahead of the rest of the fleet at the windward mark. They managed to increase their lead even further on the rest of the course and finished comfortably ahead of Graeme Henry and Fiona Fotheringham who came in second.
Overall Graeme Henry and Fiona Fotheringham won the Enterprise Class, with Charles Willoughby and Ross McKerchar second and Katie Masterson and Karen Scott third.
St Mary's roundup
What a difference a week makes! Following the sleet and snow that marked the cheese and wine Sunday, a beautiful sunny spring day greeted us on Sunday 25th. A Bluebell weekend at Loch Earn meant that four of the regular boats were away from home (taking first, second, third and fourth places!).
Despite this, and the fact that the Treasurer and his lady wife were cruising off the West Coast on the Commodore's Gin Palace, nine Enterprises took to the water for the first race. Blue sky and spring sunshine, with accompanying lightly variable winds, making for enjoyable sailing.
Typical St Mary's meant that the helms faced winds that varied from flat calm to planing weather, in fact at least once only 200 yards separated a planing boat from a becalmed one.
Spookily, Dave and Shona Redpath seemed to avoid all the wind holes, taking the lead at the first mark and streaking off into the distance to win the first race by a mile. The rest of the fleet enjoyed some fairly close sailing with Mike Isherwood taking second place and Graeme Reid coming home in third.
Conditions were much the same at the start of the second race with Dave and Shona Redpath once again taking an early lead. Things didn't go entirely their own way however and they fell back to fourth at one stage before recording their second first place of the day from Bill Mossop who ran them a close second.
Mike Isherwood retired after a fairly 'soft' capsize (light winds making emptying the boat difficult) and Pete Birrell and Stewart Wilson brought up the rear (as usual) but most of the rest of the fleet changed places, with Graeme Reid recording a fairly impressive fourth considering he was still on the beach when the race started!
Apart from the racers, a good ten other boats were on the water, a lot of club members enjoying the best weather of the season so far. Webmaster Ross was busy helping Charles Willoughby take second place at Loch Earn and so missed the chance to take his tent down in the warm and dry weather.
Weekend Starting the Sat 18th of April
Saturdays weather was very changeable with sun and showers, but there weren't many people down at the loch. It very cold Saturday night and when I went to sleep in my tent there was an inch of ice on the top of it!
Sunday was the Cheese & Wine and the weather didn't fail to disappoint us, being wet and miserable like it has been for as many Cheese and Wines as I can remember.
Despite the weather there was a good turnout with many existing and prospective members coming along for the day. As usual the Catering was excellent and everyone enjoyed themselves.
The Enterprise Spring Series continued afterwards and despite there being no wind eleven Enterprises kicked of the race at 2:00pm as usual. Luckily the wind filled in just after the start of first race and resulted in close and tactical racing particularly when the fleet was close together on the first beat. Charles Willoughby and Ross McKerchar won the first race taking the lead on the first reach and retaining it till the end.
The second race started much the same as the first race with little wind, then filling in again quickly. Charles Willoughby and Ross McKerchar took the lead early on again, this time on the first beat and kept it till the end, by which time the wind had picked up to a nice force two. The weather changed for the worst though and it started snowing!!!!!! heavily when the Enterprises where still racing. I got freezing and soaked putting my tent away again .
Weekend Starting the Sat 10th of April
There were a surprising number of people this weekend, with it being so early on in the season. It was very changeable and strong wind all weekend, I'd guess it was easily gusting force five when we were racing.
Saturday marked the completion of the Drystane Dyke that borders the club grounds. This was a cause for celebration (in the Tibbie Shiels) because of the hard work that had been put in over the winter and it resulted in a few hangovers the following morning!
Sunday was a good day of sailing with eight Enterprises racing in the first race, a record number for the first day of the series. But because of the very difficult wind conditions only five of those boats managed to complete the race and only two to of them stayed upright most of the rest coming to grief on the last gybe mark of the first round. Graeme Henry and Kirsty McSeveney were in one of the dry boats - they also managed to win the first race. Alison and Ian Malcolm where in the other dry boat and they came in fifth. The full results are in the table on the Results page.
Only four boats raced in the second race, with the wind conditions very similar to the first race. Dave Redpath and Ross McKerchar won the second race with Katie Masterson and Joanna Foulkes a very close second - there were a lot of place changes on the last beat. Graeme Henry and Kirsty McSeveney compensated for staying upright by going for a swim on the last beat. Keith Malcolm and Pete Birrell in a very cool coloured boat came in fifth but it should be noted that they were the only boat that had the guts to gybe every gybe and not tack around!
On the whole it was a good weekend, spoiled only by the weather on late Sunday afternoon where it bucketed down on everyone trying to put their boats (and me with my tent) away. Although just as bad for the people sailing was the cold, especially for those without Dry suits - me and a few very cold others. I think quite a few people shared the sensation of feeling like they had no hands and feet! There were many purple toes as well.