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Holidays affect Forfar sailing PDF Print E-mail
Written by Graeme Knox   
Sunday, 03 August 2008
Although Tuesday sailing has been popular there were only 4 boats at the start on 29th July, possibly because many people, including the designated race officer, were on holiday!
The 4 were all relatively seasoned and agreed to a pursuit race so all get on the water. Graham Topping set sail in his Heron, and seemed an age ahead to the waiting 3 Lasers when he passed them in the opposite direction before they had even got underway.  The light easterly provided Peter Tait, Alan Cairns and Graeme Knox an interesting fight as they struggled to find best wind simply to clear each other. In the end Alan caught the right wind and opened enough of a lead to be a few boat lengths clear for second, ahead of Graeme who just got third as he was a mere half boat length ahead of Peter. Graham Topping was undoubtedly first as he almost passed them in the opposite direction at the end.

The Thursday pursuit race on 31st July was better attended and provided a more complex start as 4 different dinghy types were present, Heron, Firefly, Solo and Laser. Chaos did not prevail as the Heron led off into another light easterly followed by the others in respective order. It was a race where detail made a huge difference. Garry Rucklidge in a classic Firefly nearly 60 years old kept company with Jim Green in an almost new Solo for a long time, until a small mistake with the older fittings cost him dear and allowed Jim to get away.  Alan Cairns and Graeme Knox in Lasers were literally neck and neck until the last lap when Alan in a 10 year old Laser struggled with an adjustment and slowed where Graeme with a newer version did not, and that few seconds gave Graeme clear air to sail away. Both Lasers acquitted themselves well, overtaking the pack and had it not been for a dying wind would have caught Graham Toppings Heron. Graham held on for first, Graeme second, Alan third.

Sunday 3rd August was a warm Scottish summer day, but there was little wind. Several members turned up for the morning free sailing and had a disappointing drift, although no doubt obtained a better suntan.

 In the afternoon the wind showed a little promise of making an appearance from the east, west or south. That set the tone for the rest of the afternoon when the 9 strong fleet lined up around the start line.

The race officer struggled to made a decision for a course and technically, for the then prevailing wind, chose one which included a little used mark at the south east side of the loch. The dinghies set off on what should have been a beat, but conditions and topography combined to make the terrors of Forfar Loch racing apparent. The wind dumped, shifted and bizarrely whatevered, experienced sailors were exasperated, everyone else was bamboozled and spinning wind indicators caused confusion. 3 Lasers led the way only to be regularly caught by a following pack. There was great merriment when Graeme Knox (Laser) rounded a mark to be confronted by 4 boats all which seemed to be on different points of sail with no obvious rights of way. His temper frayed and his roll gybe to clear went terribly wrong, ending in a capsize with his sail underneath Jim Greens Solo and the air blue.

Alan Cairns (Laser) chose most wisely and found air to get a considerable distance ahead, easily winning on handicap. Graham Topping (Heron) got second and Peter Tait a deserved third.

The second race was marginally better than the first, though not by much. The same fleet started in a westerly which became a southerly, northerly or whatever it decided to be and was far from consistent in place or time. This time the Lasers fared better, Alan Cairns again found the right place at the right time and himself in first, Peter Tait  held in for second and Graeme Knox third.
 
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