Stone Open - July 25/26 2009

 

Why is it we can never get Stone right?   Last year we arrived in full force, got all excited with our big wings, sails and...personalities, only to be denied a championship by a shall we say 'elusive' breeze.   Twice.

 

So I can understand why, when you all doubtless perused the racing calendar and read the month for the Stone open (July),  you muttered something about a waste of petrol and moved on.   I understand I do, but had you (and that means YOU) checked the forecast you would've, perhaps, held out hope, attended and been rewarded!

 

As it happened, 7 dedicated competitors arrived on the morning of Saturday, 26th July to do gladiatorial battle and sleep in Tent-o-cars.   A light westerly breeze greeted them, promising to build with every cloud that sent a few minutes of 10-12 knot fronts before them as they passed overhead.   Racing was to follow a simple triangle-sausage course with a gate in each beat, something even the Blazes surely couldn't screw up...

 

A rapid flooding tide led to quick beats and tactical runs.   Race one was led by 'Timbucktoo'  Davison from the off, followed by Ben 'Captain Panic' Fullalove and Bod McIvor.   That was until Davison forgot the gate on his second lap and, on recovering, was relegated to the rear of the fleet.   Fullalove held off McIvor to win, with Paul Taylor in third.

 

Having settled in his mind the course to be sailed, Davison led race two from the start and while hounded by McIvor, won out.   The order of the rest of the fleet remained relatively static from the first beat, with Jon Saunders finishing third, followed by Pete Barlow.

 

Davison led again in race three, followed by Saunders, but, bored with the status quo, elected to sail the 'sausage' lap first.   Fullalove led the fleet to the (correct) wing mark, pursued by McIvor,  Davison and Taylor.   The order would be maintained, with Davison locking horns with McIvor on the final beat for second.

 

 

 

Through the cracks in a tent-o-car canvas, Sunday morning looked immediately promising.   Gusts whipped through trees and flags stood horizontal, accompanied by the ethereal clang and hum of a busy boat park in the breeze.   The wind had swung round overnight to a southerly direction, straight off the shore, which would lead to an... interesting club-line start.

 

The course was to be a port-rounding rectangle; a reaching start (quite acceptable given the numbers), to a wing mark, run to the other side of the estuary, a long beam reach and then beat to a windward mark and reach to a gate finish.

 

The unconventional line apparently threw competitors and McIvor led an already spaced fleet to the wing mark, followed by Davison,  Saunders and Barlow.   That order persisted until McIvor, minutes after jokingly suggesting that his ideal wind was somewhere between 'very strong' and hurricane Katrina, fell over mid-gybe, followed by Davison.   Saunders, overwhelmed by the possibility of leading a race, followed suit.   Barlow was the first to successfully gybe and pursued a rapidly-righted Saunders for a kilometre long reach that could be neatly described as “why we sail.”

 

With helm weight and height on their side for the conditions, Saunders and Barlow pulled out a lead to finish well ahead of the fleet, followed by Davison and McIvor.   The conditions by this point had taken their toll though, Saunders retired from further racing due to equipment failure 'what's that creaking sound!?'   followed by Fullalove from a leg injury.

 

Davison led from the beginning of race five, but returned to shore mid-race with his starboard wing hanging off, followed by Barlow with a broken halyard,  allowing McIvor to lead unopposed, pursued by Taylor and Abbott.   On the shore, the newly formed Fullalove and Saunders (inc) effected quick repairs on their comrades allowing Davison and Barlow to sail the final race.   McIvor, his weekend pass expiring Cinderella style, retired, as did Taylor and Abbott from exhaustion.

 

Barlow, Davison and a very temporarily recovered Captain Panic started race six.   Fullalove retired early on, Barlow led to the wing mark, gybed around it and -hit by a sudden gust- fell over, allowing Davison through, who led to finish.

 

So, let that be a lesson to you all.   There is no such thing as a persistently windless sailing club, it just doesn't make sense.   Stone SC's members and staff were characteristically welcoming, however the Blaze fleet do seem to be developing an alarming reputation for low turnouts there.   A local sailor said to me at one point  (with a straight face) “good wind for you guys today, is this your nationals?”   This is not a good sign.

 

Some readers will believe that this is all lies, that there cannot possibly be a breeze strong enough to crack wing tubes and shins in equal measure at Stone.   Rest assured, there can, I've got the insurance receipt to prove it.

 

Jon 'it broke again' Saunders, (611)

 

 

Results

Sail No.	Helm	Club	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	Nett	Position
733	Bod McIvor	Blackwater S.C.	2	2	2	4	1	(10DNC)	11	1
731	Tim Davison	Medley S.C.	(6)	1	3	3	6 DNF	1	14	2
764	Ben Fullalove	Maldon Y.C.	1	6	1	7	(10 DNC)	4 DNF	19	3
758	Pete Barlow	Burghfield S.C.	5	4	(7)	2	6 DNF	2	19	4
654	Paul Taylor	Burghfield S.C.	3	5	5	6	2	(10 DNC)	21	5
766	John Abbott	Oxford S.C.	4	7	6	5	3	(10 DNC)	25	6
611	Jon Saunders	Staunton Harold S.C.	7	3	4	1	(10 DNC)	(10 DNC)	25	7