National Twelve Race Training and Open Meeting at Saltash Sailing Club 8^th / 9^th June

Saturday 8^th June dawned with a clear sky, sunshine and no wind for a race training day at Saltash S.C. on the beautiful River Tamar. Whilst waiting for the wind to fill, John and Katy Meadowcroft gave a briefing to promote discussion on how to sail fast and win races. Topics covered ranged from boat handling and race strategy to the psychological concepts of motivation, concentration and remedying mistakes. After an hour of mental gymnastics the wind filled in and the seven National 12s and one Laser II took to the water to hone the skills of good roll tacking, carve gibing and timing starts in the variable conditions. The fleet finished this useful day with a series of fun boat on boat match races.

Sunday’s open meeting dawned unpromisingly with lashing rain and gusts of 30 knots. The Tamar river was steely grey with a nasty short chop due to wind against tide. The previous day’s race training was forgotten with survival the ultimate goal. Imagine everyone’s disappointment when, with only 5 minutes to the start, the wind dropped to drifting conditions. John and Katy Meadowcroft led from the start closely followed by Simon Hinks crewed by Ollie, and Nathan Harding crewed by Fergus Davenport. Mark Phillips from Starcross Y.C. filled with water before the start so spent a long time trying to bale the boat dry. The first race was shortened due to lack of wind and a 90 degree wind shift meant there was no beat in the triangle.

The second race started in freshening breeze and sunshine. The Meadowcrofts led again with Phillips finishing 2^nd, Hinks 3^rd and David and Frances Wilkins from Spinnaker S.C in 4^th.

The third and final race saw the wind freshening further to a good force 4 with the race officer Marcus Anderson setting a good long beat up the Lynher River as far as Jupiter Point. This windward/leeward was repeated twice followed by an exciting and wet broad reach back to the finish line. John and Katy sat this race out so it was the Wilkins’ turn to lead, with Tim Laws from Olton Mere in 2^nd, Gill Moore and Tom Gruitt in 3^rd and Mark Phillips 4^th. Simon Hinks was forced to retire when his mast disintegrated whilst bearing away from the windward mark.

Overall results

1^st John and Katy Meadowcroft N3473

2^nd David and Frances Wilkins N3405

3^rd Simon Hinks and Ollie N3396

4^th Mark Phillips N3281