Derwent N12 Opening Meeting

 
Six boats arrived at Derwent reservoir ready for a days sailing amongst the stunning Northumberland scenery.  The forecast had promised 10mph and sun, the reality was more like cloudy and 20-30mph.
 
The 12s joined the club fleets and borrowed the first start from the performance fleet.  Mark and Emma Simpson were first to the windward mark, followed by Howard Chadwick and Helen Nicholson and then Neil and Yvonne McInnes.  The crews were then treated to two screaming reaches back and forwards across the reservoir along with two gybes.  Team McInnes gained an overlap at one of the gybe marks and took second place from team Chadwick/Nicholson.  Further down the fleet the crews were coping well with the windy conditions.  Angus and Rohan Beyts gained in confidence and worked their way up to 4th place.  Tim Gatti and Katie McInnes, sailing Gnasher, were struggling to get to grips with their newly refurbished boat.  So much so that Katie failed to find the toe straps on 3 separate occasions in the first race alone.  The wind speed increased as the race progressed.  Team McInnes went for a dip at one of the gybe marks, allowing Team Chadwick back into second.  The Simpsons took first place followed by Chadwick/Nicholson and the McInnes’.  The conditions took their toll on the other boats.  Tim and Katy having been lapped retired.  The Beyts and Howard Elcock crewed by Julia Martin, both came to grief within 2 legs of the finish line, both boats failing to recover from offwind capsizes.
 
The fleet was reduced to four with Howard E and Julia and Angus and Rohan deciding to stay ashore.  The wind abated for race two and shifted shortly before the start.  The Simpsons and the McInnes’ were both caught out by the wind shift and were over the line.  Howard and Helen lead around the first lap followed by Tim and Katy.  The Simpsons and the McInnes’ fought back in to contention.  Howard and Helen tried to sink one of the course marks with their boom and the resulting penalty allowed the McInnes’ though into second place.  Mark and Emma took first followed by Neil and Yvonne with Howard and Helen third.
 
Race three saw the wind strength increase back to F5 and up to F6 later in the race.  Mark and Emma stretched out a good lead, eventually taking first place.  Howard and Helen had sheet problems just after the start which allowed Neil and Yvonne into second place which they held until the finish, followed by Howard/Helen and Tim and Katy.  With some big gust arriving on the last lap it made a very exciting finish to an excellent days sailing.  Many thanks to Derwent Reservoir Sailing Club for hosting the event.

Results