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Eight Kestrels (eventually) made it to the car park at Stewartby Water. Due to road works Liam Pike, Al Luxford and 668 only arrived in time to do the final two races. As the traditional Winter National F6 gusts swept in, Steve Worf was to be found still trying to find a last minute replacement for Lin Worf who had developed shoulder problems.
In the end Jeremy Drummond agreed to crew for Steve, leaving 1510 redundant for the day. Lin Worf and Jane Drummond seemed happy with the last minute arrangements anyway!
Race one got under way with six boats starting in quite strong conditions. Dusty Miller & John Ellingham (1558) made the windward mark ahead of Duncan Wilson and Andy Gregory (1091) with Steve & Jeremy (1511), Kevin Edwins & Kevin Jones (1544), Brian Deacon & Karen Hall (1572) and John & Olive Glasspool (1537) all trying to survive the extremely gusty conditions.
John & Olive decided to call it a day and headed ashore. Meanwhile Duncan and new crew Andy discovered the weight limits to Ugly Betty’s rear toe strap arrangement when Andy disappeared overboard on the plane as they reached down to the final mark. Both Steve & Jeremy and the Kevs went past before Andy was back in the boat.
The Kevs’ magnetic attraction to water continued - meaning that it wasn’t long before they went swimming thus allowing Duncan & Andy and Brian & Karen to claw back one place. Repeated attempts to fly the spinnaker by Duncan & Andy failed (it’s a long story – don’t ask) and they were unable to close down Steve & Jeremy. Dusty & John took race one followed by Steve & Jeremy.
Race two was back-to-back and although John & Olive opted to stay ashore, the fleet was joined by Liam & Al (668). It was nip and tuck between Dusty & John, Liam & Al and Steve & Jeremy. From memory (fuelled by alcohol) Brian & Karen seem to have had problems on the start and never recovered although Duncan & Andy crossed the start line late after delays caused by jury rigging the toe straps and attempting to sort out the spinnaker. There was no let up in the wind which eventually took its toll. The Kevs maintained their close relationship with the lake water and at some stage Kevin Edwins attempted a full body piercing with a spinnaker pole!
The hairy spinnaker reach from mark 5 to mark 2 proved to be the downfall of Dusty & John who not only managed to turtle Back in Black II but snapped the rudder blade off at the stock in the process. Shortly afterwards, Liam & Al did a “splash & go” with Jake but managed to hold their position in front of the (relatively) dry pairing of Steve & Jeremy. Not wanting to be left out, Brian & Karen dumped Smaug into the white horses shortly afterwards.
John & Dusty were forced to retire. Liam & Al beat off the challenge from Steve & Jeremy. Duncan & Andy still failed to get the spinnaker to fly but managed to keep ahead of Brian & Karen despite the foot of Ugly Betty’s jib parting company from the wire. This left Andy with a wrinkly piece of cloth to fly and another thing to add to the increasing list of repairs.
Race three saw Dusty & John borrowing John Glasspool’s rudder to get back on the water while Duncan & Andy managed to attach their jib. Brian & Karen elected to stay ashore for this one as the winds appeared to have got a little stronger.
Ugly Betty (1091) had a scorching start coming across the line first just below Back in Black II (1558) and above Jake (668). Dusty & John were dicing with Liam & Al who had just taken the lead but were coming to the, now notorious, bottom half of the mark 5 to mark 2 spinnaker reach when disaster stuck. 1558 capsized to be followed soon after by Duncan & Andy (1091 - who finally had got the spinnaker up for all of 10 seconds) and simultaneously the Kevs in 1544. Winners from that debacle were Liam & Al and Steve & Jeremy who all stayed upright.
Dusty & John were once again forced to retire having totalled a second rudder by breaking the tiller extension. Meanwhile, the Kevins had decided to call it a day. This left just three boats to struggle through to the finish. A small tear in Ugly Betty’s jib had now developed into a large one but as there was now no one behind her, the aerodynamics became less of an issue and just one more thing to add to the list. The third race finished with Liam & Al ahead of Steve & Jeremy followed home by Duncan & Andy in a rather tatty Kestrel.
Duncan Wilson.
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