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Catapult returned to a favourite “southern” venue at Calshot
Sailing Club, looking
out across the Solent to Cowes
(picture below.) The moderate (but changeable) SW breezes made the characteristic Solent challenges of tide and waves manageable through the
weekend, although they played their usual part in the tactics.

(Above: Cliff rigs on Calshot beach, looking out over the Solent
to Cowes.)
Race 1
shone little credit on the
Catapult visitors---none
of the Catapults,
seeing most club boats still
onshore, noticed the solitary Topper setting off
at the advertised time on the tight lead start, until all flags were
down.
Cliff Antill was the
first to confidently set out, followed by Alastair Forrest, and Cliff extended
his lead steadily round three triangular laps. From further back, George
Evans gained gradually from his delayed start, but never threatened a position change.
For Race
2
Alastair and Cliff were
away well. Cliff now went lower for speed, down the first tight lead and on
the next beat, gaining gradually over the next two laps. George pulled up from a delayed start,
to push Alastair. On the final beat out into the Solent, to attempt to catch Cliff, Alastair
tacked earlier out from the shore, risked lumpier seas in the hope of
gaining from the
ebbing tide, only to look back to see Cliff retire with a broken boom strop. Alastair's extra
two tacks removed
the tide gain, and George came through to narrowly lead, holding this
downwind to the end.
Sunday
brought the same SW breeze but starting under bright sunshine.
The two races were planned around the Club's annual trip up to Ashlett
Creek in Southampton Water, round Calshot spit, after a tight lead start
and then a long reach out to the tripod marking the entrance to
Southampton Water.
(Below:
the target of the annual race to Ashlett---Catapults parked at the old
quay, outside the pub.)

The Ashlett race was Race 3
for the Catapults. Alastair saw the need to be away on
the button, to avoid the slower club boats, getting a good lead as the others came slowly through a
cloud of club Toppers. He held this along the fast reach out to the
tripod in the tideway, and in the long beat back to Calshot Spit, he was the
first to meet the wind under a rain-front, building what seemed an
unassailable lead.
Once past Calsot Spit, calmer water brought lighter wind, and George
(further out in the tide into Southampton Water) came up relentlessly
(leaving Cliff behind) and Alastair struggled for speed until he barely sneaked over the line at
Ashlett entrance for the win.
The next non-competitive challenge was tacking up the narrowing Ashlett
Creek, until ghosting in to the quay in the shadow of the big tide-mill,
to pull up the boats and have a late lunch pint (above).
Race 4
started at Ashlett entrance, with a downwind start, turning chaotic
(below.) Once clear, the three Catapults eked out small downwind gains
(bottom picture below.) George, slightly ahead was the first to pick up
the swing from NW to W in the breeze nearing the mouth of Southampton
Water, tightening up and speeding to a good lead past the spit. Out in
the Solent the wind picked up again back out to the turning tripod, and
George consolidated the lead in the tight reach and final run.
Below: a spinnaker dumped in the water on the
start line adds to the confusion of a downwind start back to the Club.
(Photo: Calshot SC Rescue Crew)

RESULTS
Total
(one
discard)
1st George
Evans
(3)
1
2
1
4
2nd
Alastair Forrest
2
2
1
(2)
5
3rd
Cliff Antill 1 ( DNF)
3
3
7
(Below:
looking for scraps of advantage down Southampton Water, Race 4,
George holding a fragile lead before stretching out)
(Photo: Calshot SC Rescue Crew)
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