
Wonderful Sailing Weekend in North Devon: a personal account
I was out on the wire-------flying through the
waves
Paul had slowed down in front of us and I looked
around at Alastair and Chris we were all pushing as fast as we could
to catch him. It was a hot, sunny day – steady force 5.
The sea spray was warm yet cooling.
I was enjoying myself so much that I had
to concentrate on not making a mistake. We were sailing in the
beautiful Torridge estuary, alongside white beaches and sand dunes.
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We
were heading for Westwood Ho! To a buoy near the breakers.
Paul made it around the mark ahead of all of us and we ran
more comfortable downwind. On the right was Appledore,
flags flying across the sea front.
Back to Instow, we arrived back at
the lovely club house. I offered to buy all the safety
boats crews a drink but they refused saying they were all
free for them and we must have some sandwiches.
In the panoramic club house we
chatted and swapped stories with friendly people until it
was time for Catapulters to retire to their B&B’ for a short
rest before we met up for a superb Thai meal. The next
two days were similar with a bit of site seeing on the Cliff
tops and a visit to Cleverly.
I am
sold on North Devon, we had
a wonderful time. If we get an opportunity to go to
North Devon Yacht club next year make sure you book in.
It is a great short holiday.I
Hoping for similar fun and sun at Bala.
Nigel Harrison
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CATAPULT
NATIONALS 2009: THE RACES
Other commitments reduced the first days entrants for the Nationals from six to three,
arriving to the warm welcome from the North
Devon Club, and excellent racing in a NNE breeze giving a good
mix of conditions. The wind direction set a course pattern of a
reach eastward down river, and then a beat north towards the wide
estuary mouth.
Race 1 Nigel Harrison, carrying a VHS receiver could
hear the countdown to the reaching start and got away from Alastair
Forrest, with Paul Ellis very late but able to cut across to follow.
Out in the wider estuary, the wind was a steady 4 gusting 5, and all
were on the wire for the beat out towards the
mouth against the strong tide.
Paul clawed back distance, while poor tacks and minor gear failure
pushed Alastair to the back. Nigel could not be caught to record an
opening first place.
Race 2 followed
immediately, with the wind now 5, with
sustained 6 gusts. Alastair’s good start and a burst of reaching
speed got him away, but on the beat Paul pulled up and away. Nigel
and Alastair stayed close, Nigel with better reaching speed, but
he was caught during the pounding beat. Paul showed a mastery of the
testing conditions, stretching out and away for first.
Alastair
let Nigel away missing the mark in the strong tide, but caught him
on the next beat before Nigel suffered a gear failure. Hearing a
ripping sound and being unable to manoeuvre, he discovered that the
bolt rope of the port hull had torn away. Still tied at each end,
the hull floated up beside rather than under the beam, allowing
Nigel a long careful run back to shore, sitting on the side of the
port hull
Race 3 on Saturday brought the
sun out over Force 4 breezes gusting 5, all boats
trapezing the beats. Chris Phillips had
arrived, keen to test out Fred Woodley’s boat and Dacron sail, just
purchased. Chris carried a spare hull from the sale and put Nigel
back on the water.
Alastair
had the best of the start and fast reach, but Nigel and
Paul overhauled him again. The Club set an even longer beat, right
out to the estuary mouth. Paul again stretched out ahead, and
Alastair overhauled Nigel, getting further away running back to the
reach up the river. The second shorter lap further established the
order, with Nigel ahead of Chris
Race 4 followed immediately, with a good start by
Nigel, until overhauled by Paul. A wind shift skewed the beat,
and Paul’s ability to point up gave him a single board to the mark,
leaving the others behind to tack to the mark in the strong tide.
Running
down, Nigel and Chris in close contention cut too close to the
wind-shadow of the Appledore shore, letting Alastair stretch
away. Chris and Nigel reached up the river neck and neck, with Chris
turning so closely ahead that they tangled over the line.
The Catapults headed out to sea again, the signals missed from the
distant clubhouse that the shortened race was over. Paul worked hard
at stretching his lead but the highlight of the second non-lap was
Nigel’s recovery from a capsize, beating far out in the estuary. The
hastening rescue crew were impressed by his rapid unaided return to
the course.
Right: Alastair carefully beats up against the tide
(hand up on the handle to keep the sheet up out of the
water, not for comfort)
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For the final race, Sunday
brought lighter winds, again NNE.
Alastair
and Nigel were away down the first swift reach, but Paul overtook
them and seemed destined to dominate until Nigel hauled up on him on
the long beat, with Alastair falling back. All three went too close
to the tidal overfall on the far shore, and Chris up the middle made
a big gain.
Nigel led Paul out to the estuary mouth, looking secure, and Chris
had both speed and pointing ability against Alastair. Cloud cover
dropped the breeze further, making tactics beating against the tide
crucial.
Paul elected to tack up the centre, gaining the mark and vanishing,
while Nigel in a big shore board fell right back. Even leaving huge
margins, Chris ahead of Alastair was swept down onto the windward
mark, and Alastair was away. In the lightening breeze this long lap
was the last of the championship.
Nationals Results
1st Paul Ellis
(2) 1 1
1 1
2nd Alastair Forrest (3)
2 2 2 2
3rd Nigel Harrison 1 3 3
4 (4)
4th Chris Phillips
DNS DNS 4 3 3