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Results and Reports
2008 |
The Catapult TT season blasted off at Minnis
Bay in a demanding NE breeze, Force 4-6, onshore for the north Kent
coast.
It is the home club of new Catapult sailor Sandy Jordan, and her
partner Simon Northrop, who makes the successful new sail for the
class.
Sandy had already decided that it was beyond her at this
stage, and welcomed the four Catapults arriving (more than the
scheduled Spitfire fleet)
Alex leads Alastair pounding upwind (photos Minnis Bay SC) |
The
initial wind against the tide with steep seas, and the later
strengthening of the breeze, gave testing conditions for
three back-to-back races on a windward-leeward course. The
long open-water legs meant that there was little to watch
out for from the Hurricanes sharing the course.
For Race 1, only Cliff Antill had a good start, and he kept the lead
to the windward mark and subsequent lap, not trapezing for security
in the steep seas. The others all trapezed, the extra power giving
drive at the cost of pounding. Tacking was challenging, and
Paul Ellis fell back, while Alastair, holding second place,
gained on Cliff
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The course took the boats outside the very long start line downwind,
so that if the starboard side was elected there was effectively a
long triangle (and a broad lead with dashes down waves, at speed and
with heavy helm) The option to port of the Committee boat was dead
downwind, and more sedate but slower.
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On the second lap, Alex Montgomery, following
Alastair Forrest around the windward mark, nosedived as he powered
up downwind and capsized, recovering quickly.
(Occurring well out to sea, this did not dent the belief on-shore
that only the Catapults were handling the conditions, with
Hurricanes and others flipped over around the scene. Only the Catapults
had all boats complete the first race.)
Alastair, having to turn back to round the start buoy, had Alex and
Paul come up, and missed tacks pushed him to fourth. Cliff carried
on ahead, to be finally caught by Alex on the last beat.
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Alex jumping to windward (note the horizon) |
In Race 2, Cliff again got way well, with Alex moving fast and into
the lead. Again, missed tacks in the steep seas were decisive, while
boat speed remained evenly matched. Alastair retired to shore when
the tiller bar pintles loosened, and Alex led Cliff and Paul in.
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The
Catapults were sailing races of around 75 minutes, and the
demanding conditions had drained Cliff and Paul, who elected
to miss the third back-to-back. Alastair returned, but Alex
led well away, with a good lead after another missed tack.
On the next beat, Alastair going fast into a wave decelerated
sharply and swung forward on the trapeze, to hang in the water. He
assumed that boat would come head to wind and then be pulled over,
but it sat on the same tack, held by him dragging in the water,
while he collected his thoughts and struggled aboard (not an
experience to be repeated, but reassuring)
(right: Alex
dives downwind, actually under control)
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Alex was way ahead, and Alastair followed him in, the last boat left
on the water amongst the whitecaps. Alex realised later that, tired
after three taxing races, he had gone through the start line
downwind on the third, and he withdrew.
 |
The next day dawned
sunny and warm everywhere in southern England except the North
Kent coast, with a cold onshore NE Force 4-5 and cloud.
The three remaining Catapults watched the breaking seas and
came to the mature judgement that the conditions were
unlikely to be survivable, and even if survived, not
enjoyable in any normal sense, a conclusion eventually
reached by all the fleets except a small handful of the F18s.
It was a bracing start to the season, and good to be welcomed at
Minnis Bay for the first time there. |
Results
1st
Alex Montgomery (1, 1, DNF)
2nd
Cliff Antill
(2, 2, DNS)
3rd
Alastair Forrest (4,
DNF,1)
4th
Paul Ellis
(3, 3, DNS)
Remember the last
time you arrived late to rig? Sunshine at Minnis Bay in
2008
(photo MBSC)
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