The
BBQ this year had a change of venue, as the Ferry at Surlingham was busy with another
function and so unable to fit us in as well. It was decided to go DIY this year
and CHSC kindly offered the use of their facilities and BBQ.
It
had been a warm and sunny day and this carried over into the evening, with
sunshine until late. With the BBQ fired up and ready to go just after 6.30, a
small but select group of sailors gathered on the dinghy park for what became a
very sociable evening in good company. The participants were mainly the boats
which would sail in the challenge race the next day.
Team
Wandering Rose seemed as though they had brought enough food to feed everyone,
but remarkably managed to consume most of it between themselves and Adrian and
Ruth from Tinkerbell. Dessert was Ruth’s home grown strawberries and
Jean’s mini flapjacks. Delicious.
With
the clubhouse close by, even hot coffee became possible, which was perhaps just
as well, as clear heads were needed in the morning for the rigours of the Yare
Challenge race.
Thanks
to Bob Branscombe and Kevin Priest for getting things ready and tidying things
up afterwards.
Dianne
Branscombe
The weather looked good for the annual YSC/CHSC
Challenge race at CHSC. A good westerly was forecast and sunshine. What could
be better? The long course was chosen, with the turning point just short of
Langley Woods.
There were
8 boats entered, which included 2 from ‘up north’ - Wandering Rose and a
pristine Tinkerbell, which is nearly finished, so we hear! The other two
making up the YSC side were Grayling and Anna, with Glory, Morning Calm,
Harnser and Bessie Bell sailing for CHSC. Morning Calm did her best to confuse
all and sundry by sailing with Anna’s old rig, also with 224 on her sail!
The
8 starters made for an easy 4 + 4 split start with Steve Burton’s team Wandering
Rose taking an early lead from Grayling, who both put distance between them
and the rest of the fleet - their topsails making the difference in a
typically fluky train reach.
Once
in clearer air, Anna and Glory managed to keep them in sight, but at the turn
Wandering Rose was well ahead from Grayling, Anna and Glory.
Meanwhile
in the second start, Tinkerbell and Morning Calm seemed to be neck and neck
all the way round, with the two 10% boats equally matched, with Bessie Bell
and Harnser following on.
The
beat and close reach on the return leg closed things up a bit, with Anna and
Glory managing to haul in the two front runners, but not enough to prevent Wandering
Rose from winning by some margin. Grayling crossed the line next, but was
eased into third place by Anna on corrected time.
Bob
Branscombe
