Everything went according to plan.
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| photo: dave whittle |
I finally managed to get down to the Club Friday evening to check the Laser and fix the road trailer. I had half intended to take her out for a sail, but the evening was flat calm with the definite threat of rain, so I instead settled for simply getting the boat ready to travel the six minutes down the road the following day to Whitefriars Sailing Club for their Laser Open, and then went home for an evening run.
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| photo: dave whittle |
The wind picked up a little for the Saturday. It carried a definite chill and the ever present threat of rain between the occasional spot of warming sun to burnish the day. The turnout at Whitefriars was quiet for an Open, but understandable given the circumstances; a couple of weeks ago we weren't even allowed to sail. Five local boats were joined by three of us from South Cerney to make a fleet of eight, including two juniors with radial rigs.
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| photo: dave whittle |
The club and its members were as friendly and as welcoming as you could wish for. The wind, veering through about 80 degrees and strengthening throughout the day, played havoc with the race committee, but they managed admirably, setting some interesting, challenging and entertaining courses for the four races. The afternoon's courses included a couple of apparently infrequently used marks down "the Cut"; the shifty, fickle wind funnelling down the throat of the narrows caused at least a couple of helms to take an unexpected swim.
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| photo: dave whittle |
It was good to be back in the Laser, I love single-handers, and I love fleet racing. One of the locals, a university student called Will, quickly established himself as the boat to chase. I gave him a good run for his money, even putting him behind me for a couple of laps in the third race, but in the end he beat me convincingly in all four races, leaving me to claim a not disreputable second place for myself.
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