- This topic has 8 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated January 13, 2021 at 8:16 am by
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With a number of our regulars unable to attend and a co-fleet trial of DF95/IOM sailing, Puddleduck was different but no less interesting than usual.
Before getting races underway a couple of casualties were recorded. Kermit’s A class conversion suffered a bent rudder shaft before touching water and the Admirals IOM endless sheet lead system suffered a run off from the servo drum shortly before the first race got underway. This proved too difficult to repair pond side and so both skippers became early retirements.
With Kermit now active on the camera and the Admiral assuming score duties, racing got underway and proved to be delightfully close, often the outcome hung on the success or otherwise of a single tack.
A sausage course using the entire length of Puddleduck was utilised and this gave the small fleet lots of opportunity to pick their fastest way upwind.It was agreed prior to the start that IOM’s take a 30 second start penalty while the 95’s all start on scratch. This worked pretty well however with the 95’s showing real speed over the V7 downwind so that was shortened to 15.
Don’s IOM #147 was kitted out with a sweet looking B rig and in the conditions this proved a wise choice. The unflappable ones V7 is a very attractive yacht indeed and it made a fine sight slicing its way to windward.
John S DF95 #74 with a A rig looked a little overpowered early but with the conditions lightening off after a couple of races it proved the best choice. Shorty was Mr Consistency today recording six second places out of the total eight sailed. A first and a third rounded out his tally to take the well deserved overall winners mantle today.
An A rig was also the choice of Phil T #261. The smiling assassin was in good form this morning and many fine tacking duals were enjoyed between the three 95’s until the fickle finger of fate once more struck.
After installing a brand new spare winch servo into his 95, Trouty #92 was well justified believing he was going to be trouble free in that regard for quite some time to come. Unfortunately this proved false as just four races into the program it failed again. Without another spare Trouty too unfortunately was another forced retirement.After eight races the final points were:
Trouty on 22 points, Phil T on 16, Don on 14 and our winner today John on 13 points.
Many thanks to Kermit for being our awesome media man again and to the Admiral for keeping score.
It was decided over post race drinks to continue the mixed fleet trial in a fortnight’s time. The differences between the 95’s (A Rig) and IOM (B Rig) being minimal and it was encouraging to see how close the racing was between the two classes.
The return of warmer weather and the need to keep moisture up to the vines has seen an inevitable lowering of the water level and a corresponding increase in weed densities.
Next Tuesday post racing will be an opportunity to set a day/time where this necessary work can be undertaken. It is not a huge task as it affects less than 50% of the pond area and only takes an hour and a half with a good group to clear. We undertake this every year and were able to sail normally the same morning after it had been done.
Next week the pocket rocket returns once more to da Duck, see you there!
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