SigneT Open at AQSC

SigneT Open at AQSC - 4 July

Six SigneTs and, at times, three club Bosuns competed in the racing on Sunday 4 July. The wind was SW, F3 gusting F4. The general consensus amongst the crews seemed to be ‘Interesting/challenging’.

The home SigneTs were ST368 (June) crewed by Richard Cannon and Robert Britton, ST369 (Over Easy) crewed by Mike Baker and Keith Hatton and ST924 (Sunset) crewed by John Panting and Liz Archer/Bryan Clements. The visitors were ST690 with Pat Overs and Steve Whiteside, ST387 with Rob Anstey and Kate Taylor and ST761 Roy Melsom and Hannah Whiteside. The Bosuns were crewed by Graham Thompson, Tony Hopkins and Rodger Wheeler (apologies to their crews, if any, but I don’t have your names).

George and Joan Bray were OOD and AOD for the day with Simon Lunniss, Laurie Bridges and Dave Jennings manning the safety boats. Pat Irving and several helpers looked after the lunchtime BBQ and afternoon tea.

The course was a figure of eight with an upstream windward port mark and a downstream starboard mark. The first race started at 11:30 and the six SigneTs were joined by Graham’s Bosun. Most boats started on starboard but there was some confusion because the start signal was generally agreed later to have been 9 seconds late. By my reckoning three SigneTs that departed against their own stopwatches, were over the line but only ST368 was recalled. Richard later reported that he had a developed a tear in his jib and was over because he was concentrating on the damaged sail at the time. The race was about an hour in duration and was won by ST761. ST368 was second and ST369 third (Mike Baker helming).

Lunch was the next order of business and everybody settled down in the sunshine to enjoy a burger and a drink. The second race got underway at 2pm. and this time was joined by all three Bosuns, Tony and Rodger having finally got out of bed. Keith Hatton now helmed ST369 with yours truly up the sharp end doing the crew thing. Obviously it was the right move because ST369 came in first followed home by ST761 and ST368.

The third race was back-to-back with the second but there was a slight delay while ST924 with John and Liz recovered a capsize and then beat upstream to cross the line. With Liz looking a little soggy John then enlisted a replacement crew in the form of Bryan Clements.

The third race started a few seconds early but it was a clean getaway and a much closer contested race. In the end the places for all boats was identical to the second race.

It was a lively sail and I think by the end a number of people, including the crew of ST369, ached in places they didn’t even know they had places.

After the results and prize giving our visitors recovered their boats up to the car park and by 6:30pm most had gone. Many thanks to everybody who helped make the day a great success. The SigneTs like coming to Aquarius and will almost certainly be invited back sometime in the future.

Mike (Over Easy) Baker

Keith & Mike in ST369

Keith & Mike