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Eight AQSC boats made the journey to Bewl Water for 3 days super sailing in brilliant sunshine and a 10 to 15 knt SW wind, the best strength and direction for sailing.
Unfortunately it started very badly for John and Margaret Tomkins; a Merc rammed them on the journey there. Amazingly his SigneT rode up over the bonnet until the launching trailer of the combi trailer was hit making it unusable and buckling the road trailer just behind the hitch; the boat seems undamaged.
Anita and Mark Gregg had their first visit to Bewl and the conditions couldn’t have been better for cruising over every part of the reservoir in Richard Cannon’s Signet and Barry Jones’s Hawk catamaran.
Sunday was normal Bewl club racing and we started with their slow handicap fleet, and given our own results. Laurie Bridges with Ian Powell had a very short race; they capsized on their first tack. Barry Jones also retired with a split mast allowing the goose neck to jump out; this was repaired with some cable ties so he was able to do Mondays races. The main halyard of the Club Graduate jammed at the side of the pulley at the top of the mast; this gave Rodger Wheeler a hectic time. Just as it was being prepared to launching for the second race a small ball appeared on the floor of Richard’s Signet; the main halyard had broken at the top of the mast, fortunately he was able to repair it and just get to the start on time. John and Margaret started one start too early, with the Solos, so were disqualified. Rodger Wheeler took Mark in the Club Graduate but in the second race they thought they had finished, but the signal was for another boat finishing and they came ashore a lap too early.
Monday was the Regatta with a start for their ‘Champions’ and another for ‘All Comers’. Just as Richard was launching for the 2nd race the main halyard broke at the top of the mast; he was very lucky to be able to recover it and make the start on time. They were using the new 5-4-1-off start sequence and in the 2nd race a large group started a minute too early; a number continued without realising so were disqualified. Aquarius did very well in the series with Richard and Robert 2nd, Mike Baker and Roy Melson 3rd, and GrahamTompson and Ian 4th. Results.
Apart from the excellent sailing we also ate very well at the Elephant’s Head and Brown Troutbin the evenings.
Our thanks go to Bewl Valley Sailing Club for enabling us to have such an enjoyable visit.
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