RACE DAYS NOTES

Date	Notes
18/11/2001	Very light winds forecast again for the last race day of the season. But it was a fairly steady ENE 0-1 wind and it was possible to sail all three race. There was a good entry of 10 boats.
11/11/2001	The race start was delayed to 12:00 to see if some wind would appear. Fortunately there was a few knots steady west wind that just allowed progress against the 1 knot current and 6 short laps were completed. The wind died soon after the start of the afternoon race and only one lap could be completed.
04/11/2001	The day started with no wind and it looked like no sailing again. By the time we were ready to sail there was a steady W 1-2 wind and it wasn't difficult to progress against the 1 knot current. By the afternoon the wind had increased to F2-3. An excellent days racing with an entry of 8 boats.
28/10/2001	A gorgeous hot sunny day BUT 2kts current and zero wind so no chance of sailing. A small group went up to Sunbury lock in the safety boat; 25 minutes going up hugging the bank and 12 minutes back.
21/10/2001	Weather forecast said a miserable wet day, 4 knt S wind. It was very wet and the wind seemed very light and there was a 2knt current. Richard, Brian, Keith and Laurie decided it wasn't worth sailing and drifting down stream. But surprisingly, if they ignored the rain, those who went out had good races in a steady 6 knt W wind.
14/10/2001	South 1-2 gust 3 sometimes 0 winds and very fluky and shifty. Wind increased just before the PM race and rescue boat Officer Bryan Clements capsized when he went for a sail. Unfortunately the wind didn't last for the race.
07/10/2001	The day started very wet but fortunately it was dry for the morning race. Extremely gusty and fluky, basically S 2-3 but gusts of up to 5 from all directions. Very wet in the afternoon with gusts up to 6; very unpleasent.
30/09/2001	Very high winds forecast but they didn't arrive. S to SW, some times N, 1-2 gusting 4, extremely fluky. Wet for the afternoon race.
23/09/2001	Fluky & gusty 3-4 N wind, bit lighter PM. At the ST Open at Paxton it was similar but less fluky and gusty; that direction gives a good sail.
16/09/2001	For the third succesive week week we have had a good sail. In the morning the W to NW 2-3 gusting 4 wind was very fluky. It had dropped a bit for the first afternoon Sprint race and the second Sprint immediately following was a more pleasent sail as it wasn't fluky although still gusty.
09/09/2001	A fine day with a cold N to NW 5-15 knt wind. Gusty, very shifty and fluky but still a good sail; having a crew made it a lot easier.
02/09/2001	At last a very good days sailing with a fairly steady 5-12knt West wind. The Afternoon races were given a big improvement by moving the upstream mark from beyond the slipway to level with the clubhouse. Support is still poor with only 4 boats.
27/08/2001	Fine and hot at Bewl with a 5-10 knt NE wind giving easy sailing. Five short course races of around 20-30 minutes each.
26/08/2001	A day of great extremes for the AQSC/ST/FW meeting at Bewl. Hot, but overcast, with light NE wind for the start of the morning race. Conditions changed to a 25knt squall with heavy rain followed by zero wind. It then became as black as night with a 30knt squall surrounded by lightning and torrential hail stones. Many capsizes and retirements. The afternoon race had 5 knt wind with rain at the end.
25/08/2001	A pleasant cruising day at Bewl Water with steady 10 knt SW wind.
19/08/2001	Day started extremely wet with heavy showers and squalls thoughout the day. Generally SW 10-15knt but very gusty to 20knt and fluky.
12/08/2001	A very windy and gusty day SW3-4 gusting 5 and several capsizes.
05/08/2001	A warm sunny day with SW 2-3. In the morning there was a cruise up to Sunbury and PM there was some informal racing.
29/07/2001	The day started with zero wind and a heatwave so sailing prospects were grim. Surprisingly there was a light SW wind at the club; this started at 2knts and and increased during the day to 10knts. But it was extremily fluky and became gusty.
22/07/2001	The previous day there had been a good breeze but true to form for this season there was only a very light SW wind for Sunday. It looked promising before the start of the first race but the wind died to a fairly steady 3-5knts and there was still a bit of current. During the fun race, just to make things worse, there was light rain and even less wind.
15/07/2001	The first race started in a good westery breeze but it didn't last and became patchy and variable. The wind dropped to 0-1 for the afternooon races; but then increased when racing finished to give some members good cruising.
08/07/2001	Regatta day 2 much better. W1-3 fairly steady and dry.
07/07/2001	Regatta day 1. W 0-2 very patchy and very wet at times. 0.5knt current. Race 4 cancelled as no wind and wet.
01/07/2001	Saturday was good and windy but sunday was back to a light westerly hot and sunny, full of holes, but better than was expected. There was still about 0.5 knt of current.
24/06/2001	HSC regatta Sun. Very hot & fine with very little wind, very light, patchy & variable with big holes. E 5 knots for sail back to AQSC by a couple of boats, rest towed back.
23/06/2001	HSC Regatta Sat. Fine and hot with reasonble E wind at start but then died and very patchy. Lighter wind PM but less patchy. Best sail was back to the club at a boat running speed of 4knts.
17/06/2001	Another light and variable NW wind with fair amount of current making for a poor sail. Very patchy and difficult to make way against current.
10/06/2001	NNW 0-2 very variable, gusty and fluky again and with the 1knt current sailing was very difficult. Then just to rub in how bad it was it rained for half the afternoon race. After we finished racing conditions improved!
03/06/2001	At Paxton the wind had moved round to NW and reduced to 10-15knts giving much more comfortable sailing conditions. At AQSC the NW 10-20knt wind was extremely gusty, variable and fluky with a 1.5knt current; sailing was very difficult.
02/06/2001	The AQSC members who travelled to Paxton for the SigneT Open Meeting experienced very gusty and shifty 15-20knt NNW wind. Five of the eight entries capsized.
28/05/2001	Bewl visit club racing. Warm overcast morning, hot & sunny afternoon. SW 10-15 knts. Excellent sailing.
27/05/2001	Bewl visit club racing. Warm overcast morning, hot & sunny afternoon. SW 10-15 knts. Excellent sailing.
26/05/2001	Bewl visit, cruising. Hot and sunny all day with SW 7-13 knts, excellent sailing conditions.
20/05/2001	The first day we have manage to race on the river. Moderate current and only very light E wind. 5 boats towed up to Sunbury Lock with a race back to the club. A bit more wind PM and just possible to race around two marks about twice the length of the club house apart.
13/05/2001	AQSC Open day. Excellent weather with steady 5-10knt E wind. Ideal condition for taking newcomers out. Only around 12 visitors.
12/05/2001	AQSC Open day. Excellent weather with steady 5-10knt E wind and at last a reduced current. Ideal condition for taking newcomers out. Around 20 visitors. First use of safety boat with new diesel engine.
06/05/2001	Mid-Thames Trophy Inter club event, moved from Desborough to Littleton. Many from Littleton, 8 from AQSC, 7 from Desborough, 3 from Staines, 3 from Laleham. Excellent sailing with 10-15 knt wind. Littleton dominated all races but AQSC 2nd.
29/04/2001	Very few at club and still no chance of sailing because current far to strong.
22/04/2001	Very gusty and strong SE wind. Only Bryan Clements in Grad & Kieth Hatton in Club Laser to race. Bryan capsized before the start and decided not to race so racing cancelled yet again.
15/04/2001	Gusty NW wind but still too much current to sail. It would probably have been OK with a E wind.
08/04/2001	No chance of sailing with the current still far too fast. Some mores tasks wee done around the Club.
01/04/2001	The first day scheduled for sailing in 2001 but unfortunately the season started like last year ended with far to much current to sail. The water has covered the E slipway ever since last October. The day was used as a working party day and many tasks were completed.