2025 Series 3 Race 4

Wednesday evening brough a very light and fluky south easterly breeze. Race officer Bill Aitchison wisely shorted course at the end of the first lap.

White Sail

Although a two-horse race Atia and Judicious were never more than a few boat lengths apart for the whole race and although Judicious took line honours, Atia came out victorious once the handicaps were applied.

1^st         Atia – UFO 27 – Duncan Chalmers, Ruth Lee, Ali Marshall

2^nd         Judicious – J30 – Jim Huey, Andrew Leech, Mandy Finfer

Flying Fifteen

Another two horse race, with several place changes. More Mischieff hit the first mark allowing Effycacious to take the lead while they took their penalty turn. There were many place changes down the run to the head of the loch, with More Mischieff choosing a course closer to the Sandbank shore and Effycacious opting to take a more direct route. Just before the final mark More Mischieff got a lucky puff of wind and was able to eek out a small lead which they held on to until the finish.  

1^st          More Mischieff – Chris and Marion Bowen

2^nd         Effycacious – Tommy McGeachie and Lesley Palmer

Dinghies

A one horse race! Only one entry, but Peter McWhinnie and Archie Munns in their Albacore enjoyed a close race with the Flying Fifteens.

1^st         Home Brew – Albacore - Peter McWhinnie and Archie Munns

Pipers

With the season hotting up and the Annual Class Championships under the auspices of the Royal Gourock Yacht Club only days away, there was plenty of enthusiasm on Wednesday for the fourth race of the final Wednesday Series in the Holy Loch. Alan Waugh, as guest helmsman aboard Jim Campbell’s Leander, secured an early lead  ahead of Iain Hurrel’s Billie, a permanent feature at the head of the local rankings this season in Billie, but to his credit, Alan refused to be intimidated by his opposition, and with crew Jim Campbell and Iain Guthrie, Leander increased their lead to the finish of a shortened course to emulate their success of last week.

1^st         Leander – Alan Waugh, Jim Campbell, Iain Guthrie

2^nd         Billie Piper – Iain Hurrel, Graeme Murray, Lorn Campbell

3^rd         Tom Piper – Fergus Campbell, Ali Gordon, Stuart Brown

4^th         Stay Puff – Robert Towart, Charmaine Boyd, Ellie

5^th         Talisker – Jamie Rogers, Neil McLaren, Matilda McLaren

6^th         Tasmarind – Andy Love, David Bonner and James Hegarty

Piper Championship at Royal Gourock (Saturday and Sunday)

A healthy turnout of seven local boats made the relatively short passage to Gourock to contest the annual Class Championships last weekend and although the temperatures were scorching throughout, and the sun shone on the enthusiastic competitors, the breeze was very much lacking, and it was to his eternal credit that local race officer, Bill Aitchison, managed to accomplish the maximum of six races sailed over the course of the weekend

Gourock boats dominated on the first day of the competition with newcomer to the Class, Graeme Galbraith in Cumbrae winning the Rothesay Cup with a remarkably consistent set of results, although Bronwyn Angus led the Holy Loch challenge with a well-deserved runners up spot with husband Roddy in Pied Piper.

Sunday dawned with just slightly more breeze and after a short delay the competitors were rewarded with a good first windward leg followed by a testing downwind run. Big gains, and losses (!) were made, and Tom Piper, sailed by Fergus Campbell, and the boats owners Stuart Brown and Ali Gordon, pulled herself back into the reckoning overall with a very well taken victory ahead of Iain Hurrel’s Billie, which had been thwarted the day before by two disqualifications for premature starts. The final two races followed a similar pattern before Tom Piper managed to secure second place in the final race to secure the Manuel Challenge Salver for Sundays event ahead of Ruiridh Campbell’s Stormpiper.

However, the success of local boat Cumbrae the day before proved decisive when the overall results were tabulated and Tom Piper had to content herself with the runners up prize with Pied Piper a deserving third. Class Secretary Rowena Donaldson was warmly thanked for her organising abilities at the prize giving by Class Captain Iain Hurrell who also thanked the hard-working Bill Aitchison and the staff of the hosting Club for their admirable contributions.

Overall Results, Piper Class Championships

1^st         Cumbrae (Royal Gourock) - G. Galbraith - 7 points

2^nd         Tom Piper (Holy Loch) - F Campbell- 10 points

3^rd         Pied Piper (Holy Loch) - B. Angus - 12 points

4^th         Stormpiper (Holy Loch) - R. Campbell -12 points