A busy week!

This week was a busy week for the race management team at the Holy Loch Sailing Club, with race officer Bill Aitchison running racing on two evenings and both days at the weekend.

Tuesday Evening Dinghy Racing

On Tuesday 17th five dinghies competed in a fairly light north westerly breeze. The Musto Skiff of Andrew Hooten revelled in the conditions, showing excellent boat handling around the course. He was followed home by the Laser Radials of Harris Munns and Fin Hurrel.

1st Musto Skiff – Andrew Hooten

2nd Laser Radial – Harris Munns

3rd Laser Radial – Fin Hurrell

4th Solo – Ali Gordon

5th Laser Radial – Darcy Cameron.

Wednesday Evening Racing – Series 2 Race 2

Another evening of light north westerly breeze. It looked like the breeze was going to fade, but thankfully it held until just after the last boat had finished.

Pipers

The Piper class were competing for a special trophy. The late Neil Wilson was a stalwart of the Holy Loch Piper fleet and Neil’s trophy is held each year in memory of Neil. It was great to have Neil John, Neil’s son presenting the trophy to the winner. The trophy comes with a bottle of Neils favourite whisky, and tradition has it that the bottle must be empty before any of the Piper sailors can go home!

1st Billie Piper – Iain Hurrell

2nd Tom Piper – Fergus Campbell

3rd Tamarind – Ben Neville

4th Stay Puff – Robert Towart

5th Leader – Jim Campbell

White Sail

Only Jim Hoey's J30 Judicious and Nigel Scriven's Sonata Moonlight contested the white sail start as the wind lightened and became shifty on the way to the windward mark off the marina entrance. Judicious established a small lead by this mark, but there was not much in it on much of the run down to the lee mark at Strone, although the gap had widened between them. Up the first part of the beat the wind was steadier, but approaching the line at the end of this lap it became more variable and shifty again and Judicious's lead appeared substantial. During the next round to Lazaretto the wind eased noticeably and as Judicious rounded the shortened course signal was made. While Judicious had crossed the finish line, the wind held just long enough for Moonlight to finish with some hope, however once the handicap was applied Judicious had won by just over three minutes.

1st J30 – Judicious – Jim Hoey

2nd Sonata – Moonlight – Nigel Scriven

Dinghies

1st Albacore – Home Brew – Peter McWhinnie

2nd Contender – Painted Warrior – Neil Wilson

3rd B14 – Killer B – Fin Hurell

Flying Fifteen

1st More Mischieff – Chris Bowen

Piper Anniversary Regatta – Saturday 21st June

On Saturday 21st of June the Holy Loch Sailing Club played hosts to the locally built Piper class for their 59th Anniversary of its inception, with boats and crews from Gourock joining with the local fleet to compete and socialise in perfect sailing conditions in the Holy Loch.

Sailing secretary Bill Aitchison presided over the race organisation in his customary exemplary manner to provide three races over the course of the day, each with a trophy to contend for, and such was the closeness of competition between all the competitors that each one was won by separate boats and with each competing yacht coming away with a podium place in at least one race.

The winner of the first race was, appropriately, Class Captain Iain Hurrel and his crew, Graeme Murray and Lorn Campbell in Billie Piper when they succeeded in turning a poor start into a leading position before the end of the first leg and, increasing their margin thereafter to the finish, secured the Tennant Caledonian Cup, setting the target for their opponents to respond to. This challenge was eagerly taken up by Bronwyn Angus, her husband Roddy and Ruth Lee, who led off the starting line of the second race in fine style and from then on sailed perfectly without putting a foot wrong to secure the impressive Royal Marine Hotel Trophy, sailing Staypuff.

Such were the results of the first two races that the entire fleet bar one entered the final race of the Series within three points of each other and with everything to play for , the outcome of the regatta was a close run thing, with the lead and lower positions changing throughout the deciding race, Ruridh Campbell and Craig Cameron’s Stormpiper ( the oldest boat in the fleet and the first ever built), leading the way in the early stages to put themselves in the overall lead. With the wind dying in the latter stages, however, new helmsman in the fleet Graham Galbraith took advantage of a favourable slant in the ailing breeze to hit the front and, giving credence to the adage ‘ the last fluke is the best’ with his crew Gerry McGarrity, won the Fairbairn Salver, presented by an early doyen of the Class.

Then began the exciting task for the race committee to work out the overall winners of the Regatta and, after a final round of socialising by the competing crews and friends of the Piper Class who had gathered to spectate, the local crew of Billie Piper, Iain, Graeme and Lorn were declared the winners, who reciprocated very generously to their success, thanking the organisers, fellow competitors and particularly Race Officer, Bill Aitchison, for their appreciated contributions which ensured the friendly, efficient running of the event. The warm atmosphere at the close of the day set the scene for next year’s grand sixtieth anniversary of the Pipers which will be well anticipated by all those involved in this friendly and competitive fleet.

Crew’s Race – Sunday 22nd June

Sunday dawned wet and windy, just in time for the crew’s race where the regular helm and crew swap roles. Due to the weather only four crews took up the gauntlet. There was much confusion over the course, with most boats sailing round at least one extra mark. Lots of excuses were given!

Pipers

1st Billie Piper – Lorn Campbell

Flying Fifteens

1st More Mischieff – Marion Bowen

White Sail

1st J30 - Judicious – Andrew Leech

2nd Sonata – Moonlight – Derek Webber

Strone and Tresta Race – Sunday 22nd June

With normal service resumed, the regular helms took up their usual role at the back of the boat and competed for the Strone and Tresta trophies. The wind had moderated, and the rain eased with all boats sailing the correct course.

Pipers

1st Tom Piper – Fergus Campbell

2nd Billie Piper – Iain Hurrel

White Sail

1st Atia – UFO 27 – Duncan Chalmers

2nd Moonlight – Sonata – Nigel Scriven

3rd Judicious – J30 – Jim Hoey

Flying Fifteen

1st -More Mischieff – Chris Bowen