CONFESSIONAL - Were you promised one?
The prizes were geniuine, and gained with integrity - BUT - There is an alternative, nail biting truth.
At Falmouth - Weather forcsts may have deterred some skippers.
Friday - Race 1- Amongst the more than 170 classic boats attending, several of the large ones stayed in harbour and did not start their races - Proteus and crew were mystified to be alone in their class at the start
- "Are we too early? Or late? Or in the wrong place?" Radio-starts with multiple classes can be confuising - Start regardless! Can't see the windward mark. Just settle in to beating optimistically upwind - There it is - Phew! We know where "Governor" is; over toward Pendennis Castle - Aha! see it. - Turn to port - "Castle" buoy is off St Mawes Head. WInds gustier than before; waves cresting white - VERY pleased we're fully reefed - Just keep her upright and plod on - Castle buoy is leaping about as we round it and head for the finish. It's not easy to determina amongst the plethora of classics following various courses whether any are in our class. - WInd still gusty - Just stay upright! - A faint hoot almost blown away in the increasing wind - We've arrived!
A brief spell of respite before Race 2. Heave-to and snatch a bite of lunch.
Race 2 - Our class, "J" is to start last again. Still uncertain who our J Class competitors are - Is that one over there? Looks a bit familiar. We start quite well (easier when there is no-one else in the way!) - Beat upwind to the windward mark; at least we now know where it is! - Round it and head for "Governor". - VHF comes alive; "All racing is cancelled for the day due to bad weather conditions". Ah well; head for home. Not easy in the strengthening and gusty wind. Our tack angle (never good at the best of times) is worse than ever. Oh for more ballast (we are a very light crew)! This is not working well; barely making upwind progress. Hmm - Could whizz down to Mylor. You've probably read the rest in "Day 2" above.
Saturday - Small boats not permitted to race
OGA Helford Regatta - Tuesday race - Faster boats start first for their longer course. We make am adequate start, albeit a little later than "Gelvynek" the (one) other dinghy in our class. Oddly, it is a following wind to the first mark. We think we're cathing up. "Gelvynek" beats us around the mark, but only just. Dodging her, and thrown by a wave, we touch the mark and do a 360. Now they're 50 yards ahead and pulling away - At the inland mark they are way ahead as we turn to head seaward again, though perhaps our jib is helping us close the gap. This time, more cautiously around the mark but our only chance would be if they had a mishap. They've turned slightly toward the port shore. A wind-shift? Yes, it's affecting us too. (See track above) - But there's something else; they've dropped their sail - Why? We deviate to port a little more in case they need help; but no, on the VHF they announce they are going to row home. So, all we've got to do is to stay upright (AGAIN). Cautious now, taking no chances we beat back to the committe boat, (was that a horn?), not sure - to be certain we beat carefully to the inland mark in fickle, direction-chainging gusts, back to the finish - DONE.
In a nutshell -
At Falmouth - Winners for being the only "J-Class" boat to finish the only J-Class race
- Winners in the Small Boats parade for looking good.
At Helford - Not quite a case of Hare and Tortoise - Winners in the dinghy class for being the only boat to sail to the finish - (Gelvynek had rowed).
Total - Two bottles, two glasses, a sliver plate and a strange hookey thingy - possibly known as a Scud Hook, but why?
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