IOM Mid Week Handicap (and Scratch)

There was not much wind about at Risdon Brook Dam for today’s IOM Super Wednesday. Less than one knot with often very glassy reflections. That said it does not take a lot of wind to get a IOM boat sailing and we were moving slowly but consistently throughout the day without ever being totally becalmed. 
 
PRO Phil Jackman did a great job setting realistic courses for the conditions. Trout has made huge efforts to be at each event week after week as he recovers from surgery. We do thank you immensely Trout and hope that you will be racing soon.
 
Being a Super Wednesday we divided the day into two parts - sailing a mini handicap series in the morning before having a scratch series after lunch. One of the reasons we are trialing this is to give those skippers who don’t usually turn up for scratch events a chance to try the format and gain valuable start practice so that they can feel confident participating in a scratch or ranking event.
 
Wayne Behrens launched his new Proteus design 3D printed boat today. The all white colour looked great and made it distinctive in the fleet. And that wasn’t the only thing that made it distinctive - it was a flyer. Wayne was out the front most of the day even when racing off equal highest handicap of 65 sec in the morning series. It was a very impressive debut.
 
David Woolley did triumph the morning’s handicap series though in a count back decision ahead of Wayne. Sheep made really good use of the clean air ahead of the pack and streaked away to win two races in the morning series. Ian Hey filled the third podium spot, the position was also decided on count back in a tie with Andrew Wardrop.
 
The afternoon scratch session produced a scoresheet which is of interest to numbers nurds like myself. Both Wayne Behrens and Ray Joyce finished equal on points and could not be untied by count back as after discards were allowed they had exactly the same results! This situation is very rare and is only likely to happen when you have a small number of competitors sailing a small number of races. After checking this with ‘higher authorities’ (Kyle) I found out that if skippers have identical scoresheets (and count back cannot decide a winner) the HMS point system awards the win to the skipper who performed best in the last race of the day. - Congratulations Buzzy, well sailed Ray, and a great effort by John Hall picking up third place overall in the series.
 
COMING UP! 
Sunday:  A Class at Risdon Brook Dam. 10:00 button press
Next Wednesday: DF95 Handicap Racing at Risdon Brook Dam. 10:30 button press.