IOM Mid Week Handicap

A strong blustery northerly greeted sailors this morning at Risdon Brook Dam. It was mostly 10 -15 knots but with some serious gusts and Westerly shifts.  Although some skippers thought about using their A-rig by the time that the competition started we had all elected to use B-rigs and it turned out to be a good choice in view of the gusts.

John Hall was PRO today and he set some great courses for the challenging conditions. Thanks for your work today John.

Some collisions and near misses today sends a message to all skippers: ' When it is blustery it is necessary to give competitors wider margins than when sailing in a steady breeze.’
Sailing skill and knowledge of the dam were key elements for success today and it was the experienced skippers who featured at the top of the table.

Third place went to Lisa Blackwood, second to Wayne Behrens (with two race wins) and today’s winner was Phil Jackman (with three race wins). Congratulations to all.

This week illustrates an important condition of our handicap system. You are probably aware that the week-to-week handicap algorithm generally moves the top third of competitors up by 10 seconds and the bottom third down by 10 seconds. But a skipper does not get a handicap benefit if they DNF, DNS or DSQ in more than 3 races. Skippers who turn up late only for the afternoon’s racing, those that finish the day early, and those who DNF in too many races may finish towards the bottom of the table but their handicap for next week will be unchanged.

Sunday’s sailing is DF95 scratch sailing 10:00 at Montrose. Next Wednesday’s handicap at the Dam will be for IOM’s and Wayne Behrens has offered to be PRO. Thanks Wayne.

​On Monday (ANZAC Day), our friends at Forcett Lakes are holding their second IOM Woodie Day for the year. Starting at 1pm. If you are available, come along with either your Woodie IOM or to have a look at some fantastic wooden examples as they race.

On a last note, John Cole-Cook has found a set of reading/prescription glasses that he mistakenly picked up some time ago (he thought they were his own, but those ended up going missing). If anyone has lost their glasses, or if someone has found a set, can they please get in touch with John or Kyle so we can arrange to get your glasses back to you.

John S