IOM Mid Week Handicap

It was a full blue sky day at the Dam. Frosty and cool early but warming to a lovely sunny day with the promise of summer ahead - well at least spring. A northerly of between 2 and 10 knots kept us entertained throughout the day.

We still hadn’t done the necessary maintenance to the missing buoy 5 but maybe that was a good thing because it meant that we had to think of some different courses to suit this wind. I thought that the last course that we were using today worked quite well:
3/4 (start) - 8 - 7- 3/4 (gate) - 8 - 7 - 1/2 (gate) - 3/4 (finish)
 
This course gave plenty enough windward work and the extra gates and the decision making that goes along with them provided extra interest.
 
John Hall won race 4 by making a really deep tack out to the western side. So effective was it that he tried the same tactic in the following race but this time he sailed beyond the limits of the range of his receiver (there may also have been a low battery involved). Anyway John learnt that his boat is set up perfectly to sail by itself as it did not deviate in its course straight to the other side of the dam.
 
The handicaps seamed to work well today with pretty well everyone getting to the podium at least once and a good spread of race winners from across the handicap spectrum.
 
Third place today went to Andrew Wardrop who was always close to the head of the fleet. Mat Grey took second place with six podium finishes in his tally. And Phil Jackman was the winner with very consistent results. Congratulations to all.
 
Next Sunday is the RM State Regatta. Registrations from 0900, briefing 1015 and button press at 1030 sharp. Please get entries in if you haven't already.

And IOM’s again for next Wednesday’s handicap at the dam. Button Press at 11:00.