Mid Week IOM Handicap

It was great to get back to sailing today after a bit of a break over Christmas. We were welcomed by a fine and warm day with a South Easterly sea-breeze brewing. This breeze built throughout the day to about 15 knots in the last race.
 
Kyle brought the new RIB dinghy and electric motor for its maiden voyage. While the ultimate plan is to use this dinghy at Montrose, the new electric motor will be used at the dam with our current rescue boat. This should make it safer to use in windy conditions.
 
A huge thanks to Andrew Wardrop and Rod Marshall who officiated today’s racing. Today they set us a longer challenging course for the DF95’s.
 
This year we are piloting a new feature on Wednesdays. Every fortnight Wayne Behrens will present a short lunchtime talk on one of the racing rules. Today’s talk, rather than being on a specific rule, was on the importance of avoiding collisions. In summary Wayne said: 

• Keep a good distance from other boats.
• Try to keep thinking 5 seconds ahead.
• Talk to other skippers while you are racing and inform them what you are doing. 
• Collisions are very costly in terms of your race position.

 
As if to demonstrate this in the very next race Wayne and I were engaged in a close tacking battle. Tacking too late caused a collision – Wayne went on to come second while I finished last after completing a penalty!
 
Late in the afternoon, with a storm threatening, Andrew asked if we wished to continue racing. He might have known we would say yes! So race we did and we ended up packing up in the rain!
 
Third overall today went to Martin Svensen with two race wins in his tally. Wayne took second place with the consistent results that are his hallmark. Today’s winner was Ian Bailey. It was only Ian’s second sail with the club and he had plenty of podium finishes in the mix. Very well sailed Ian!
 
Coming up: 
 
Saturday - A Class action - originally planned for Montrose Bay, but due to the damage sustained at the floating pontoon, the A Class day will be sailed at Risdon Brook. Button press is at 11am to allow the Risdon Park Runners to finish their event.

Sunday:  IOM Scratch racing NOTE VENUE CHANGE  will now be sailed at Risdon Brook Dam due to the damage sustained to the launching pontoon at Montrose.(1:00 button)

Next Wednesday: Handicap sailing for IOM’s at Risdon Brook Dam. (11:00 button)
 
Shorty