GP14 UK Nationals Day 2

by Liz Hall on 4 Aug 2010
GP14 UK National Championships day two opened with grey cloud, but it remained dry and the wind shifted round 30 – 40 degrees to the north. This meant that the bending influence of Llanbedrog was less pronounced and the wind more constant than yesterday.

It was also two-three knots stronger and the two races were run well within the time limit, with no need to shorten either of the courses. The wind was forecast to move round to the south west, but this proved inaccurate and the turnaround between the two races was very slick as there was no need to move the marks.

For the first race, the effect of the tide was slight as the race started an hour before high tide and most of the sailing was in slack water. Generally speaking, those sailors who came out of the gate early seemed to do better and there was certainly a premium on playing the shifts in the fluky wind coming off the shore. It was Mike and Liz Senior who read the conditions just right, got to the windward mark first and sailed away from the fleet, never to lose their lead.

The second race began at 2pm, soon after high water, and the tide running across the course made it crucial to sail the right way on the runs and beats – it was noticeable throughout the whole fleet that those sailors who sailed uptide for longer generally gained on those who didn’t. The eventual winners Matt Mee and Chris Robinson got away on the second beat. Having had to do a penalty at the windward mark, Mike and Liz Senior were grateful for a long race because it was only on the second beat that they were able to overtake Ian Dobson and Andy Tunnicliffe and Richard Instone and Jim Toothill by going out to the right of the course. After a final tussle with Ian and Andy they just made it into second place on the finish line.

The winners of these two races were sailing contrasting boats. Mike Senior’s, No 13417, was built by Graham Nelson, who later set up Arrow sails, and it is a tribute to his skill – pity he is not sailing at present. Mike’s superfine laminate mainsail is made by Speed Sails.

Matt Mee is sailing the newest boat in the championship, No 14067, made by Winder Boats to the latest specification – a beautiful boat. He is also using a laminate mainsail, made by Goacher Sails.

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