Upper Clyde Cat Race at Helensburgh Sailing Club
by Mark Homer 2 Jun 2014 07:48 PDT
31 May 2014
Last Saturday 31st May Helensburgh Sailing Club ran the 4th edition of the esteemed Upper Clyde Cat Race (UCCR) a race born from irreverent chat between Big Kev Lynch Commodore of HSC and a Stealth sailing protagonist.
Racing was postponed for the first time in its history as little wind and little forecasted, It was decided to drop the customary first leg up to Rhu narrows and in turn head out to a hoped building sea breeze.
Racing started at one and the assembled fleet fetched to the Green Isle Buoy in light winds and glorious sunshine, followed by a tad of tacking up the shore to avoid the incoming tide, the wind rose continuously and backed to the extent that the fully powered up cats where near wave jumping on the fetch across from Kilcreggan to mid-channel buoy. A short one tack beat to Strone point then a fruity beat up to the Gantocks the wind being boisterous and waves typically short choppy and wet. tough choices where made as the rocks were submerged at the light house and different courses made, no one hit, though Nigel Lynn did try to do a runner, not a good idea on water, Alan eventually rescued him lead intact. Not his first attempt at this tactic either in this race.
The long leg from the Gantocks down to the wreck off Helensburgh saw the spinnaker ed cats hitting v Max in great clouds of spray as they hurtled down wind in perfect sailing conditions, rescue chase boats struggled to keep up.
Poor ole Flipper Lynch with Neil Manderson were the only ones to come a cropper, despite Flippers intensive winter maintenance programme, one off his gudgeons gave up the ghost, putting and end to their race off gourock and a tow home, Flipper blamed the "Bees", but not sure of the relevance of this.
Lynn and Nesbitt in the stunning Nacra F18 Infusion led the fleet throughout, but closely followed by visitors from Largs, Dave and Ian Kent in their immaculate Hurricane 5.9sx pushing hard.
Lardy Homer came in next, first in the single handers sailing his Hammered Stealth SXL, only just holding off the Inter 17 of Ian Mac Gregor up wind, to fly off with spinnaker down wind, this didn't go by Ian who was often heard to comment that he was the only boat in fleet not to have a kite, even though on corrected times, he had got pretty close to the winners all the same.
Visitor Glen Andrews sailing this year in a Shadow X after his previous times in Stealth F16, caught Mac Gregor quickly off wind and apparently trapezed and flew his kite solo all the way from the Cloch right through to the finish off Cairndhu point, infact he was the only boat able to carry his kite, to his delight right through the finish line, though narrowly beaten by the Inter 17 on handicap.
All in all a fantastic day's sailing held in dream conditions again! This is a race not to be missed.
Overall Results:
Double Handers
1st Nigel Lynn and Alan Nesbitt, F18 Infusion (HSC) 1st Overall
2nd Dave and Ian Kent, Hurricane 5.9SX (Largs SC) 2nd Overall
Single Handers
1st Mark Homer, Stealth SXL "single fish" (HSC) 3rd Overall
2nd Ian Mac Gregor, Inter 17 (HSC)
3rd Glenn Andrews, Shadow X (Largs SC)