Flying 15s at the Ovington Inlands at Grafham Water Sailing Club

Flying 15s at the Ovington Inlands © Tim Olin / www.olinphoto.co.uk

The fleet's main builder, Ovington Boats welcomed the Flying 15's to their Inland Championship at Grafham Water Sailing Club over the weekend of 26th & 27th October. After a delayed start for the rugby, eleven boats joined the Phantoms and OK's on course area Beta sailing a trapezoidal course, separated by 3 minutes.

Race One started in perhaps the strongest wind of the weekend beating towards the club house, with the leaders emerging from the left. Kneller and Lucas were the first to fly their spinnaker down the first reach and closed the distance on the early leaders Cadwallader & Graham. These 2 boats were in close company until Kneller split tacks up the third beat and headed right, easily crossing for a lead he held to the finish.

The fleet was closely bunched at the windward mark for Race 2 and there was little room for a port tack approach into the mark. Kneller took penalty turns here, letting the pairing from Bewl, Hogben & Morgan into the lead. The bottom reach of the trapezoid had tightened up and Hogben & Morgan didn't fly their kite. Cadwallader & Graham accepted the challenge, sailing under them and out into the lead.

What turned out to be the final race of the day started in southerly. Cadwallader & Graham led throughout, followed by Kneller & Lucas. Up the third beat, a big black cloud was spotted to the right. This hit the fleet as the leaders were going down the top reach which was becoming broad. Cadwallader & Graham gybed straight away into the new breeze which had swung to a freezing cold Northerly, but Kneller was caught low and had to tack to make the mark, letting the chasing fleet through. Hogben & Morgan finished 2nd with Kneller & Lucas recovering to 3rd.

Flying 15s at the Ovington Inlands - photo © Tim Olin / www.olinphoto.co.uk

Sunday dawned sunny and chilly, with the Ovington fleets sharing course Beta with the club fleets, starting at 2 minute intervals. This resulted in a more crowded race track. The nut on the end of the tiller failed on class chairman, Tim O'Brian's yacht. Only swift action by the class grandees saved the rudder dropping out of the boat.

Those boats who managed to get on port tack early led Race 4. Mark Watson sailing with 15 leg end 'Riggy' pushed Cadwallader & Graham hard up the second beat, but their challenge faded as they were caught on the wrong side of a left shift. Les Rant & Susie Sontag were showing just how competitive a well sailed older Ovington can be, finishing 3rd behind Lucas & Kneller.

Race 5 was very tight. Watson & Riggy led Kneller & Lucas with the fleet closely bunched behind. John Hanson & Helen Selden climbed up to 2nd and were very unlucky to loose it at the final leeward mark avoiding Ben Falat in his OK who had dropped his main and capsized to windward. This left the door open for Watson & Riggy to claim 2nd behind Kneller.

Cadwallader & Graham won the final race and the Open using a P&B powered Alto Rig with a full main & medium jib. Hanson & Selden had another good race in 2nd and Hogben & Morgan in 3rd.

Thanks to all the volunteers from Grafham and Ovington Boats for making this a good event, let's bring more boats next year.

Overall Results: