Cherub Inland Championship at Queen Mary Sailing Club

Launching on Sunday during the Cherub Inlands at Queen Mary © Jimmy Ruddiman

Seven Cherubs made their way to Queen Mary in London for some sailing, trialling the new Great Lakes handicaps; 970 for 97 rules, 903 for current rules and 750 for foiling Cherubs, but first the rugby... well that was a shame.

Saturday was rather fruity with gusts of 45+ knots recorded on the club odometer. The Race Office made the brave, but wise decision to abandoned all racing, but with the provision of bringing Sunday racing forward and increasing the number of races to 4.

Decisions were made to head off to the ice skating ring, great fun with those with the skills showing them off and those that were rusty getting in the way of everyone.

Ice skating on Saturday during the Cherub Inlands at Queen Mary - photo © Jimmy Ruddiman

Andy and Jill were as usual excellent hosts for the fleet, a guided tour of some Sunbury-On-Thames pubs and a fine Italian dinner were the order of the evening before retiring to the house for many, many Dark 'N' Stormies.

Sunday heralded a bright, brisk and breeze-free morning. Not exactly what was planned? Racing started early yet still on time.

Race 1: All boats pushing the line with many loosing and 3 winning. Poppy, Usagi and King Tubby rolled away upwind with light and shifty wind causing many, if not all to lose out at some point. Poppy probably losing out the most hitting out left with Usagi who managed to hold her speed and height with Poppy losing all speed despite only being 2 boat lengths away; so much so that King Tubby got passed allowing for some epic tactical decisions for the downwind leg to the line allowing Poppy to roll king tubby with a few boat lengths to go, but Tubby had the last laugh as the handicap allowed them to come 2nd after Usagi. EJ had to retire early due to a fully wrongly rigged kite so we're seen blasting through the course at times.

Race 2: Poppy pulled a fast one with a port end flyer. Usagi allowed her through but having to avoid King Tubby. Rumours are King Tubby held the fleet off on the left hand side while Poppy snuck up the right, but with Andy Peters being who he is (maybe Jill is the brains?) Usagi got passed with King Tubby in hot pursuit. Also passing, funnily enough at about the same place as race one. EJ's bad luck continued as they had to head home early after a cringle in the head of their main pulled out.

Race 3: a delayed start as a front came in, the wind swung and picked up. A&E so far has been in submarine mode. But with the added wind she really went like a horse with some ginger rubbed somewhere. During the wait the temperature dropped, the barometer was getting low. The Flying Kipper fended off Poppy at the start but managed to squeeze inside of the committee boat, Usagi covered the whole fleet, Ronin getting fully stuck in with King Tubby being covered before tacking off. The front had left so we were back to sub 10 knots. A&E was back to submarine mode so didn't play a big part in the race.

Race 4: With the temperature drop before race 3, Ronin, Poppy and the Flying Kipper called it a day and headed in using up their discards. Hot showers were amazing. King Tubby followed Usagi around the race course for 45 minutes.

Cherub Inlands at Queen Mary prize giving - photo © Jimmy Ruddiman

Overall Results: