Streaker Open at Ouse Amateur Sailing Club

Ouse Amateur Sailing Club Streaker Open © R J Pope

Five visitors and four home boats went to the start line for the first start.

On a restricted water like ours the start is very important, and from a clean start the fleet headed south on a dead beat. After the first mark there was a broad reach and then another beat to the 'true' windward mark, then a run, beat and run to the final mark of the course and back to the line. Most coped with this well in the 8 gusting 22 mph winds, although one or two succumbed to the effects of letting off too much kicker downwind. By the end of the first lap Ian Gore had established a clear lead which he only stretched out over the rest of the race to finish in time for an early lunch. Tim Harris held on well with a broken horse (on his brand new boat!) to finish third behind Ian Bradley by the merest whisker. Elsewhere in the fleet there were much boat-on-boat action, with everyone agreeing the wind had provided excellent racing.

After a hearty lunch the gusts seemed far gentler, and race two saw another clean start, with Ian Bradley and Ian Gore getting clear of the pack on the same course as race one, whilst behind them Neil Dyer, Tim Harris and Paul Bloom vied for third place, with Neil taking the third.

The third race followed swiftly on the heels of the second but the start was much more confused, with several boats being over the line. Most returned promptly and restarted but Tim Harris made it almost to the first windward mark before the message could be passed on. He gamely returned and then made some progress through the fleet but only managed to finish 7th. Meanwhile, the fleet was led by Neil Dyer until he sailed downwind to the wrong mark, despite friendly hails which unfortunately he didn't hear dropped him back to third. Ian Bradley led the fleet for most of the race until canny sailing by Ian Gore put him back to second, which positions held until the finish.

Overall Results: