Seasalter Sailing Club

Affiliated Club

Hosted by:

CATAPULT CLASS ASSOCIATION

SEASALTER GRAND PRIX 4

17 & 18 May 2003

If you missed the Seasalter Grand Prix event you missed a real treat! The event was held in conjunction with the Shearwater fleet. The Club excelled themselves in their hospitality as always – they are so welcoming and friendly. All meals were catered for by Lesley’s superb home cooked food, from full breakfasts through to homemade soup, sandwiches, cakes and biscuits for lunch time, and a good evening meal. Entertainment was provided in the evening by a guitarist/singer who entertained with music from the 50/60/70s era. All who attended had a great time.

Enough of the social side, perhaps you would like to hear about the sailing? Six Catapults attended during a weekend of heavy SW winds and reasonable sea state. A large triangular course was set using a boat start, Catapults going 5 minutes after a 10-strong Shearwater fleet. The line was slightly biased to port but considering the tide gave an almost perfect course for a starboard start. Catapults managed an almost text book start in winds force 5 to 6 and at the first tack Alex Montgomery and Paul Ellis had a lead over Cliff Antill and Lance Stevens with Alastair Forrest and Fred Woodley dicing at the rear. These positions were held with Alex and Paul taking a commanding lead at the end of 2 triangles and 2 sausages, Alastair finally getting the better of Fred.

For race 2 the wind was increasing to force 7 over a 3 to 4ft long wave. The wind had now backed to make the line impossible to cross on starboard and all but Lance tacked onto port to cross the line, Lance going into irons and being last across the line by some time. Alex took the lead over Cliff until the final run onto the leeward mark when a gust hit him causing him to capsize. However, a quick righting left him only just behind Cliff at the mark but a further problem with his mast let Cliff forge a good lead. However some bad tacks by Cliff and sterling reaching from Alex allowed him to take the lead and his second victory of the day. Meanwhile Lance capsized while trying to make up the lost time at the start, and Paul finding the conditions not to his liking was followed in by Alastair. Doug and Lorna Lang came along to meet the fleet and watch the racing and stayed to enjoy the evening meal.

Day 2 and everybody was consulting the wind speedometer, which was showing gusts of up to 39 mph. Only Fred decided not to go – he’s no fool – but by the time we reached the start line both Alex and Paul decided that discretion was the better part of valour and a solid vantage point on shore was best. The course was set smaller than the previous day but the same triangle and sausage. All started well with Cliff taking the freer line on his beat, only just avoiding Lance on his closer high beat. Lance kept Cliff honest around the whole of this race with only the faster beat allowing Cliff to gain, but not by much. Alastair had a spectacular pitch pole after the outer mark gybe and dangerously caught his ankle in the righting line. The boat had to be partially derigged and towed in.

>The last race was agreed as two triangles, two sausages and finish. Cliff and Lance being all that was left from the original fleet, Cliff got away and increased his lead to the end with a little help from Lance by virtue of a wish boom problem which meant that Lance had to fix the front strop whilst out at the leeward mark. This must have taken considerable willpower and strength in the wind conditions prevailing.

The race officers and safety crew again did a superb job and we thank the dedicated group of members of the Club for all the effort they put into this event.

Results: 1^st Cliff Antill 4^th Paul Ellis

2^nd Lance Stevens 5^th Alastair Forrest

3^rd Alex Montgomery 6^th Fred Woodley