One intrepid D-Zero sailor made his way down to Castle Cove SC for the Weymouth dinghy regatta. Conditions were decidedly fruity but he sailed both days. There should have been 2 but sadly the other sailor had transport related issues and could not get there.
Windy conditions for the Weymouth Dinghy Regatta Photo Copyright Richard White
Graham Cooper GBR 174 reports:
Weymouth regatta July 2015 sailing from Castle Cove SC, day 1.
My previous club and home town, good to be back, feels like I’m on holiday this time. Sun, wind, fast handicap fleet racing on PY. This event clashes with a class event at Clevedon and I’m the only D-Zero racing at Weymouth. Still it’ll be interesting to see how the boat performs on large sea course.
CCSC do a good breakfast. 1/2 h downwind to course in bay, near Ringstead. Beware many large jelly fish approx 0.5m diameter. The D-Zero felt quick off wind, foils singing! I’m the only s/hander in fast fleet of mainly merlin rockets and scorpions. Trapezoidal course and long beats across bay, envious of double-handers!
Race 1 started at 1pm and felt good, mixing with the fleet and making gains off wind. Completed lap 2 after 40 minutes but RO doesn’t finish us until 3 laps which took me 1h 5m in the increasing wind…too long for me!
Race 2 I’m around 30s late to start due to control line undone, wind increasing and sailing more difficult. All sail controls on hard now, just easing a little kicker downwind. Short sharp waves result in water over deck upwind and down but boat stable and no capsizes. Had to remember to keep flicking the main sheet forwards otherwise swept out by the water over bow.
Working hard on the reach. Photo Copyright Richard White
Wind increases further during race 3, now difficult to get downwind. Tried going higher and lower downwind: higher was very fast but poor vmg and ‘rolly’, lower was sailing by the lee with kicker eased which was more stable most of the time but difficult to avoid burying nose into backs of waves. First capsize happens and boat turtles. I righted it by climbing over stern (I’m too short to reach dagger board), rolling boat so rig rises into the wind then haul myself in. Tired after this and lost a couple of minutes. Decided to finish racing for the day, several miles beat back to CCSC, hard work and the chop seemed worse in the harbour. My backs hurting now. Wish I had the blue sail for this event. On shore I learnt that the Phantoms were also finding it difficult off wind in the chop, some relief that it’s not just me. Ideal Contender conditions though.
I checked the Portland Harbour wind history: 20 to 30 knots during the afternoon, no wonder I was struggling at 74kg! Forecast is for more of the same tomorrow, perhaps stronger. If so then I’m not going racing!
Weymouth 2015 Regatta day 2.
Racing moved to the harbour today without the short sharp waves, so more manageable than yesterday. The D-Zero was ‘flying’ off wind in the 20 knots breeze. I was sailing with Scorpions, also handicapped at 1040, and whilst I struggled to stay with them upwind, I caught up offwind. Glad I did day 2 now. I think that the blue sail would have been quicker around the course for me at 74kg because, despite all controls on full, I couldn’t avoid the 8sq.m sail flogging up wind.
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