LAST WEDNESDAY evening, race six from series two of Holy loch Sailing Club’s season took place after previously being rescheduled.
It was also a prize race for all fleets with the winners each receiving a bottle of wine.
The fleet launched in next to no wind, but by the time of the start gun a steady north-westerly breeze had developed, which stayed for the rest of the evening.
Results
Pipers: 1, – Tamarind (Andy Love, James Heggarty, David Bonner); 2, – Billie Piper (Iain Hurrel, Grame Murray); 3, – Stay Puff (Robert Towart, Caroline Clark, Charmaine Russel).
Flying Fifteens: 1, – More Mischieff (Chris and Marion Bowen); 2, – Woffle (Jim MacLean, Mr Iain); 3, – Effycacious (Tommy McGeachie).
White Sail: 1, – Sonata–Moonlight (Nigel Sciven, Derek Webber); 2, – J30–Judicious (Jim Hoey, Andrew Leech, Ralph Houston, Mandy Finfer).
Dinghies: 1, – Albacore–Bill is God (Fin Hurrel, James Russel)
Elsewhere, the Robert Love Regatta took place at the club. the regatta was inspired by piper sailor, Robert Love, who owned and restored Tom Piper after he took an interest in sailing at the Holy Loch Sailing Club.
Following his untimely death from a heart attack, his devoted family decided to remember him through sponsoring an end of season club regatta, and purchased a silver trophy inscribed with his name for annual competition within the local Piper fleet.
Not forgetting the other members, they also provided plaques to be competed for by the other classes sailing, and the event has become an established date on the sailing programme since 2006.
Three Pipers contested this seasons Regatta, comprising two races, interspersed by a magnificent lunch provided by the Love family and included Kenny Love, an honorary life member of the club, who was made a very popular return after moving away from the area to be closer to family in Stirlingshire.
Also competing in this class was Robert’s other brother, Andy, whose tardy start to the regatta was nevertheless rectified in short order by an excellent first round, which brought him back into contention with Iain Hurrel’s Billie–both boats benefitting from the brisk conditions.
However, the more experienced Billie team made full use of their lead to safeguard their position until the end of the race and give them the upper hand as they came ashore for lunch.
Wind conditions had ameliorated by the start of the afternoon race and this time it looked like fortune was going to smile on Andy Love’s Tamarind crew, as they marched into an early lead.
But at the start of the second round, Billie’s crew found themselves on the correct side of a major wind shift which they took full advantage of to snatch the lead again and, along with his loyal crew of Graeme Murray and Lorn Campbell, Ian Hurrel took the second race to secure the Robert Love Cup.
Sarah Love presented the trophy to the winning crew.
Results: 1, – Billie Piper (Ian Hurrel, Lorn Campbell, Graeme Murray); 2, – Tamarind (Andy Love, James Heggarty, David Bonner); 3, – Stay Puff (Robert Towart, Caroline Clark, Charmaine Russel).
Two flying fifteens also competed in the Robert Love Regatta, with Chris and Marion Bowen sailing More Mischieff revelling in the strong breeze, winning both races.
results: 1, – More Mischieff (Chris and Marion Bowen); 2, – Woffle (Jim MacLean, Mr Iain).
In the first white sail race, Jim Hoey in the J30 Judicious led the four boats up the beat to the Hafton mark, closely pursued by the Duncan Chalmers in UFO27 Aria and newcomers to the class, Fin Hurrel, Harris Munns, James Russel, Ross Noble in the J24 Mike Honcho.
All four learnt to sail through the Holy Loch Sailing Club cadet program which introduces youngster to the sport.
Nigel Scriven in the Sonata Moonlight was struggling with the wind as he was overpowered with a full sail plan, brought up the rear.
While Judicious stayed ahead to the finish, with the J24 following, it was Duncan Chalmers in Aria that won on corrected time, with Fin Hurrel second, and Moonlight third.
In the second race, the fleet headed out to Lazaretto on the first leg with the breeze faded leaving skippers puzzled what was going to happen next.
Forecasts had suggested the wind would build, so those that could unrolled their genoas to full sail and made for the mark, leaving Moonlight behind without enough canvas up and having to shake out the reef in their main.
Judicious just squeezed round the mark inside Atia, with the J24 Mike Honcho close behind.
Judicious made it down the run holding the lead, with the J24 ahead of Atia.
This order remained to the end, but on handicap first went to Atia, second to the J24, and third to Moonlight.
Results: 1, – UFO 27–Atia (Duncan Chalmers, Ali Marshall); 2, – J24–Mike Honcho (Fin Hurrel, Harris Munns, James Russel, Ross Noble); 3, – Sonata–Moonlight (Nigel Sciven, Derek Webber); 4, – J30–Judicious (Jim Hoey, Andrew Leech, Ralph Houston, Mandy Finfer).
The club wished to thank Bill and Andy in the race box, Alison, Tricia and Joyce in the galley, Sincy, Alastair, Kirsty and Tommy in the rescue safety patrol boat and all of the members and friends that supported the event.
