ALTHOUGH the wind conditions before the start bore no resemblance to those which ensued, Holy Loch Sailing Club race officer, Bill Aitchison, was well rewarded for his sixth sense and experience by choosing the best course possible–and even managed to bring all the boats home within the two and a half hour time limit.
In the piper class, buoyed by their Diamond Jubilee Regatta the previous weekend, six yachts contested the race. Much of the story matched the previous races in the series, with the Tom Piper team of Duncan Munro, Stuart Brown and Ali Gordon opening up a healthy lead early on which they held to the finish.
Alan Waugh, helming Leander, took up the cudgels of runner-up, and then Iain Hurrel’s Billie asserted her presence at the end of the second round. Tactical genius from Waugh on the final round pulled Leander back up to second but with the breeze ebbing worryingly toward the end of the race, Robert Towart’s Staypuff, which had spent the entire race at the back, came into her own and snatched the runners-up spot on the final leg. Further excitement in the closing stages was provided by two log ships leaving and entering the dock adjacent to the finish line along with their attendant pilot boats, creating an obstacle course for the tail Enders struggling to complete their race.
In the flying fifteen’s fleet, light and inconsistent winds created a dramatic start to the race, with fortunes varying widely among the competitors.
It was More Mischieff, sailed by Chris and Marion Bowen, that suffered the worst of the opening conditions. Trapped at the end of the start line in almost no wind, the crew found themselves being swept away by the tide faster than they could make progress towards the line.
Meanwhile, Tommy McGeachie in Efficacious discovered a favourable patch of breeze, allowing him to accelerate clear of the fleet and establish an early lead. Iain Sinclair aboard Good Moaning also benefited from the same welcome puff of wind, while Jim Maclean’s Woffle and Mr Iain made a promising start before their breeze disappeared.
At the first mark, Efficacious held the advantage, closely followed by Good Moaning and More Mischieff. However, on the beat from Graham’s Point to Holy Loch Marina, the wind strengthened, setting the stage for several changes of position. More Mischieff steadily worked through the fleet to take the lead, with Good Moaning moving into second and Efficacious dropping to third.
The breeze faded again during the second lap, but despite the lighter conditions, the order remained unchanged to the finish, giving More Mischieff a well-earned victory after recovering from a difficult start.
Elsewhere, the white sail competitors endured a frustrating wait for wind as the four boats attempted to start the race in almost flat calm conditions. With barely a breath of breeze, the majority of the fleet was still struggling to cross the start line when the flying fifteens began their race five minutes later.
At last, a light breeze filled in, allowing the race to get underway in earnest. Judicious made the most of the improving conditions to take an early lead, while Mike Honcho mounted a determined challenge throughout the race.
Despite chasing hard and keeping the pressure on until the finish, Mike Honcho was unable to overhaul Judicious. Even after the handicap times were applied, Judicious retained the advantage to claim a deserved victory following a race that demanded patience as much as skill.
Full results
Piper results
1, – Tom Piper (Duncan Munro, Stuart Brown, Ali Gordon); 2, – Stay Puff (Robert Towart, Caroline Clark, Charmaine Boyd); 3, – Billie Piper (Iain Hurrel, Graeme Murray, Sam Law); 4, – Talisker (Neil MacLaren, Ben, Joe, Alyssa); 5, – Leander (Alan Waugh, James Heggarty); 6, – Tamarind (Andy Love, David Bonnar, Kev)
Flying fifteens results
1, – More Mischieff (Chris Bowen, Marion Bowen); 2, – Good Moaning (Iain Sinclair); 3, – Efficacious (Tommy McGeachie); 4, – Woffle (Jim Maclean, Mr Iain)
White sail results
1, – Judicious J30 (Jim Hoey, Ralph Houston, Andrew Leech, Archie Munns, Oliver); 2, – Mike Honcho J24 (Fin Hurrel, Harris Munns); 3, – Moonlight Sonata (Nigel Scriven, Derek Webber, Chris Wilson); RTD, – Panache Sigma 33 (Neil Stewart, Maureen Steward, Fiona Ross, Denise Black).
