OK so it wasn’t a perfect evening, but beggars can’t always be choosers!
At 6pm things didn’t look too good. It was raining heavily, the wind! (Ok light breeze), decided that it was getting wet and left the lake!
Those with a negative outlook on life decided that the clubhouse had an attraction that they had inadvertently never noticed before. These included a Gascoyne , Friar Tuck , Maid Maryann and our much revered Commodore. Various excuses came forth, which varied from ‘I can’t be bothered’ to ‘missing internal organs’!
The rest of us noticed the sky brightening and with the departure of the rain clouds the wind returned to our shores (OK, OK Light breeze then!)
The course was set – a triangular Beef burger with a sausage thrown in for good measure.
13 Brave souls headed for the start line, with Eeyore two sulking slightly as it was his turn to ride the white whale. Sig was the other recipient on a white mammal and was seen arming his animal with various missiles; torpedo tubes were filled with something nasty. Sig was going Tiffen bashing!
The start saw Helium Mike fly off up front, as did David T and Windy Miller with Geoff Gray (sporting a legal sail this week) in hot pursuit. Why is it always the good guys that get such a good start? I guess it’s because the rest of us are crap!
Mr Boulter decided on the Starboard route and appeared to have everything in hand until the whole fleet shouted at him. This caused a major panic and threw his start procedure right out the door, to such an extent that he never actually started.
The rest sort of crossed the start line together. Eeyore 2 in the shape of Phil led the pursuing gang with his wife and yours truly bringing up the rear.
It was soon obvious that Mike didn’t want anything to do with the rest of us as he disappeared into the distance (there is a movement afoot that he should do an extra lap each week, preferably backwards. Please sign the petition at the end of this article)
The fleet began to spread out a bit. The battle for second place was hotting up, with Geoff gradually clawing out a lead on his rivals.
Further back Sig was in full battle cry (using terms you will never find in any racing rules) His mangonel was being put to full use as he lobbed missiles at a passing Tiffen and made several attempts at boarding when he got close enough.
Jo was going well, having borrowed a spot of Helium from Mike to give her a bit of a lift. While the backmarkers at the start, Annette and Eeyore 1 were beginning to move up though the fleet as the laps went by. The sausage was causing a few problems for some, Mark Maryan decided to go straight for another triangular Burger and ignore the sausage all together. This cost him a few places until he realised his mistake.
Time passed by as did the laps. At the start of the last lap a small spot could be seen on the horizon, some said it was Helium Mike, I’m afraid I had forgotten my binoculars so I really couldn’t say. The pursuing bunch of Bean pole Geoff , old Windy and Big boy T were still battling it out. Eeyore 2’s whale apparently went on strike on the last beat and refused to play anymore, and the rest of the fleet rolled by as Basil Young was seen flogging his whale to death with a large branch!
“I warned you, that was your last chance, now I’m going to give you a sound thrashing”!!!!
I just shook my head as I passed.
The last leg saw poor Windy totally lose it, as at the penultimate mark, he decided to attempt a bit of freestyle, with a quick but somewhat disastrous helitack.
The finish line finally beckoned. Mike had already put all his kit away and was drinking coffee when Geoff finally crossed the line in second. David had consolidated third place just, nervously looking over his shoulder as a father got ever nearer. Fourth place was up for grabs as Sig, windy Miller and Eeyore one ran down on the final leg. But Sig had not reckoned on an unprovoked attack from the Miller that promptly flattened both of them.
Sig recovered sufficiently to take 5th, while Annette beat Jo her rival to take 6th. Free styling Miller finally came home in 7th with Jo in 8th. A chastened Whale arrived next being flogged over the line by a dispirited Eeyore 2. Mark Maryan came next having resumed the correct course, with Simon still trying to work out this long board business wandered in 11th. Mike Sapsard had spent the week writing out race procedures for Team 15, apparently he never absorbed any of it as he cruised in at the back(pity really)
Helium Mike does one extra lap...................................................
Helium Mike does one extra lap backwards ...................................
TICK AS APPROPIATE
Tony
