Collisters Dominant at Port St Mary
Report by Mick Kneale
In contrast to the previous two weekends, the first of the November series of dinghy races at Port St Mary took place in a light and fickle SSW breeze and flat calm sea on Sunday morning (4th November). Five degrees warmer and it could have been a summer’s day!
Conditions allowed a decent course to be laid inside the Carrick with the start line at biscuit-toss from Carthure Perch. The eight boats included a welcome three ‘new’ entrants – if we ever get everyone out at the same time, the fleet could be near twenty.
Race one over a ‘P’ course gave the assymetrics a chance to show their reaching pace. Mike Wilson and Jason Corlett led on the water sailing the RS400, closely chased by the RS200s of Russell and June Collister and Andrew and Katie Dean. Simon Pressly sailing his Laser Standard for the first time in the winter series was on the pace and regular entrant Ben Swindlehurst managed to keep his Laser Radial moving in the light airs. The two Dans, Roberts and Boyes, on the Fireball have yet to sort out all the string as do the Cope brothers in their classic Scorpion. The Copes got the spinnaker up and flying properly, at last, but seemed to have the devil’s own job getting it down. Paul Hansford, a regular 1720 sailor in Douglas, no doubt found the Laser 3000 rather tiny in comparison.
Island dinghy champions for the last six years, Russell and June, made almost no mistakes to win, followed closely by the Deans in the other RS200, with the Wilson/Corlett partnership finishing third.
A shorter windward/leeward course for race two got off to a good start with everyone less than a boat-length off the line. Russell and Ben were half a length over but smartly gybed round the pin to re-start with hardly a three seconds lost – very slick.
The race was finished on lap four, the win again going to the canny and consistent Collisters, runner-up again the Deans and Simon Pressly improved on fourth in race one to third this time. Interesting to note that the ‘Douglas’ sailors still haven’t learned there is no such thing as a hook finish, costing each of them several seconds in this race.
Race Officers were Kneale and Dowling, with the Hills in the rescue boat, which this week had no crashes to attend. Regular RO Pete Hinds had taken daughter Ali across to Rutland to sail in a big Laser event – and there wasn’t much wind there either we understand.
Race 1
- Collisters
- Deans
- Wilson/Corlett
- Simon Pressly
- Ben Swin
- Paul Hansford
- Boyes/Roberts
- Copes
Race 2
- Collisters
- Deans
- Simon Pressly
- Ben Swin
- Wilson/Corlett
- Roberts/Boyes
- Copes
- Paul Hansford