Report by Mick Kneale, Sunday 25^th November 2007

Nine dinghies braved the fresh WNW breeze in Bay ny Carrickey, sailing the final races in the Isle of Man YC November Series last Sunday. The wind chill factor was numbing, even for the one boat that did manage to remain upright.

Race one, over a P course, started near the Carrick with a three-quarter mile beat to the first mark near Carthure Perch. Russell and June Collister, sailing their RS200 led the fleet from the clearly favoured pin-end, pursued by the two Lasers of Simon Pressly and Mike Pridham. Andrew and Katie Dean in the other RS200 had capsized just before the start and trailed the leading trio. This week, four Radials entered, Ali Hinds, Ben Swindlehusrt, Chris Hill and Jim Whitelegg and, John Dowling forsook his faithful Wayfarer and sailed a Pico. It's official: RS200s are twice the speed of Picos— Russell's average lap time in this race was 12 minutes, the Pico, 24 minutes. Thank goodness for the average lap system.
Chris Hill and Jim Whitelegg retired during the first round – conditions were tough, things were breaking and an early shower beckoned.
Russell and June capsized on the last lap at the start-gate gybe mark, spending a couple of minutes upside-down but, had built up such a handsome lead, they still won the race by just under two minutes from Mike Pridham, who just got his nose ahead of Simon Pressly by a sharper rounding of the very last leeward mark.

For race two the course was changed to a windward-leeward. Like the previous week, the second start was much better, everyone crossing the line within two seconds of the gun. Russell and June again led the way, this time with Andrew and Katie within striking distance. The Collisters however made no mistakes, allowing the Deans no chance to pass. Ben Swindlehurst decided enough was enough on lap one and headed ashore to thaw out. Simon Pressly stuck it out a bit longer, retiring on lap three.

Race officers were Pete Barlow and Mick Kneale, the safety-boat this week manned by Phil Adams and Robert Floate.

Results

Although the trophy was presented to Andrew Dean after racing, the Wilson Cup for the November series was really won by Russell and June Collister. After the eight races they were on equal 19 points to Andrew and Katie Dean, the Collisters taking the title with five first places compared to the Dean's two. That will teach me to do the sums in too much of a hurry, out in the RIB with the pages flapping about and my eyes frozen over! Seventeen different entrants sailed in this series — a quite satisfying response for this, the first time the club has tried to run winter sailing in the bay. A December series is scheduled, with the last race on Sunday 23^rd. Nice to see the new, hip, PJ Hinds back on his normal bar stool in Force-10 corner already — orange-juice only, of course. OJ Hinds has a ring to it, don't you think?

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