RC Laser open meeting at Fleetwood Model Yacht Club
by Tony Wilson 7 Oct 01:13 NZDT
29 September 2024
RC Laser open meeting at Fleetwood © Tony Wilson
The wind was blowing from the clubhouse direction for the ten RC Laser entries. It looked to be a stock 'B' rig all-dayer, but with the light patch at the entry point, a bit of extra sail cloth helps you get through the lulls.
For a lazy sail course, the club half of the lake was to be used, even though the top end of the lake had the best driving winds. The racing started with all 10 boats by the middle 2 yellow buoys, up to club corner, then across to the pump station and back to the middle number 4 buoy making a triangle. Finish by the bridge. Number 4 had drifted a little back during the previous week, creating an automatic slight bias for the start.
One lap wasn't enough, but good to get started. From then on we sailed two triangles, but using the near blue on the centre line for a bit of deviation on the second lap. 'A' rigs were used up until lunch for the 6 races, but were bordering the 'B' rig with a lot of dancing going on at the starting point.
The morning had seen some good racing with a few different skippers getting a win. Onto the afternoon and a sail size drop for all was called for with the slight increase in wind strength. Again a variety of places changing throughout the races and a couple of good results for our newer rookie Laser Skippers. Stuart managed a worthy third in one race and brother in law Robert wasn't usually that far behind him either.
It seems to be that we have a race within a race for the Johnson's, a bit of family rivalry and banter.
Most abide to doing their penalty turns if there's a collision between boats for the guilty party, but a small reminder that also includes for the start and finish buoys, especially with some of the carnage we had on the exciting starts.
Back to club racing at the end of the month and with the possibility of it being also another Open.
Results:
1 Tony Wilson 21pts
2 Terry Reed 30pts
3 Ian Sinclair 33pts