Hugh's September Weekend!!

As it says!- for a full report of this exciting Weekend click the link Here.

Duncan's Challenger Regatta 20th Anniversary 2008

This was held on the weekend of 23rd and 24th August and saw a bit of a change from previous years. The number of races were cut back to four to allow for all the extra events and celebrations on Sunday. Lots of volunteers turned out to help make this a fantastic success and the colourful celebrations on the Sunday afternoon ( including Piper and Sailpast for the Commodore) were blessed with good weather and sunshine. The sailing was pretty good too and I managed to, not only, avoid coming last in the helpers race but also beat the 2 McLean's as well as pipping another boat on the line to finish 4th!
Many thanks to John Heron and his team for such a great weekend!

A fantastic set of photos from Derek McLean in a Photo Gallery here gives you all the action as well as a video clip from JMcP linked below.
watch video on YouTube here

Junior Regatta 16th August 2008

The Junior Regatta was held on Saturday 16th August in excellent sailing conditions - light to moderate easterlies and NO RAIN !! 38 competitors came to sail in two classes, Optimists and general handicap. Summer school instructors were enlisted as ballast for the larger boats such as Laser 2Ks. Two races before lunch, the second one in testing conditions and one race after allowed for one race to be discarded. Alistair Angus, the race officer, led those who had not taken part in a regatta before sympathetically through the routines of regatta racing and developed confidence and enjoyment over the day as evidenced by their smiling faces. David Whyte, the Captain, gave a inspirational thanks to all sailors at the end of the prizegiving.



Many thanks go to the race officer, Alistair Angus, Helen Kirk, all of the summer school instructors, the 'diner gals', parents, and all who supported the competitors. All those present knew that this had been a really great event!  See all the action in the Photo Gallery here and also the video clip below by Iain Hill. Iain tells me that he has other clips which he will compile and show at the Club AGM in November.

Results:-

Optimists

1 Ross Allen

2 Hamish Taylor

3 Emma Rollings

4 Alistair Meldrum

5 Ruaraidh Meldrum

Handicap

1 Ross Deacon/Andrew Crockett/Ben Thornton

2 Lindsay Kerr

3 Greg Watson

4 Andrew Tait/ Liam Johnson

5 Sophie Taylor

Ali Hill
PS- Funday Sunday on September 7th!!!

Loch Lomond trip June 2008

June 14th & 15th saw a dozen CCC Bardowie members enjoying a weekend sailing on Loch Lomond, organised by John McGruer.  The Loch Lomond Sailing Club generously allowed us to use their facilities, so we launched from their slip north of Balmaha and left the boats there overnight.  We took three laser 2000s, a privately owned Laser Bahia, and RIB98.

Saturday started with gentle north-westerly winds and sunshine, and we headed up the loch past Cashel then across towards Luss.  Once out of the shelter of Inchlonaig the wind freshened and Luss appeared quite quickly. We then turned south amongst the islands and landed on Inchmoan for lunch. Peter, not being content with sandwiches, had brought a barbecue and proceeded to offer burgers all round (after entertaining the rest of us by trying to wash sand off some dropped burgers in the loch).

After lunch the wind strengthened and we decided to practice gennaker sailing, broad reaching from Inchconnachan to Millarochy bay and beating back.  Ian Buchan was very keen to try the big red 'dustsheet' on Gary's Bahia so they set out first. Up went the kite and off went the dinghy in a flurry of spray.  Very soon after down came the kite again as they closed Bucinch at a rate of knots. The big red 'dustsheet' proved too exciting in the strengthening winds so that was its only outing on Saturday.  The three laser 2000s all enjoyed scary fast runs, with John McGruer's GPS recording 12 knots in the gusts.  All of the 2000s capsized at least once during the day.  The 'capsize with style' prize goes to George Ennis who demonstrated a new body surfing position.  He slipped while helming and went over the transom backwards, surfing on his back for several meters with his feet still in the boat.  Amazingly his two crew stayed dry as the dinghy capsized slowly and gracefully.  Overall it was good experience of fast asymmetric sailing on open water.  Returning to shore, we were invited to join the LLSC cheese and wine party to round off a great day.

Sunday proved to be a much gentler day with sunshine and light winds.  We sailed down to InchMurrin and back, passing through Hells Gate in both directions. With gentle northwest winds, this narrow passage did not cause any concern and people were able to get a good look at the bus-sized rock that sits just below the water in the middle of the channel.

The CCC participants on the weekend were Jackie Meldrum, Laura Cammidge, Anton Zhyzhyn, Bill Gray, Derek Anstee, Gary McMorrin, George Ennis, Ian Buchan, Ian Franklin, John Day, John McGruer, Nathan Taylor, Peter Knowles and Sam Torbet.  Thanks to everyone for a very enjoyable two days.

To see the Photo Gallery of the weekend click here. To see a GPS track of the weekend click here.

John McGruer

Funday Sunday 1st June 2008

The first Funday was held on Sunday June 1st The event was well attended with twelve youngsters arriving to enjoy what started as a pleasant dry day with gentle breezes.The youngsters practised basic sailing skills before the conditions made further on water activities less desirable.We hope to break the weather mould on 6th July at the next Funday Sunday!

Ali (Hill)

The Bell Lawrie Sailing Series 2008

    Whaooo, what a weekend of Sailing, Sunshine, and Shwind.

     The sailing was great:- Day one commenced with a race from Kip to Tarbert with a brisk and breezy start. We fairly legged it from Kip to Garroch Head, with some  boats having a difficult time in the gusty conditions. On board we were having tea and biscuits watching the scene. behind us.

    Once we rounded Garroch Head, the wind dropped back and we, all 32.5 Tonnes and 60 ft (Challenger) slowed and the rest is history.With a handicap of .25, we would have to start racing at least 15 minutes before everyone else to get into the top 5 in our class (CYCA Restricted Sail Class 9)

    Arriving in sun soaked Tarbert myself, (Hugh), Nathan, Aileen, Gary, Duncan and Craig Forbes along with a selection of Volunteers from CSTT (Clyde Sail Training Trust), clydesailtraining.org.uk  We enjoyed a well earned rest.

    The rest of the week saw some exciting sailing in company, with a great atmsphere and a bit of banter between boat crews.

     Listening in on the radio conversations, of the race officials, trying to set up the Course is very entertaining, as the wind was constantly changing it's direction.

    One of the best races, I feel was the race around Inchmarnock (off South end of Bute). With a beat along Loch Fyne towards Arran, the wind was about F5 from the start Sailing round the back of the Island was brisk and confused  as the wind seemed to rise over Bute, and with all the other fleets around there was constant shouts from and to other boats as we and they passed each other.

    Once round the Island, the wind fairly tossed the smaller boats around as they got their spinnakers up, and at times one or two had some trouble keeping the boat going in a straight line.

    On the run along the Coast we had a tussle with Cuchulainn, she was catching us up on the windward side , when we saw ahead in the water on her bow a line of bouys from the nearby fish farm, when cuchulainn (she is also one to keep clear of as her crew throw water bombs  had to change her direction very quickly to avoid the obstruction, and also  put her behind us ). a similar incident happened to other boats who were unable to take avoiding action.

    We then sailed on to cross Lochfyne and  come in a healthy 5th in our class. Handicap. .25 no chance (oh but to dream)

As we approached Tarbert, there was a pod of Dolphins dancing about the fleet, as we entered the bay and to a well deserved drink.

Hugh