Results / Open Dalgety Bay SC - 02/09/2017

JP watersports RS200 Scottish tour Dalgety Bay Traveller Report from Peter Collings

The forecast promised sunny skies and balmy temperatures, and not even the Queensferry Crossing shenanigans could stop eight RS200s from travelling to Fife, in spite of the event coming hot on the heels of the Nationals.

The light wind thwarted any attempt at starting racing until after 3 o’clock, when a weak and variable breeze set in from the southeast, against a strong ebb tide. The first start saw many of the fleet struggle with the current, leading to some desperate manoeuvres to stay on the right side of the line. Josh Kerr and Fenella Corlett were the fastest away, and dealt best with a congested leeward mark rounding to build an unassailable lead ahead of Ronald Millar / Tor Millar and Andrew Corlett / Callum Forsyth, who finished second and third.

The breeze had built for the second race, and this time it was Martin Faulkner and Bill Forsyth who led the way, clearly enjoying the heavier conditions. Although my crew Ali and I tried our best to keep the pressure on, Martin managed to extend his lead, and Fiona Rigg Rigg and Helen Wightman showed superb downwind speed to pip us to second place.

Overnight, Josh and Fenella led the fleet, two points ahead of a chasing pack of me, Fiona Rigg, Andrew Corlett and Martin Faulkner, leaving everything open for the second day.

The wind may have been stronger, but it was no less shifty, a hefty right swing just before the start leading to a big starboard bias. Fiona and Helen called their layline perfectly, and never really looked in any danger from then on, building up a big lead over Ali and myself in second. Martin Faulkner was third.

Starboard biases were to be a theme of the day. In the second race Ali and I managed to win the committee boat end, and opened up a comfortable gap as the boats behind fought it out among themselves. Ronald Millar was second, Fiona third.

The next race again saw a crowded starboard end, an X flag and several boats having to dive back to recross the line. When the smoke had cleared Fiona and Helen were once more leading the race, and held the lead until the finish on a course skewed by a large wind shift, even taking in an entire victory lap as everyone else finished.

Going into the last race Fiona and Helen had a one point lead over me and Ali. Ronald and Tor Millar were a further four points behind. The breeze had now built enough for planing offwind and Josh Kerr and Ronald Miller were the first two boats home. Ali and I ended up behind them in third, but Fiona and Helen’s fourth place meant that they took the event on countback. Charlie Nunn and Ashleigh Brown showed some flashes of speed downwind with their new light weight pairing. 

After a slightly sketchy recovery due to a capsized Musto Skiff on the slipway, everyone was packed away in time for a convenient downpour to wash the salt from the boats. Great racing, and a fantastic first event for my first in 200s. It definitely won’t be my last!