AM: Tamar Memorial Trophy 9

The forecast was for rain and tremendous winds with even more tremendous gusts. Much of 
the sailing club stayed at home but the four stalwarts who took to the water found that, as 
often with southerly winds at Tamar Lake, the worst seemed to shoot over, leaving a very 
unsettled but sailable series of blasts on the water. The Officers of the Day, Robin and Linda 
Spiller, set five laps of a short course that would keep the competitors reasonably close to the 
safety boat. James Pollard, cautious in a Laser 4.7, was first away with Bob Sampson, equally 
timid, second. Nathan Pollard, with a towering Radial sail on his Laser, followed and the 
Solo, with its massive 8.7 square metres of sail, was last. The situation changed as they 
bunched at the first buoy, Dam Green. Bob and James forgot that Dam Red had to be rounded 
before they could run up the Lake and lost a few metres to Nathan and Adam Hilton (Solo). 
Nathan led and then extended his lead on the beat back towards the Dam with Adam losing 
ground and Bob gaining. James responded with a finely judged set of tacks which took him to 
second place at the Dam. The Solo's big sail pulled the boat up the order each lap on the run 
from Dam Red to Middle and all competitors planed at great speed across the middle of the 
Lake from West to Inlet. On the fourth lap Adam overtook James at West only to get 
overwhelmed by a gust then stuck in irons and, while recovering, ignore the need to round 
Zebra. He was disqualified. On the last lap Nathan was held up by fickle winds while at Dam 
Green and James also struggled giving Bob the chance to overtake him.

Results:

1.       Bob Sampson (Laser 4.7) 
2.       James Pollard (Laser 4.7)
3.       Nathan Pollard (Laser Radial)
Adam Hilton (Solo) dsq
 
PM: Ladies/Gents/Junior/Gosling Cups 6

The winds had dropped appreciably but there were still vicious gusts, one of which capsized 
Adam Hilton ten seconds before the start. Sue Murray (Laser 4.7) had joined the fleet and was 
first away and round the two Dam buoys, but by the time they were reaching from West to 
Inlet Bob Sampson, now sporting a full-sized sail, had got himself a lead which was never 
challenged. He finished seven minutes in front. The other Lasers followed in order of sail 
size. On lap 2, Sue's tack took her close to Nathan and in the run from the Dam to Middle the 
three boats behind Bob were abreast with the Solo eventually pulling away enough to round 
Middle in second place with Nathan third and Sue fourth. The pattern continued; whoever 
made the fewest and most judicious tacks up the Lake put him or herself in a good position 
for the run up the Lake in which the size of the sail was more important than the skill of the 
sailor. Nathan overtook Adam in this way on lap 3 and just held on; the two finishing 
eighteen seconds apart. Sue was a couple of minutes behind. The handicap tossed everything 
up in the air; Bob's and Nathan's bigger sails counting against them and the Solo's 
advantageous handicap giving it the win.

Results:
 
1.       Adam Hilton (Solo)
2.       Sue Murray (Laser4.7)
3.       Bob Sampson (Laser)
4.        Nathan Pollard (Laser Radial)
 
Grateful thanks were given to Robin and Linda Spiller for officiating and to Mandy Pollard 
for photos.