The F16 Circus put on a great performance at Datchet. 6 Stealths and 1 Blade were the main attraction accompanied by 4 'A Class' and 2 Hobie FX 1's. The first race got underway without the use of flags or a difinitive windward mark and the fleet soon split for various marks. This race was soon abandoned and we all set off again with the aid of flags. The wind was light, patchy and from various directions. Paul (Blade) took the first bullet closely follwed by 2 A's and Aaron (Stealth). I went to the right on the 2nd beat and lost many places. However, I soon cheered up when Nigel (Stealth) fell over during a Gybe and subsequently retired. I ended up 3rd from last only followed by the 2 Fx 1's. Race two and 2 A's went out for revenge finishing first and second. Aaron, Paul and I had a great battle with various place changes until we all came into the last leward gate together. Aaron had water but kissed the mark, Paul sailed over Aaron who dropped off to do his turns and I followed Pauls transomes but tacked off for clean wind. Luckily this paid off And I overtook Paul and Aaron on the beat and covered them on the run to finish 3rd overall. Race four was just as tricky as the previous races with three A's leading the way followed by Aaron, Paul, Dave, Nigel or Wayne I'm not quite sure of the correct order as I was recovering from an impromtu capsize at this time.
Sunday morning was met with zero wind and big hang-overs and as the wind gradually increased the other subsided and two races were held. Aaron and Wayne weren't around but Toby (Stealth) made a guest appearance. The two FX 1's had been scared off and didn't participate. At the start of the first race I was in irons and Paul had watch problems but at the Windward mark we had both managed to sail up to the front of the fleet Paul leading by less than a boat length. Paul and I stayed neck and neck during the next reach to the Gybe mark but Paul held on after passing the mark whilst I gybed which susequently put me into fourth place behind the A's. These positions didn't change untill the next downwind leg where I caught a few 'lucky' gusts and sailed through the A's to finish in 1st place. Unfortunately, Paul wasn't so lucky and he finished in 5th and Nigel robbed Dave to 6th. The last race was again very close between the A's and 16's but eventually Simon (A Class) pulled out a comfortable 100m lead, I was in 2nd place at the last leward mark but Colin (A Class) managed to squeeze past prior to the finishing line. Then Myself and Nigel (A Class) crossed but I wasn't given a finish as it appears that the other Nigel wasn't the only boat over the line at the start. Never mind
It's not just the winning
. At the end of the day I think everbody enjoyed the challenging conditions some of which were mother natures doing and others definately more self inflicted. The final top three almost official results were, Paul (Blade) and I (Stealth) joint 3rd and Nigel (A Class, German Flyer) and Colin ( A Class, Auz Flyer) joint 1st
Congrats to Sailwave!!!
Thanks for the report Mark - it sounds like you managed to have a pretty good time. I wish I'd been able to make it, but fatherly duties called.....
It was a very interesting weekend with some very close racing. It was especially interesting to see how close the As and F16s were. I lost count of the number of times we all piled into the downwind mark together (immediately followed by the As simply rounding up and heading off whilst I tied myself in knots in various bits of spinnaker rope...)
Mark was absolutely flying on the Sunday - I just couldn't get close. Yet more evidence for the theory that Mark sails best with a decent hangover <img src=
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Well done to Nigel and Colin on the As. And never let it be said that the Circus skimps on prizes. The circus was in town...
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Paul
I just love the fact that you guys are a group of mixed sailors. Meaning A-cat sailors, FX-one sailors and of course the F16's. Racing eachother first in wins. Great expression of inclusiveness.
I too have been happily surprised at how well the F16's and A's compare over these last two weeks. Both weekends I had club races. And despite obvious differences when going upwind and downwind, I managed to stay in close contact with the A's. In the first weekend, the A sailor would reach A-mark well ahead of me only to see my reach the gate before him again. Last week saw the winds die completely on the downwind leg but I was closing the gap to the leading A's. I finally decided after spending over an hour on the first lap that it was time for me to peddle the boat back in and get a beer. Of course a little later a very small breeze came in but by that time I had peddle some distance and disqualified myself by doing so.
For me personally it is great to see how the mathematical models for the F16 design is working out and that its prediction are more and more validated in real life. I can certainly say that the A's, F18's and F16's make a great combo on the race course. They are very equal in round the course performance making it nail biting for all involved sailors. I'm certain that the guy now sailing the A-cat and who was dominating the club races last year on his 15 sq. is being contested alot harder this year. Making the club races alot more enjoyable for him too.
It is great to see it picking up like that in different places now. Thinking about the boys in Florida, UK and here.
Wouter