A healthy fleet of catamarans turned up on the Tay on 3rd & 4th May, despite very mixed weather reports for the first Typhoon International Catamaran event of the year. A new Stealth and Spitfire appeared on the scene amongst the usual suspects of Hurricanes and Hobie Cats, with an A Class, Tornado, and Dart 18.
Saturday morning provided bright sunshine, flat water and a breeze ranging from Force 2-4 through the day. A windward leeward course was set, and Race one saw many overstep the windward mark with the strong tide. The long downwind leg saw all the place changes, as the fickle wind was never in the same place twice. The Spitfire of Chris & Valeri Browning climbed into the lead with the advantage of a third sail, and whilst the Hurricanes had the upper hand upwind, strengthened their position downwind to take line honours in front of Eddie and Jackie’s Tornado. The wind built for Race two to a strong Force 4+ on flat water. Alistair Dickson & Maggie King capitalised on the breeze to win on their Hobie 16. Race three saw a wind shift that led to the windward leeward course deteriorate to a reaching course. The new Stealth of Peter & Josh Crawley rounded the Leeward mark in second place behind the Spitfire. The reach became tighter allowing the Hurricanes and Tornado to power into the lead in the flat conditions. The race was won by the 2002 champions Hamish Ramsay & Stuart Buchanan.
Sunday provided very light winds after a promising start in Race 4, which was won by Oli & Val Ludlow on their Dart 18, with Alistair and Maggie in 3rd behind the Tornado. Race 5 was frustrating, with the fleet bunching at the winward mark, hanging against the tide for ten minutes before scraping round for a painful downwind leg against a strengthening tide. The race was anyones as the fleet bunched at the leeward mark and played a waiting game to get over the line against the tide. Eddie & Jackie crept over on the Tornado, 15 minutes ahead of the Kent brothers in 2nd. The Stealth made its most notable performance with a 4th.
The consistent Tornado took first place overall, winning the Typhoon prize of Alpha drytops. Second was the Browning’s Spitfire, followed by the 2002 champions Ramsay & Buchanan on their Hurricane 5.9.
Full results can be found on the SNECCA website at http://www.snecca.org.uk
Thanks go to Royal Tay Yacht Club for excellent event management as always.
The next event is at South Shields Sailing Club on the Tyne on 31st May / 1st June.