Good Friday traditionally sees the One-Designs starting their summer season. Seven boats rigged up but disappointingly the paucity of wind put paid to actually racing and so most were towed back to their moorings in the harbour.
After the disappointing lack of wind on Good Friday, a steady 10 knots from the SSE brought 6 One-Designs to the start line on Easter Saturday. Starting at Footprint gave Tara as a good windward mark, with most of the fleet choosing to remain on starboard, and only D Orange helming No 9 heading inshore on port to seek less foul tide. In fact it was Xander Shaw in No 6 who led at the windward mark, but then No 9 broke out the first spinnaker seen on a BOD for many years!
With Sunday's race clashing with the traditional Easter Sunday lunch, there were only four boats wanting to race. A few minutes before they began rigging, the visibility outside the harbour reduced as a mist blew in from the East. Having briefed everyone not to sail any further a field than Nainby, the ROs (Mike & Rosie) took Sea Breeze out to see whether racing was possible.
In the event the visibility was better than expected, so a inshore course was signalled - from # to E, N, # twice round. Starting 5 minutes ahead of the programmed time as all four boats were ready go.
With the forecast for Monday afternoon looking pretty grim (SW F7) the general view, supported by the ROs was to fly N over A and do something else!
In the event a wise decision as although the rain stopped by lunchtime it was blowing too hard for even the One-Designs with storm sails. So with just Saturday and Sunday's four races to count, the winner of the Oppenheim Trophy was No 6 with 6.25 points followed by No 8 with 10.75; third equal were Nos 2 and 9 with 12 points. Helms were Xander Shaw (6) Stephan Ludwig (8) Martin Bonham (2) and D Orange (9)
No racing over the next two weekends, and then its the early May Bank Holiday when racing will be for the Woodruff Bowl.
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