Restronguet Club Racing report

The Firefly Full Fleet Day was a great success with ten boats racing. A mixture of illnesses and family commitments prevented some of the fleet getting afloat this time; you were missed but we look forward to seeing you for the frostbite series which looks like it is going to be well attended again this year.

The first race was sailed in very light conditions with winds swinging all over the place, from the South to the NW! Peter & Dawn in Bubble II showed us all the way around the first lap, with Alan Hulbert not far behind in Cyclone and stretching a massive lead on the rest of the fleet. This gave them a superb vantage point to watch the entire fleet pass them on the second beat as their wind died and the order of the fleet reversed. A battle royal emerged between the first 3 boats to the finish as the reach turned into a beat. Ryan and Zoe, sailing the Slater’s Vindaloo, squeaked past both Dave & Betty and Liz & Robin to win the race in that order.

A more consistent light breeze filled in from the SW for race 2. The committee boat end of the line was jam-packed with Fs, but it was Ryan & Zoe who took off low and fast to the leeward of the fleet who eked out the first lead. Boats that stayed on starboard up the beat found a slim lee-bow in the strong tide, while boats that tacked onto port sat in the tide going in the wrong direction. Ben & Nikki caught a whiff of Vindaloo at the top of the beat, passing them on the first reach while vindaloo spun 360 for hitting the mark. Liz, with Robin Laney crewing, showed her speed and dexterity in the light airs to climb from 9^th to 4^th through the consecutive beats. The Lumby’s in Kong stretched a big lead by the finish with Ryan & Zoe and Peter & Dawn battling down the final leg to finish neck and neck, but we believe with Vindaloo a nose ahead.

 Congratulations to Ryan & Zoe, clear winners of the Full Fleet Trophy. They were superbly consistent, making the best of the difficult conditions in both races. It was great to see them back in a Firefly and a few seasons in asymmetrics clearly hasn’t done any harm!

 Castaways provided an excellent supper and venue for the presentation of the Full Fleet Trophy – an original Lamorna Penrose painting – and other more novelty prizes…