BALA LONG DISTANCE RACE AND REGATTA

JULY 6/7 2002

Tegid Revisited

Lake Tegid is situated in the rather picturesque valley in the now devolved Wales. To you and I it is known as Lake Bala where this year 4 FDs gathered to joust with all comers from Wales and England in the 22 mile Bala SC long distance race for the second year in succession. The plan was also to compete in the club racing on the Sunday as part of the FD Travellers' series.

Report by Jamie Whitaker 

Over the weekend 6~7 of July, Julian & Cathy Bridges took me to Bala to sail with Peter Doran in the Bala long distance weekend. We arrived on the Friday evening and settled down in an excellent campsite for the night.

Come the morning we drove the whole 100 yards to the sailing club (boat in tow) to find all the other (5) intrepid FD sailors who had braved the Welsh weather to travel.

I was introduced to Peter and shown the boat. It was strangely different to Julian’s wooden machine. It had 2 floors, upside down genoa cleats and a fixed rudder (Yuk).

After rigging the boat and entering the regatta we awaited the briefing. The course was set. We were to go up the lake with a bit of a port rounded zigzag in the middle, and down again with the kite up and a different zigzag in the middle. We launched, put on that silly fixed rudder and sailed up wind up the lake.

Having missed the 5, 4 and 1 minute horns we sat just above the line and guessed that the start was imminent. I unleashed the genoa and Peter put us on the line. We were just below the committee boat and on top of one of those silly RS400s. The crew of that boat (quite sensibly) did not complain. I thought that there was plenty of room, as did Peter or he wouldn’t have put the boat there (would he?).

We set off up the beat looking back at the fleet. After a minute Julian & Cathy stretched their legs along with Toby & James, this left us to fight it out with Tony & Colin. After leading for most of the way up to the top of the lake we were overtaken 20 yards from the mark. The run back down the lake was uneventful except for a spinnaker drama on Tony’s boat which saw Colin crawling around the pulpit. The only puzzling thing was that when Tony, Colin, Peter & I were arriving at the leeward mark what do we see? Not the expected RS800 or RS700 but a flying fifteen. A flying fifteen. How had a flying fifteen stayed up with the FD’s he must have been cheating?

Among other dramas around the course the RS700 went for a very large wipe-out just behind me and Peter lots of yelling and swearing and fists beating the hull.

The race finished just at the right time. Just before I became exhausted, also just before that ruddy javelin came close enough to beat us on handicap.

That evening was spent in the club bar listening to many stories of foreign escapades in FD’s.

The food was excellent, especially the last piece of chocolate cake (sorry James). After being kicked out of the bar we walked back to the tents and slept.

The next morning (as all) did not start until I was fed. After eating and drinking we set off down the road to the club to get ready for the 3 hour pursuit which for us started 65½ minutes after the mirrors so we had 1hour 55minutes(ish) to overtake all the mirrors, flying fifteens, GP’s, Blazes, OK’s, Finns etc. and to keep the RS800 behind us for most of that time.

When time came to launch I discovered why fixed rudder should be banned. I found myself up to my neck in water with Peter attaching the rudder and having to make a water start using the trapeze handle. I was given 8/10 for artistic impression from James & Toby on the shore.

Our start was a good one and as Toby & James sailed over the horizon Julian & Cathy, Tony & Colin and Peter & I were left to fight it out for the remaining places. There were so many place changes between us and Tony & Colin that we lost count after the second lap. We seemed to have the edge on the upwind legs and they on the downwind ones. Julian & Cathy were sitting just behind the dogfight and waited until the wind began to drop. When it did they tried to sail through the both of us. The wind was levelling out, Toby & James seemed to be closer to us than before. However after having a good beat we had gained a lead on to the downwind leg that had been greater than before as the run finished and we hardened up on to the reach the wind picked up enough for a fun on the wire reach towards the last few Flying fifteens.

We got trapped under one of them for a little while, Tony & Colin caught up a scary amount. However we managed to squeeze through the first but the referee blew the full time whistle just before we got past the other fifteen.

Toby & James won Peter & I got fifth Tony & Colin got seventh (???????) and Julian & Cathy got eighth (??????????)

A fantastic weekend was had by all. Thanks to Peter for having me as a crew, thanks to Julian for putting Peter & me in contact, and for the lift.

RESULTS