NICHOLSON MODEL SAILING CLUB

After the first tuning day in October, the Starkey Cup was help on 2 November, 2024.

The weather forecast was 23 degrees, sunny with some clouds and mild wind. What we got was differrent, but still t-shirt weather, to start with, Very little wind that ranged from N, through E to S was what started the day.  Luckily, after lunch the drifting conditions built, over the afternoon to lovely wind. Racing started at 1.00pm after a convivial lunch, with many people meeting the new faces and old for the first time in a while. Six boats lined up for the starts, which was a pleasant change from the sparse numbers of last season. David had an experienced sailing friend staying and racing for the first time "in" an IOM, Peter.

Ken started with two bullets, in front of Colin and David, but then Colin won the next three races as the wind built, with Ken and David close behind. Tight clean racing often in the fluky breezes, for some fun racing. Wind directions changed and the stronger winds made for exciting racing in up to 10 knots and jackets and tops were put on, as the wind got quite cool.

Ian sailed his Blowfly well and was not far behind and Peter acquitted himself well, considering sailing an RC yacht but with plenty of prior racing experience in keelboats - he was waiting to deliver a yacht to Tassie! Everyone sailed well and politely but wind shifts were quite an issue moving from SSE around to straight Easterly for the last race.

So, Colin barely won by one point, to Ken in 2nd and David 3rd.

The MP3 start speaker and I minute starts worked well and racing was completed quickly, along with a fun race afterwards.

Great to be back on the water again, racing with friends.