Traveller, Cardiff Bay Yacht Club, 10-11th June 2006

The Windsport Catparts Sprint 15 Traveller series tried out a new location on the weekend of 10/11 June when the fleet travelled to Cardiff Bay. Since the building of the barrage, Cardiff Bay has effectively become a lake with fresh water and no tide. With new building going on all around the bay adding to the skyline the setting is a superb amphitheatre and the weather we got was no worse. The club house is a new £1million pound affair set high on a peninsular on the west side of the bay and the balcony offers splendid views of the proceedings. The local fleet captain, Idris Dibble, who has been a member of the Cardiff Bay Yacht Club for 40 years, had laid on everything - scenery, sun, wind, good courses and a fine meal for the Saturday night. On Saturday Principle Race officer, Colin Farr, set the Sprint 15s a square course adjacent to the Club house in a pleasant but very variable force 2-3 SE breeze and 3 races were completed separated by a lunch stop after the first. Race one saw Bob Carter lead from start to finish followed by the Queen Mary pair of Golden Goldstone and George Stephen who were a little ahead of Idris Dibble. The race only took 30 minutes because the race officer had under-estimated the speed of the Sprint 15 in these conditions. In the second race Philip Howden did not repeat his error in the first race of taking the shore side of the beat and was a close second behind Carter and ahead of Stephen & Dibble. After a lap of the 3rd Race, Carter was caught out by a gust and capsized leaving Howden to win by a large margin from Goldstone and Stephen.

The fleet retired for the evening to the Club Restaurant where they enjoyed the cuisine laid-on by the CBYC and then to enjoy the sunset from the balcony over a glass of wine.

In the morning the proceedings started with a 1 lap Pro-Am race in which the experts get to coach the novices into setting up their boats better and sailing faster. Ian James took pole position on the start and tore off into an early lead, but over-stood the mark allowing Idris Dibble to creep ahead by the windward mark. Much shouting and advice was being handed out by the Pros. William Tusting seemed to have benefited from the talking to by Golden Goldstone and stole into the lead to take the gun from Idris Dibble, Ian James and Mike Warren.

After the Pro-Am the 4th race was set in a steady F2-3 SE Breeze. 2 boats were over the line and had to go back which left Goldstone with a commanding lead. Tusting and Carter tussled for second place but at the gun the sequence was Goldstone, Carter, Tusting and Dibble. In the final race Carter led from start to finish but Tusting sailed well to take second place from Goldstone and Howden.

Thus after a thoroughly enjoyable weekend Carter won with Goldstone second & Howden third.

The benefits of the Pro-Am (and more practice) could be seen on William Tusting’s results – on Saturday he scored 6,6,6 and then on Sunday after the Pro-Am he scored 3,2 thanks in part to the advice given.

The draw for the Windsport-Catparts vouchers was held and Golden Goldstone won the gold voucher for £15, Ian James took the Silver voucher for £10 and William Tusting the bronze voucher for £5.

It was a source of much amusement that in the Prize Giving, Idris had a slip of the tongue and presented second place to “Golden Goldstone” It seemed to be aptly fitting after he displayed the Midas Touch in the voucher drawer, the pro-am and in the races. I suspect it might stick – indeed there is even a campaign afoot that Gordon should call his new boat “Golden Balls”

Windsport-Catpart Vouchers: £15 G Goldstone; £10 I James; £5 W Tusting