Yachts of the RC35 Class, who are peripatetic eventwise, elected to hold their Scottish Championships this year, at Holy Loch Sailing Club. With a forecast of “WINDY”, the competitors were anticipating some exciting action. The wind direction of NW meant it would be funnelling through the hills straight down the Loch, testing the competitors with wind shifts and variable strengths, throughout the six race competition.
Committee vessel “Dionysus”, Alex Bisset, took station near the Strone buoy, and Race Officer Bill Aitchison, and assistant Duncan Chalmers, in the 15-30 knot breeze, set windward leeward courses, with the windward mark off the clubhouse, laid by Lorn Campbell and Bob Donaldson. Start line laying was the province of Jim Maclean, and Ally Marshall.
Racing started on time on Saturday morning, and although John Stamp in “Jacob”, Corby33, took line honours, he slipped to fourth on handicap. Robin Young in “Jings”, J109, was first, with recent Scottish Series winner, “Mocking-J”, J109, Ben Shelley, in second.
Race two saw a fierce battle between the two Corby’s, “Jacob” and “Banshee”, which ended when “Banshee” sustained gear failure, and although John Stamp again took line honours, “Mocking-J”, took the win.
The final race of the day was set for three laps, and with the wind maintaining its strength and directional fickleness, the narrow course, and the hard work asked of the crews, was beginning to tell. This time, “Jacob” stretched her lead far enough to secure both line honours and first place, ahead of “Jings”.
Day two brought a slight reduction in wind strength, but still in the same direction. Three more races, and with two line honours and three overall wins, Ben Shelley’s “Mocking-J” retained their RC35 Scottish Championship title, and took home the Sword. John Stamp in “Jacob” was second, with Class Captain Robin Young in “Jings” third.
Special mention was made of John Stanley-White’s “Blue Jay”. In the last race, they speedily and efficiently recovered a crew member who decided to go for a swim, and didn’t finish last!!
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