Oulton regatta hit by low tide
Last updated: 29/10/2009 11:39:00
The end of season regatta was held on Oulton Broad last Sunday but it was almost ruined by one of the lowest tides for years which prevented at least half the keel boats competing as they were hard aground on their moorings.
And the dinghies had a hard time as the wind was gusting to force five so there were plenty of capsizes.
Each class was scheduled to sail three races, with the best two results to count, but in the event the Waveneys only did two as Trevor Balls, with two reefs, won the first two and his series so a third race was not required.
The fast handicap race was a contest between the RS400 sailed by Richard Smith and Tim Riley in a Solo, a class not often seen on the Broad, and on handicap he won all three races.
The Lasers, with nine out, had the biggest fleet and Lloyd Crisp was a comfortable winner of the first race from Alan Cone, who turned the tables in the second race, leaving them with a first and second each and everything to sail for in the third. But Crisp did not appear and Cone won the race and the trophy.
Third was Simon Marfleet who got two thirds, having missed the first race because he had intended to sail a Waveney but was one of those who could not get afloat.
Although only three Squibs managed to get on the water, they had three excellent races and the overall result was only decided in the final yards to the line in the third race. Richard Dell comfortably won the first race in which Jim Tubby just passed Sam Cole with a few yards to go to take second.
In the second race Tubby had a good win from Cole with Dell third which meant that with one race to go any one of the three could still win.
Jim Tubby took the lead with Sam Cole hot on his tail and Richard Dell not far behind and on the final beat to the line they spilt tacks and it looked as though Cole was going to sneak a win. But with only a few yards to go Tubby got back in front to win the race and record and unbeatable two firsts.
The winter series starts on Sunday and with a good five day forecast there should be a good turnout.