Snowflakes' sailing on Sunday started as one of those perfect days on The Broads in winter – for everyone but the sailors!
The sun was remarkably warm as there was no wind chill effect and therein lay the problem for the sailors – no wind. Soon the sun's warmth began to melt the ice on the dyke, the puddles in boat covers and soften frozen ground. Sailing was delayed by the officer of the day until the faint stirring of some breeze was felt.
Two Yeomans hauled up their sails, two Lasers materialised from quite a large group of Laser owners in the club house and two Topper stalwarts appeared. Charlotte Knight and Ryan Walford deserved medals for just getting out on the water in their Toppers in the very light breeze.
Two races were run in the late morning and with one Yeoman packing up an all-comers race was organised at the end of the day.
James Dugdale in Yeoman Lavinia won both Yeoman races with John Rawlinson in Lara second. Chris Haslam had another splendid day in the light winds sailing Laser Perdey to two wins. Curtis Drew in Laser 149617, Charlotte and Ryan in their Toppers made up the remaining three places. In the afternoon all-comers race, Haslam won for a third time, with Drew second, Martin Thompson in Lavinia third and Walford an heroic fourth. This last race was concluded in the sleet that had been forecast to accompany the slight breeze.
Extremely light winds and icy conditions greeted sailors at Waveney & Oulton Broad Yacht Club on Sunday so it was hardly surprising the turnout was low.
The starts were delayed in the hope a breeze would fill in but eventually racing got underway in little more than drifting conditions. Ben Falat's Phantom led the first Fast Handicap race but on corrected time it was Alan Cone in his Solo who took the win, five seconds ahead of Richard Smith's Laser. Only three boats stayed for the second race and again Cone was the winner, this time by a whole minute ahead of series leader Veronica Falat in her Streaker.
It was a similar story in the Squib fleet – six boats raced in the first race but only three in the second. Ian Keely and Pete Matthews in Supernova enjoyed the morning, winning both times.
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