HD Sails Scottish Solo Travellers at Newburgh Sailing Club

Newburgh is a small club on the river Tay about 10 miles inland from Dundee. Despite the sea being visible from the club this is definitely inland sailing. Lots of shifts to catch out the unwary on a small course area with great views from the river bank. Plus it is tidal with barely two hours either side of high water usable so we have a mixture of sailing on the flood and the ebb.

In short it is a challenging place to sail where leads can be built and lost very quickly. The welcome is warm, I was first to the galley and there was a rush to get the bacon cooking! Lots of interest in Solo sailing and the other venues we go to from members.

The forecast said West but on arrival the wind was very definitely East and with the temperature rising it seemed set for the day - although it did not work out that way! The wind was light all day with toestraps not needed much.

For race 1 we had a short beat up to the first mark and the first decision of the day. Inshore had less tide but the line was biased to the outer end. Malcolm Worsley chose inshore and came out ahead, just, from Tony King and Ross Watson who started at the outer end. These three had a decent lead on the rest of the fleet down the run.

Up the next beat the leaders sailed straight inshore but the those following stayed out and sought shallower water over a sandbank. This seemed to pay and the fleet compressed with David Parkin making a good gain and moving up to third. This was his first sail after a hip operation and despite his worries about getting under the boom he was not slow. Welcome back David.

The course was shortened to two rounds and Malcolm led Ross round the last leeward mark. He used part of his lead in a double tack to cover Ross, only to see him slip through to leeward and pick up a header for the tack to the line. David was third and Tony came in fourth.

The course was the same for the second race but the wind died just before the start. There was a recall and Tony went back when he did not need to and never recovered. Malcolm again went inshore and looked very well placed with a handy lead at the first mark. This he held until the last mark but the wind lifted this time and Ross went through him to windward! John Colegrave from Aberdeen came through to finish third.

We came ashore for a tea and a chat before going out for the third race. The tide had now changed and the course was altered to remove a long run against the ebb. With a few minutes to go the forecast Westerly suddenly appeared meaning a run to the first mark. Inevitably Malcom started inshore and arrived first ahead of Mike Spain from the home club.

The wind then decided to die off and Ross decided to sail up tide rather than sailing straight for the mark. This was a bad move and he arrived at the next mark last. Tony King had judged the wind and tide best and took the lead followed by Malcolm. The next leg then became a run against the tide with some looking to benefit from the shallows over the mud bank whilst the leaders hugged the far shore.

Despite the wind again reversing Tony stayed in front to win the last race, making the long trip from Bassenthwaite worth the effort. Good work from John Colegrave saw him finish second ahead of David Parkin.

When we got ashore John struggled to remove his boom from the gooseneck and then realised that the gooseneck pin had been pushed into the sail track not the tack fitting - luckily the wind had been light - but he went home with the pin still jammed in the boom!

Winning the first two races meant Ross Watson had won overall followed by Malcom Worsley. By winning the final race Tony King just pipped John Colegrave for third. Sadly no HD t-shirts for lucky recipients this time as they were left behind.

Next event in the HD Sails Scottish Travellers is Loch Lomond in two weeks time. This will see very different conditions with a wide course area and no tide. Last year we had a glorious force 3-4 and sunshine so hoping for the same this year.

Overall Results: