Results / RS Wars at Dalgety Bay Dalgety Bay - 18/06/2005
In a galaxy not so many days ago an epic battle took place for the crown
of RS 200-traveller champion. This was the 3rd battle in what is sure to
become a long a hard war that will no doubt last the full sailing season.
Before this battle could occur many young Jedi appeared early on the
Saturday morning for the wise and skilful Yoda (played by Ronny Millar),
to pass on his knowledge of the force. In the first session he talked
about how to set up your battleship for heavy winds in particular and
touched on other wind strengths. The young wannabe Jedi�s then took to
the water to improve their use of the force, under the watchful eye of
the video camera and Jedi high council.
The Jedi�s were then given a video debrief and very informal chat on
rules which came in to good effect on Sunday! Yoda is certainly someone
you want avoid whilst on the water as his knowledge of the rules of the
force are of the highest order.
Sunday morning and battle was to commence � everyone prepared the
battleships for the titanic struggle ahead � 5 races back to back. The
PRO � John Robertson (himself a renowned Jedi from Dalegety Bay) had a
difficult job and did exceptionally well to get all 5 races in, as the
wind was variable in both strength and velocity. Thankfully for the
rescue crew the course was a windward, leeward passing through the gate
on the upwind leg.
Race 1
A light easterly F1 with a strong tide running out resulted in a tricky
start. The sequence (3-2-1-go) and light wind caught out 2 boats and one
of which was the contender for the crown � young Skywalker and Princess
Lea (Robbie Burns / Vicki Simpson). They crossed the line a full 20
seconds behind the rest of the fleet and immediately headed left where
there was more breeze and less tide. Yoda and his crew Mace Windu (played
by Alison Davies) started near the pin end and tacked off to the right
hand side of the track, whilst the wise Obi-wan (Richard Evans) and crew
Jar Jar Binx (Val Evans) started at the pin end went middle left. Obi�
wan/Jar Jar had bought a new light speed coupling for this season
(mainsail) and was showing good height to windward. Young Skywalker made
his way in from the left only to find that he had clawed his way up to
4th. Once at the first jump to lightspeed (downwind leg) Yoda/Mace Windu
gybed early to try and take advantage of the tide only to find there was
less wind on the left-hand side of the run. Obi � wan and his young
apprentice Skywalker then had a lightsaber battle downwind where the
young padiwan learner got inside and gybed on to the layline of the mark.
Now having an inside overlap pulled away from the older wiser Obi-wan and
went on to win the race. A close battle then ensued for 2nd, 3rd and 4th
between Obi-wan/Jar Jar, Yoda/Mace Windu and Mon Mothma (Liz
Jamie)/Palapatine (Ross Mckerar), and they finished in that order.
Race 2
With the wind going SE F1 and patchy the next race was going to be a test
of concentration and keeping eyes out of the boat. With a heavy committee
boat bias Skywalker started there and pulled out a early lead and sailed
to the middle of the course to put a very loose cover on Obi-wan and Yoda
who started at the pin end. The Rebel speeder of Jamie/McKercher and
battletstar of R2D2 (Tor Muclow) & CP3O (Nick Davies) went right and
found good breeze and were leading the rest of the fleet into the
windward mark respectively. The rebel speeder rounded the w/w mark then
made the jump to light speed and took out a 1/2 leg lead as they were
whisked away with the tide. The battlestar understood the w/w mark in the
dying breeze and young Skywalker in the millennium falcon managed to
squeeze round the mark and soon made the jump to light speed in the
favourable tide. Once round the L/W mark the battlestar covered the
movements of the millennium falcon. The falcon eventually managed to
break free from the cover and found better wind to cut the gap to 1/8 of
a leg at the next windward mark. Downwind the falcon showed exceptional
lightspeed and cut the lead down to 6 boat lengths. A lightsaber battle
then did take place between the leading 2 where young Skywalker managed
to get to leewards of the battlestar and used the tide to there advantage
and finished a cats whisker ahead. 3rd place went to a impressively quick
Anakin Skywalker (Richard Dowsett) and Senator Amidala (Sarah Dowsett) in
their new tie fighter.
Race 3
Again the wind was from a new direction, coming from the N N/E F1 - 3
when the course was laid. However, come the start of the race the wind
had shifted E N/E making the first upwind leg a one tack beat. Obi-wan
had a good start mid line and tacked soon after the start to find himself
on the layline, thinking he was going to round first. Yoda & Skywalker
started beside the pin end. Yoda tacked soon after the start and then
soon engaged light speed on a reach to blast over the top of a surprised
Obi-wan. Skywalker failed to realise that it was a one tack beat and
proceeded to round in 2nd last place. With all the boats entering
lightspeed in the F3 downwind, Skywalker managed to sail beneath the pack
and rounded the L/W mark fourth behind Yoda, Obi-wan, and Anakin. As Yoda
pulled out a good lead on Obi-wan, Skywalker managed to pass Anakin. Obi-
wan then caught up halved Yoda�s lead on the next lightspeed leg with
Skywalker in hot pursuit of them both. On the next upwind leg Obi-wan
tacked straight after the L/W mark and Yoda tacked to cover. Young
Skywalker saw his chance and carried on to the layline of the upwind
gate, found a lifting breeze and overtook the his mentor Obi-Wan and cut
down Yoda�s lead to 4 boat lengths. A small lightsaber battle then did
ensue, downwind between Yoda and Skywalker. Bit the old and wise Yoda
defended his wind wisely and went on to win the race from Skywalker with
Anakin and Senator Amadala sailing well to pass Obi-wan.
Race 4
The wind now shifting to the east again resulted in the course being
shifted. The mark layers did a fine job throughout the weekend under
difficult conditions. Yoda and Obi-wan had a good lightsaber battle for
1st whilst Anakin got the better of Young Skywalker downwind. On the
final downwind leg the breeze all but evaporated, and in the strong tide
the leading 4 boats closed up. All 4 boats were with 5 boat lengths as
they struggled to make it to the line. Skywalker tacked early after
rounding the mark and fetched off in next to no wind and made good
progress while the 3 others tussled for position. The race finished Obi-
wan/Jar Jar, Yoda/Mace Windu, Skywalker/Lea then Anakin/Senator Amadala,
with all 4 boats finishing within 10 seconds off each other.
Race 5
Again the wind shifted back to the east as in race 1, the second true
course of the day resulted with an F1-2 prevailing over the northerly
winds that were forecast for the weekend. This made for some good close
racing. On the first upwind leg Obi-wan was first on to the starboard
layline, Yoda then tacked on his lee-bow, followed by young Skywalker
tacking on his leebow, with Anakin trying to pass the W/W mark head to
wind. Skywalker pulled out a 2-boat length lead with Obi-Wan 2nd and poor
Yoda getting caught up with Anakin dropped down the fleet. Anakin
retired, whilst Yoda made good from a bad situation and soon pulled
through to 3rd but because of the tangle could not catch Obi-wan. This in
turn may have lost him 2nd place in the regatta as 2nd place was tied on
points. Skywalker pulled away to good effect having put into practice
skills he had learnt from the wise Yoda at Largo bay last year.
With the next event at Largo Bay on the 26/27 th of the month we hope for
a repeat of last years conditions where the fleet were treated to some of
the best sailing conditions of year. We all hope to see more of the RS
200 fleet on show from both Scotland and across the border so we can get
some closer lightsaber duels throughout the fleet.
Author�s : Robbie Burns & Vicki Simpson
1. 202 R.Burns V.Simpson Largs 5 1 1 1 2
3 1
2. 516 R.Evans V.Evans Chanonry 9 2 2 5 4
1 2
3. 977 R.Miller A.Davies Dalgety Bay 9 3 3
4 1 2 3
4. 1003 R.Dowsett S.Dowsett 15 4 5 3
3 4 10
5. 526 L.Jamie R.McKeracher Dalgety Bay 17 5 4 2
7 10 4
6. 689 K.McSeverney L.McCubbin St. Mary�s Loch 22 6 7
6 6 5 5
7. 774 T.Mucklow N.Davies Dalgety Bay 23 7 6
7 5 6 6
8. 661 C.Deans A.Lawrie Dalgety Bay 30 8 8 9
8 7 7
9. 444 R.Smith K.Smith Dalgety Bay 34 9 10 8 10
8 8