However, the highlight is bound to be on Sunday afternoon, with the season being rounded off with a Ladies Helms Race – males can be silent crews.

There is no age limit. Format will be a Pursuit Race, thereby avoiding the extra stress of a standard Handicap Race with 5 minute count-down and much milling around the start line.

The safety boat will lead the dinghies round the first lap, before collecting the Race Officer. It should be fun.

We intend to overhaul the large shed and arrange sails/boat parts etc. Other tasks will be to tidy up the clubhouse and paint the large shed with ronseal (weather permitting).

For the first time since its inception in 1964, the Summer Open Regatta trophy had 2 joint winners this weekend.
After 3 hotly contested races over the weekend, in challenging conditions of strong, gusting winds and choppy waves, the 2 winners had each won a race outright, with the third race drawn with an identical time on handicap.
Both days had their share of capsizes, so thanks are again due to the safety boat crews.Saturday’s capsize highlight was Douglas’s attempt at a swallow dive during a tack heading towards south buoy. By the time Bill had raced down from assisting Craig, the wind had caused the Albacore to drift down towards the fleet of moored boats to the north of start buoy.
And thats when the prop fouled a trailing rope. After finally clearing that obstruction, help arrived in the form of Laurie, ferried out by Gordon T. to provide some righting moment. And thats when the mast fouled a passage boat. After that a hot shower was very welcome. Ann’s bruise is available for viewing. Please make an appointment. (Its OK – arm only.)
After Saturday’s races there was a much appreciated barbecue prepared by masterchefs Jim Penman and Steve Martin, who soldiered on at the grill until everyone had been fed and watered.

Of course, some gluttons then took up the very generous offer of an evening barbecue at Gail’s home over by Renmure. But enough of Hamish and Jordan. The adults were only acting in loco parentis as taxi drivers.Gordon took over barbecue duties at which post he remained for about 3 hours. That skill will be noted for the future.

Open Regatta Results.
Joint first – Gordon Tosh (MSC) – Solo.
Barry McLean(Loch Ard S.C.) and Gail Hockin (MSC) – Graduate.
3rd Gordon Scott (Aberdeen and Stonehaven Y.C.) – Solo

The final race of the weekend was the Commodore’s Cup, where the field was more strung out, leaving Gordon Tosh a clear winner.
Commodore’s Cup – Gordon Tosh

Army Cadet Force Sailing Trophy
Another winner from the club was 14 year old Jordan Dickson, who 2 weeks ago walked away with the dinghy racing trophy at his Army Cadet Force Summer Camp in
Beckingham Camp, Nottinghamshire. Sailing an unfamiliar Topper Topaz, he succeeded despite a major capsize when hoisting his gennaker.
Jordan was forced to dive under the boat to free the sail before he could right the Topaz and carry on to win the race.
Well done.

Pictures of Open Regatta is a selection of those taken over the weekend by Gordon Paterson, Laurie and Douglas.

If you see any you’d like to see more or get prints, either check out his Facebook page Gordon Paterson-Photography , or contact him at GordonMPaterson@aol.com.

Hopefully we will be sailing another River Race on Sunday morning, weather, tides, harbour traffic and numbers permitting.

The Annat Bank claimed yet another victim during Sunday’s River Race.
5 dinghies were competing in a race from the Old Pier in Ferryden, out and round the channel marks (note that) which mark the safe navigational channel, and back to the start line.

On his return up the river, Calanach, as well as everyone else, stayed on the port tack for too long, and strayed too near the Bank despite a frantic dash to warn him by the RNLI inshore lifeboat. (The 3 man crew had volunteered to give up their Sunday morning to augment our safety cover for the day.)
His lack of local knowledge led to a capsize which only cost him a few moments, but that was enough to lose the race to Andrew by 2 seconds.
This would have been avoided if the Race Officer – (hang your head in shame Douglas) had made the green buoy a starboard mark rather than to port.
Note to self for 2012.

Again it was a novel experience to head out from Montrose Basin to the OCEAN!
We had set off earlier than full low tide which made launching easier from our own slip but meant that there was less water at the bridges.
Heading downstream to the harbour was quite uneventful for the Lasers, but there were some breath holding moments for the RIB crews as they watched Colin and Arlene taking their Enterprise under the road bridge. Check the picture.
For Jordan and Bruce it was a whole new experience to sail out of the Basin, and eventually out into the sea.
Congratulations on completing the course after some initial rudder hiccups.

With a westerly, it meant that the sail up the river to the finish line and then through the bridges involved repeated tacking.
The waiting bacon rolls provided by Ann were really appreciated by all.

1st Andrew Reid (Laser) 2nd Calanach MacDonell-Finlayson (Laser Radial) 3rd Colin and Arlene Dickson (Enterprise)

Unfortunately, we did not have enough boats with experienced helms to allow Caroline and Drew to get a sail. Caroline was forced to retire to her garden with Sunday newspapers and glass of wine (after 12 noon of course). Drew joined Chris and myself in the safety boat, and thanks to the pair of them for working manfully holding up flags and blowing our newly acquired vuvuzela, and incredibly noisy to signal the race start.
Finally, thanks again to the crew of the RNLI inshore lifeboat.
Click to view slideshow.

Results:

1 – Hamish Murray & Calanach MacDonnel Finlayson (Topaz Magno)
2 – Craig Robinson, Drew Murray and Connor Dickson (Wayfarer)
3 – Bruce Sharlau (Laser)

For the second half there was no racing so Hamish, under tuition from Gordon Tosh had the opportunity to sail the Magno under Gennaker, Jib and Main. This allowed it to reveal its true potential and provided an incredibly fast sail. Meanwhile Paul Clark and his children Jade and Ewan took out there newly refurbished Mirror Dinghy, ‘The Cat’s Whiskers II’ and had a sail with the children helming, while Calanach and Drew got more sea time in the Wayfarer Dinghy.