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Conwy River Festival - Nobby, Gaffers & Classics Races 2004-08-04 Sunday morning dawned sunny and warm, with a light SE breeze. The early tide meant that the competing boats had to leave the harbour by 9 o'clock. In the start area, close to the Great Orme, the conditions remained constant, and all the boats started their races promptly. "Laura" soon took the lead in the Nobby class, as she headed around the course, followed by the other classes. A telephone call from another race officer at the Fairway buoy, informed me that there had been no wind in that area for over an hour. A check through the binoculars showed a wind line right through our third mark and flat water from there westwards. A shortened course seemed to be the order of the day. We arrived at the third mark to set-up the finish line: just as "Laura" rounded the second mark. Was the course going to be too short? "Laura" steamed towards the finish line with no other boats in contention. It was going to be an easy win for "Laura". Or it was, until she reached within 100m of the finish line and tacked to complete the final leg. "Laura" stopped dead in a complete calm. The crew became exasperated as they watched "Lassie of Chester" approach the finish at over 4 knots. But like "Laura", "Lassie of Chester" stopped within 100m of the line, and within 50m of "Laura". Both crews now watched as "Hannah Hambleton" closed the line, but again, she stopped within speaking distance of the committee boat. A glance around the fleet showed that no boats were moving. Perhaps the shortened course was not short enough! Eventually, some twenty minutes later, "Laura" drifted across the line to win. She was slowly followed by "Lassie of Chester" and "Hannah Hambleton". Then, a sea breeze filled in from the NE, and allowed all the fleet to finish the race, although some boats used man-power to increase boat speed. Naughty, naughty! As if in contrast, 8 boats started Monday's Old Gaffers Association race with a fresh breeze from the SE. Again, "Laura" soon took the lead, and was first around the Fairway Buoy. Probably over-canvassed in the increasingly fresh conditions, she failed to clear the mark, and became tangled with the buoy, allowing "Ploughboy" to take line honours. By now the wind was blowing a steady force 7, with gale force 8 being measured further out in the bay. Of the 8 starters, only 4 completed the race. Peter Farrer - Race officer Nobby Race Results 1st Overall Tony Price Memorial Trophy Laura 2nd Overall Murray Taylor Trophy Lassie Of Chester 3rd Overall Hannah Hambleton Small Nobby Winner Murray Taylor (2) Trophy Ploughboy 1st Over Line Tom Brittles Trophy Laura Best Turned Out Nobby Dave Rudd Memorial Trophy Lassie Of Chester Seaman-Ship Prize Alf Crossfield ½ Model Thistle Screw You Trophy Ethel Gaffers Race Results 1st Overall Gilbert Emery Trophy Puffin Bach 2nd Overall Tradewinds Trophy Shearwater 3rd Overall Gwennol 1st Over Line M2 Sails Shield Puffin Bach 1st Oga Member Oga Trophy Puffin Bach (Conwy Outdoor Shop) 1st Small Gaffer Oga Trophy (2) Gwennol Best Turned Out Gaffer Project Conwy Trophy Espanola Classics Race Results 1st Overall Welsh Water Trophy Cariad 2nd Overall Classic Boat Subscription Marianna 3rd Overall Marieleen OGA Race 1st on Overall Ploughboy 2nd on Overall Eider Duck 3rd on Overall Shearwater 1st across the line Classic Boat Subscription Ploughboy 1st OGA on H/cap OGA Rose Bowl Ploughboy |
