Lough Foyle Yacht Club

James J helmed for the Johnson boat,

Course : coneyburrow, faughan, power station x2

nice wind: n f3, beat against the tide.

Racing today was cancelled as it was too windy but a few boats went out for a Reach or two

Gareth G getting the most out of a PICO

Keith L and Alan T showing how to sail a GP14 in heavy weather

Many thanks to Colum F for duties as OD. Welcome to the OD rota Colum.

Very competitive start line action!

A nice warm evening with moderate breezes. 3 times around Culmore Bay. Keith L/Alan T made a terrible start (I dont think they would mind me saying) but then recovered very well to win the race. It was close, the winning time was 61.05, the last boat took 62.56.

A nice looking triple deck motor yacht passed Culmore Point on its way into town just before the start of the race. They didn’t slow down causing a nasty wash. A protest phone call was made to the harbour master. Some satisfaction was gained when the motor yacht was seen to dramatically slow down a little further up the river.

Racing cancelled, the wind was too heavy for Punts today

The course starting from the Perch, beating up to Harts, then run down to Fahan then across to the yellow outfall mark. Nice sailing F3. The positions in the race changed several times.

Series D runs on days when the national GP14 fleet race and many LFYC boats are away. Today many of the GP’s were away in Swords. It was great to see Colum F and Eve McC out today in their Laser 2 and the beginning of their racing careers. The course today was in Culmore bay with a F4 wind that was gusty making sailing quete difficult.

Two short races were held in windy gusty conditions. The second race was shortened. Winning times in races 1 + 2 were 24.25 and 14.51. Peter F and James H were heading for their first win of the season in race 1 when they made a mistake at the weather mark and went for a sudden swim.

All sailors were sailing on PY so times are not given, just places. The winning time was 58.54. The partnership of Keith L and Alan T is clearly working well.

Very windy southerly F6 and gusting. There was a question over if or not anyone would get out. Colum F and Eve made an attempt but decided against it on the shore on the advice of the OD. Four GPs eventually went out. Racing was in the bay. In the first race Peter F/James H and Keith L/Alan T were over the line and were called back. Bill J/Owen McC made a great start and took up the lead. They came around Harts first and put up the spinnaker but lost it half way down the bay and went over. By the time they recovered they were back in last position. Danny and Gareth G took up the lead and held it to win the race.

The Princess Hebridean sailed through the middle of the race course but racing was not affected. They gave us a few friendly toots of the ships horn.

On the second race Peter F/James H were reaching across the bay  spinnaker up when they got a great gust and speed up dramatically. They came up behind Danny and Gareth within an inch. Peter F was forced to make an avoiding maneuver and at that high speed moment the tiller slipped and the boat nosedived and they went in very fast. The boat went turtle but James H went under it and pushed the centre board back up. Keith L and Alan T were unstoppable with some great high speed reaching nicely bearing away for the big gusts.

A great day out.

The Hebridean Princess makes it way up the Foyle while racing continues