Lough Foyle Yacht Club

Racing was cancelled today due to Gale Force winds.

North Easterly wind gusting F5+6 for the first race shifted to East and continued to build. Course perch, black brae, conniborrow, power station in race one. 1 and 7/8 times around!. Course was changed to suit a more easterly wind in race two to start off the slipway, to power station, black brae, conniborrow, powerstation.
Loads of reaching in this course today. Bill and James J got two great starts and were sailing brillantly under spinnaker but lost out a bit on the beats which were more like close fetches.
Very difficult conditions at the gybe mark at blackbrea. Ken and Davy L lost their spinnaker pole downhaul in race 1. Peter F and James H also had trouble with a spinnaker cleat.

Congratulations to Danny and Gareth G who notched up their first victory in the new boat.

Peter F and James H make their way down to Black Brea under full sail. Thanks to Peter F Snr for the photo

Results from two races were combined to give a single Series C result. Close racing resulted in total elapsed time being needed to split Bill/James J from Keith L/Alan T with Keith and Alan just scraping it.

Racing tonight in Culmore bay. Strong tides. Light to medium winds F3, easterly. It was a bit of a lottery getting across the channel from the start line to the power station. The tide playing a huge role combined with some nasty windless patches. Even though it was just luck that determined the first to the power station Ken/Dave L kept getting it right. The more you practice the luckier you get!

Great to see Richard G out in the Laser. A force to be reckoned with this season. Have no doubt!

Revision to LFYC Handicap

Bill and James J have been moved up to PY effective from Tue 09/04/13

Racing tonight with beat from the pearch to Black Brea, reach to Conniborrow, run back to the power station X 2.
Good F4 breeze and a very strong tide. It was all about avoiding the tide on the way down to Black Brea.

Peter F/James H were in top form.

many thanks to George G and Owen McC who ran the rescue boat on a cold night.

Gareth G and Owen McC have been awarded an LFYC handicap of 1140

A beautiful day. Wind blowing from the south F3.

A ship interrupted the first race with Ken and David L doing very well not to lose position. Nice to see David T and a number of other paddlers making an appearance on the shore in his sea kayak.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jaypegimages/8606898162/in/photostream

great pictures from Sean McCafferty of first sail of season

The 2013 season opened today with a cold Easterly F3-5. Racing from a mark near the slipway to the power station, then Harts, then a mark in Culmore bay.
Ken and David L found themselves in last place as they rounded the power station but took a course clear of the other boats as they made their way up to Harts getting clear air and came round Harts in first position.
Congratulations to the Gallaghers who launched a new GP14 today (picture).

Racing on the 26th and 28th March was cancelled due to cold weather and poor light