More wind than expected tonight, and bright if not outright sunny; can't be bad.

The new-fangled sort-of-gate-start worked well - at least the fleet was more bunched at the start than usual (!), even if some had wind and others not in the lee of our beloved flats. One thing for next time, all boats really do need to be both behind and to leeward of the RIB if the lead-out boat isn't to be rolled immediately like a sitting duck.

As for finishing, in tonight's gentle conditions it was no problem for the RIB to both shorten course and to leave the racers and return to the club to record the finish times. In stiffer conditions, however, competitors will need to synchronise watches with the RO before the race and be ready to self-time at the finish while the RIB stands by on rescue duty.

I shall not, as previously expected, be at the club to RO next week, so we need a full duty RIB crew who will also act as RO & ARO...

Tony

Wind miraculously appeared tonight after a flat calm, but only one boat was rigged.

So the season continues - after some terrible weather, Wednesday sailing really hasn't got going this year. We've had some weeks when a full duty crew has turned up but no competitors, and equally, as lately, plenty of sailors but not a full duty crew.

The previous couple of weeks have seen excellent weather and people have been sailing informally, which is great, but I'm concerned this won't remain satisfying for long.

So, what I propose is a return to what we tried to implement the very first week of Wednesday racing, way back in 2004 (yes, that long ago!). Only two duty crew required, who man the RIB and, ideally, start & finish the race.

Starts will involve the RIB following the slowest boat, and when that boat is settled on course for the first mark, a paddle will be raised on the RIB indicating that all other boats must remain to leeward and behind a line across the transom of the RIB until the paddle has been lowered not less than one minute after hoisting. As soon as the paddle is lowered, go for it. Effectively a gate start that works also for downwind starts.

Finishing could be more problematic. On a gentle day, the RIB can return to the club line and time people as they cross, but in capsizing conditions, the RIB will have to remain on-course for safety cover, so that competitors must self-time or else enlist someone on-shore before the race to take the finish times.

I plan to helm the RIB the next couple of weeks, just need a crew; we can see how it goes from there.

Tony

For once the weather forecast proved mercifully wrong, so that racers tonight avoided the drenching and 27mph gusting they were promised in the morning.

Thanks to people for stepping into duty slots at the last moment.

I'm away the next two weeks, so more improvisation will be required as the duty list goes out of date. Be sure to send me results and duties done, so that I can add them in.

Tony