GP14 Grand Prix at Arran Yacht Club

Fantastic scenery and calm conditions in Lamlash Bay greeted those GP 14 sailors who had braved the early morning ferry from the mainland on the Saturday morning. However, the wind built steadily during the morning and by the start of race 1 there was a force 2 – 3 blowing off the land providing shifty conditions.

The fleet got away without any problems and the first four boats (Dave & Jackie Gebhard, David & Lynn Lawson, Mark & Andrew Greenhalgh and Dave Young & Seonaid Fleming) broke away up the first beat and all rounded within a couple of boat lengths. The reaches saw the Gebhard’s take the lead from the Lawson’s and Greenhalgh’s with Young and Fleming dropping back. However, after removing a considerable amount of weed from the rudder, picking the right shifts up the following beats and a fantastic battle with the Lawson’s at the final leeward mark, Young and Fleming managed to pull back up to second behind the Gebhard’s with the Lawson’s third.

Race 2 offered more close racing with the Gebhard’s and the Lawson’s battling for first and second respectively and Young & Fleming and the Greenhalgh’s battling for 3rd and fourth respectively. The race finished in that order with Colin Midgley and Justin Smith finishing 5th despite only setting their watches to count down as the start gun went!

In for some fantastic tea and cakes before heading back out for race 3. The wind had increased slightly but the top four remained in exactly the same order as the previous race despite more battles throughout the race. Ann Penny and Duncan Greenhalgh sailed a good race to finish 5th. Saturday evening, Arran Yacht Club provided a barbeque and a great array of meat and salads (along with plenty of beer of course) and there was a great atmosphere in the marquee as many people caught up with friends and discussed the days racing.

The next morning saw lighter wind and a change of direction. There was also a fair amount of tide to consider which was not even across the course. Mark & Andrew Greenhalgh made the most of these conditions and sailed a fantastic race to lead from start to finish with the Lawson’s finishing just ahead of Young and Fleming. The Gebhard’s finished fourth despite mainsheet trouble on the second reach.

The gap between races gave time for the Gebhard’s to improve their mainsheet system and the Greenhalgh’s attempted to replace their shredded jib sheets but just failed to make the start (so sat the race out). It was the turn of Young and Fleming to get the first beat right with Midgley and Smith rounding just ahead of the Lawson’s, the Gebhard’s and Derek and Mark Fleming. Young and Fleming lead most of the race, being overhauled by the Lawson’s up the final beat with the Gebhard’s finishing third and Midgley and Smith in fourth.

The final race saw three of the top four boats all bailing out at the pin end as a windshift and the tide made it impossible for them to cross the line as the gun went. The Lawson’s, however, avoided this and lead round the first mark with the Gebhard’s in second, Young & Fleming in third and these positions remained till the finish with the Greenhalgh’s in fourth.

This meant that the top two boats were on equal points with the Gebhard’s just defeating the Lawson’s due to their extra 1st place. Arran yacht club hosted a fantastic event. They turned the racing around quickly and the hospitality was second to none.

With that the fleet drove the 3 miles back to the ferry terminal and a special mention must go to Justin Smith, who within that 3 miles managed to lose a wheel from his double stacker in to the hedge on the opposite side of the road, get a new bearing from a complete stranger and still make his ferry home!

Overall Results:

1st Dave Gebhard & Jackie Gebhard (DRSC)
2nd David Lawson & Lynn Lawson (BSC)
3rd Dave Young & Seonaid Fleming (SSSC)
4th Andrew Greenhalgh & Mark Greenhalgh (ASC)

Silver
1st Colin Midgley & Justin Smith

Bronze
1st Ann Penny & Duncan Greenhalgh