Sunday saw the continuation of Welland Yacht Club’s Frostbite Series and once the early morning rain cleared, it was sunshine all the way with a good testing breeze most would find out to their cost.
There were eight boats that came to the line for the start and with the wind blowing straight down the river it was going to be near equal tacks.
The low water levels meant this was a constant hazard throughout the day.
The gusts that came through found their first victim as Helen Boyd capsized before the race got underway, but she made it in time for the start.
It was Mark Scourfield in the Solo who took a port end flyer and managed to cross the bows of Andy Prior in the full rig Laser, with Alan Cox in the Radial Laser close and Adam Stabler in the full rig Laser, with Helen Boyd in her Solo, Alan Chapman in the Laser Radial, Will Stabler, who had a dry capsize in his Laser4.7 (he didn’t get wet as the boat went over) and Jorrit Schrauwers and James Ramp in the Kestral, who were finding the low water level a real problem with the larger boat’s draught.
Scourfield managed to cover Prior as they made their way up to Shelly’s Bush Corner but just after Prior managed to pass him but as they approached Chilver’s Corner, Prior had to tack when Scourfield didn’t and he crept past.
It was a lead he was to hold until just before the number five buoy, where Prior managed to get inside overlap and take the right of way to round first.
Scourfield was second, Chapman third, Boyd fourth, Adam Stabler, ahead of Cox and Will Stabler.
Prior and Scourfield pulled away from the rest thanks to the larger sails and they rounded number one buoy to start the tack back to number three buoy where there was a tricky gybe awaiting them. No capsizes were recorded.
Prior crossed the line first followed by Scourfield, Chapman, Cox, Will Stabler and Boyd, who once again capsized rounding number one buoy and retired.
Adam Stabler also took a swim but righted eventually to finish the race.
After handicaps were applied it was Prior first, Scourfield second, Chapman third, Cox fourth, Will Stabler a well done fifth and Adam Stabler in sixth.
There were fewer boats starting race two as some thought better of it with the wind gusts having increased.
Only four boats were on the line and it was Prior who judged the start better followed by Scourfield, Chapman and Cox.
Prior and Scourfield stuck close, cross tacking up to Shelly’s Bush Corner but Prior, in the larger sail boat, got in front and was never headed around the course.
Chapman was hanging on to these two, but a capsize along with Cox in separate incidents, meant that they fell further behind.
As the wind freshened Prior, who established a sizeable lead, managed to capsize on the run between Shelly’s Bush Corner and the clubhouse.
He recovered in time to still take the line honours from Scourfield, with Chapman in third and Cox in fourth .
With the handicaps applied it was Prior, who despite the capsize, was first by 22 seconds, from Scourfield second, Chapman third and Cox in fourth.
