David Eberlin reports from Notts County Raceboard week…
Raceboards are coming back into use on inland waters, they are ideal for the lighter and more gusty winds and allow performance windsurfing and comptetition in winds from a few miles an hour to 30mph….. if you are good enough!
Notts County almost in the centre of the country has a long tradition in Raceboards, and has a regular fleet up to 8 boards on a Sunday. As a result Dave Hackford makes an annual trip for a Wednesday night of coaching, this year he brought Mark Kay (who borrowed one of the club’s older Raceboards) and Jon White so we had the three top Raceboarders in the Country coaching.
David started off with a talk, both on rigging for the night, and railing when going upwind. Then it was out for an exercise to demonstrate sailing on the edge, followed by three short sharp races. The prize was a Starboard T shirt for the first back on the final race, won by one of the older competitors Russ Towns. A T shirt was also awarded to young Jack North, first time back on the water after a serious operation.
The following Saturday was the Windsurfing Open meeting which saw over twenty Raceboards and some great conditions, light to moderate with a shifty wind and sunshine and showers. With five races it was hard work but rewarding and John Parr did an excellent job setting a W type course.
Jon White, not surprisingly won every race in fine style, demonstrating his skill by Duck Gybing his 9.5m sail and raceboard, but further down the fleet competition was fierce
Results: 9.5 Raceboard: 1st Jon White (lt) – Bartley, 2nd Bob ingram (Heavy), 3rd Mike Playle (light) – Hollowell
Raceboard 7.5: 1st Dean Hutchinson (Notts County SC), 2nd Mick Steer (Carsington), 3rd Russ Towns (Notts County SC)
Techno; Zed Spencer-Milnes
