Here’s a quick raceboard update for the racers amongst you – a round up from the Notts County Raceboard event that took place this weekend followed by all the details you’ll need about the upcoming UKWA and LWA race at Datchet this weekend.
Notts County Racing
Notts County held its annual Raceboard open attracting a good number of visitors in spite of the awful weather – when is summer due?
It was wet all day with rain and drizzle, a very light variable wind that faded to nothing soon after the third race. Thirteen boards turned out to some close racing in both the Unlimited and 7.5 Seavets fleet. Guy Sprekley won the first race, and Bob Ingram won the next two races, giving him the overall meeting. Meanwhile in the Seavets 7.5 fleet things were less clear cut with Tony Chandler & Russ Towns, finishing only point apart. After three races with the wind fading, everyone was relived when John Parr the Race officer called it a day, a wise call as the wind completely disappeared as the last competitor came in.
Prizegiving was held, thanks to Boardwise & Harken for prizes, the day finished with a roast supper in the clubhouse attended by over 30 people.
UKWA – LWA Joint Inland Event, Datchet Sailing Club – 20th to 21st June.
Just the usual reminder that this coming weekend the LWA and Datchet SC are hosting the Event Two of the UKWA 2015 Regional Series. We are hoping for a good turnout and a great weekend’s sailing.
REGISTRATION:
As in previous years, our one-day LWA event will piggyback on the Saturday of the UKWA weekend. This does mean that the whole event will be run according to the UKWA Sailing Instructions, which are a bit different from our own. Registration opens at 08:15 and because of the higher entry numbers and multiple classes Registration has to CLOSE at 09:45, so this means getting there early and making sure that the first thing you do is to go and register!
TRAILER PARKING:
Trailers may be left in the designated area to the left of the clubhouse.
ARRIVAL AND CAMPING:
If you are arrive after 20.00 there will be a security guard on the gate to let you in. If any problems please contact Rod or Janet on 07711 552265. Camping for motorhomes and caravans is on the bottom level to the right of the gate as you enter. Trailers should be dropped off on arrival in the designated area on the upper level. If your gear is on the top of your motorhome you will need to unload it and then take your vehicle down to the lower lever. All campervans and motorhomes must be removed to the lower car park.
There will be a charge for camping payable on Registration as a security guard is required. Water is available from a standpipe just inside the main gate and also on the outside of the clubhouse. Please note there no outside toilets when clubhouse is closed at night.
CAR PARK FEE:
There is no car parking fee, but you will need to obtain an exit pass to operate the exit gate. These will be obtainable from the LWA Committee desk.
SATURDAY EVENING MEAL AND MUSIC:
Numbers permitting, there will be a meal available on the Saturday evening up until 7:00pm. You will need to sign up and pay at registration on Saturday morning. The bar will be open until 10:00pm and it is planned to hold an open mike session in the evening upstairs lounge area, so please if you play an instrument please bring it along and join in.
TECHNO SAILORS:
Techno 6.8 and 7.8 sailors will race on the UKWA main course. Juniors (3.5, 4.5 and 5.8 sail sizes) will sail on a smaller separate course. For Junior sailors, this will be a coached event. An RYA coach will provide a mixture of coaching and racing appropriate to the number of participants and weather conditions.
RACE INFORMATION:
Those of you who have sailed with the UKWA will know that a Tally System will be in operation – you need to take a tally when you go afloat and wear it until you are told to replace it on the Tally Board. If you do not take a tally you will be disqualified from the race in which you do not wear it, so be warned!
See links to Sailing Instructions and Notice of Race below:
STARTS:
Unlike our LWA events, UKWA events have different starts for different classes, so you need to pay particular attention to the Briefing and the Sailing Instructions to be sure that you know the correct flag for your fleet and the starting procedure. When the entire Start Sequence is about to begin, a Warning Flag is flown at 7 Minutes before the first start only, (a white flag with a red diamond) – which comes down at 6 Minutes, after that the UKWA uses 5-4-1-GO (like the LWA), but of course you must start with the correct fleet. Your fleet flag goes up at 5 minutes and down at GO. The different Fleet starts then follow in sequence.
COURSES:
Unlike the LWA, the UKWA frequently use a different course (although using the same marks) for different classes to keep them out of each other’s way. Signal Boards on the back of the Committee Boat are generally used to indicate which course is being used for each fleet. This again is explained in the Sailing Instructions, so please make sure you read them and ask for clarification from one of the regular sailors if you have a problem. There will also be a Junior Course/Training over both days run by the TCA.
One last major difference is that because of the multiple fleets and multiple starts, it is impossible to operate a “Grand Prix Finish” system, so you need to complete ALL the laps specified on the Signal Boards.
If you would like to have a closer look at the UKWA Sailing Instructions (with Courses) and Notice Of Race you will find them at the following locations:
https://ukwindsurfing.com/docs/2015/inland-regional-series-NOR-2015.pdf
BUOYANCY:
Please bring your buoyancy aids – as you should be doing anyway to all our events.
LWA PRIZES:
Please note that only the first four races on the Saturday will count for the LWA event, and the LWA prizes will be presented at our next event at Oxford on Sat 11 July.
We look forward very much to seeing you all at Datchet – your LWA Committee
