ISO Nationals 2017 @ Tudor Sailing Club
ISO Nationals 2017 - Langstone Harbour Race weekend, Tudor sailing club, 27/28th May 2017
A weekend of contrasts would be the best way to describe the Langstone Harbour Race Weekend 2017. The wind was pretty strong as we set off from Tudor Sailing Club for the two races near the mouth of Langstone Harbour. We all arrived at the start line for a fairly prompt start from the committee boat. A long windward leeward course took about an hour and fifteen minutes to complete. Great down wind legs with plenty of spray and speed. The running order for the first three ISO’s was that kept for the event, John and Juliet Gill in Tinky Winky by far the leaders, then Sticky and Miss Revitt in Serenity, and a newcomer to the ISO fleet all the way from Belgium, Trevor Pierce and his son Adrian, sailing Sticky’s second ISO, aptly named ‘The Other One’. The Other One did better in the second race while Serenity decided to lie on her side for a while after sailing so flat for most of the racing before (there were pictures in the clubhouse to prove this). The wind got up to over 26 knots according to John; he noted this from the fact his mainsheet starts to ‘motor’ when the wind reaches over 25knots.
Tudor SC hosted a barbeque after racing on Saturday.
Sunday was completely different; we set off from the slipway at 11.45 but then spent a couple of hours drifting around and sitting still in the pouring rain. The committee boat cheered us up by throwing chocolate treats to those that got near enough and answered their bizarre questions correctly. Inevitably we had to call it a day as the harbour empties quickly and makes return to the slipway impossible.
Jane and Mark of the Buzz fleet prepared and served a selection of super curries at Langstone SC and Mark kept everyone in order as he hosted a snappy quiz with a number of rounds from pictures, geography and tin can stacking.
This is a super event. We have competed several times before and the format and support /cooperation between the three Langstone Harbour sailing clubs is great. The ISO fleet all enjoyed every minute, John and Juliet especially as yet again they were the worthy winners.
