• The writers daytime job hours have just passed through 70 a week
• A new Irish Setter puppy has been obtained soaking up much time
• The cat is pregnant and likes to sit between the screen and the keyboard (where she is at the moment)
• Ash from the Icelandic Volcano is soaking into the brain of the editor despite sitting in a darkened room to avoid listening to more rubbish
• Despite the darkened room tedious snippets of politicians droning on about the election have caused general somnolence -   (that's enough pathetic excuses - webmaster)

Equinox Series  Race 4
With a slight change and shortening of the course made, another good start was seen with well timed kite hoists adding to the speed and excitement. The first mark was again the gybe mark and almost all the boats arrived at the same time which provoked some discussion as to who had the right of way. Read and Lord (29er) stormed into the lead and were determined to keep it this time with Blyth and Aitken (505) in pursuit. Alistair Reid (Musto Skiff) must have had further trouble with his chota peg as he trailed once more with Kevan Gibb (Solo) in a good position. Some swimming was again in evidence but the crews were up quickly, possibly to avoid being run over by other dinghies as the short course made for very rapid laps, and Read and Lord (29er) lead from the front into first place. Alistair Reid came in fourth but this was enough to secure the Equinox Series due to his two first places the previous weekend
Result Race 4 Equinox Series
1. ‘Nothing Compares’ (29er) — Len Read & Frances Lord
2. ‘Slippery Sid’(505) — Jim Blyth & Donald Aitken
3. ‘Resin Barrel’ (Solo) — Kevan Gibb

Final Result Equinox Series
1. ‘Upside downer’ (Musto Skiff) — Alistair Reid
2. ‘Nothing Compares’ (29er) — Len Read & Frances Lord
3. ‘Slippery Sid’(505) — Jim Blyth & Donald Aitken

Sunday 4th October
Equinox Series Race 1
Autumnal sun and a gentle westerly had replaced the equinox type gale of the previous day but there was still some sign of the recent anger. Race Officer Joan Sneddon chose a long course involving four marks to keep the sailors on their toes and Safety Team Fiona Park and Marco Faravelli set the start line. A good start was made with Alistair Reid (Musto Skiff) first to the windward mark with Read and Lord (29er) not far behind keeping well ahead of Blyth and Aitken (505) at this stage. Lasers were following behind with Nigel Cottam keeping ahead of Martin Gilfoyle and Colin White. Read and Lord (29er) were still to take a Race Series this season and were piling the pressure on Alistair Reid ahead in the faster Musto while doing a good job keeping ahead of the 505. Blyth and Aitken took the 505 past the 29er on the final lap but only by a few seconds but after 5 laps Alistair Reid had done enough to take first place by just 6 seconds.
Result Race 1 of Equinox Series
1. ‘Upside downer’ (Musto Skiff) — Alistair Reid
2. ‘Nothing Compares’ (29er) — Len Read & Frances Lord
3. ‘Slippery Sid’(505) — Jim Blyth & Donald Aitken

Equinox Series  Race 2
Race Officer Joan Sneddon changed the course for race 2 in response to an unwritten club rule that each race has a different course, but again included 4 marks to keep the interest up. Another good start resulted in Alistair Reid (Musto Skiff) swooping into the lead again pursued by new club champions Blyth and Aitken (505). Read and Lord were trailing in third a little off the pace and had to keep an eye on the Lasers behind. Nigel Cottam (Laser) was doing well here keeping ahead of Martin Gilfoyle and tucked in well behind the 29er ahead and his concentration paid off well when he took third place on handicap. At the front of the fleet Alistair Reid (Musto Skiff) drew out enough of a lead over Blyth and Aitken (505) to ensure another first place 
Result Race 2 Equinox Series 
1. ‘Upside downer’ (Musto Skiff) — Alistair Reid
2. ‘Slippery Sid’(505) — Jim Blyth & Donald Aitken
3. ‘White Fiver’ (Laser) — Nigel Cottam
 

Sunday 27th September
Series 5 Race 6
A conservative description of this last day of the club championship series would be ‘distinctly unpromising’ as a cold 20+ knot south westerly kicked up quite a sea with gusts closer to 30kts. Optimistic sailors checked wind gauges and waited. Eventually the wind dropped a little and race officer Ian Paterson set a short course and gathered some volunteers to participate. Safety team Alastair Hamilton and Jim Blyth set the start line and immediately set to work helping those Laser sailors who had opted for swimming rather than sailing, but in spite of the conditions quite a good start was made. Alistair Reid (Musto Skiff) had already broken a bit of his boat in the warm up, if it could called that in these conditions, and was not able to hoist his kite as he rounded the windward mark, but he didn’t need it as he hurtled downwind barely touching the water. Behind in one of the club’s own Laser 2000s Calum Reid and Gillian Hutten were finding the going tough but staying upright while Johnny Paterson (Laser) went swimming a couple of times. Four quick laps for Musto Skiff and it was all over. The last race was cancelled due to a resumption of a howling gale and sumptuous white water. With the Championship over the computer churned out the results that showed that Club Champions 2009 were Jim Blyth and Donald Aitken in their 505 ‘Slippery Sid’ who also took the last two series. Handicap Champion was Nigel Cottam in a Laser ‘White Fiver’
Result Race 6 of Series 5
1. ‘Upside downer’ (Musto Skiff) — Alistair Reid
2. ‘Romeo’(Laser 2000) — Calum Reid & Gillian Hutten
3. ‘Puzzle Pirate’ (Laser) — Johnny Paterson
Final Result Series 5
1.  ‘Slippery Sid’(505) — Jim Blyth & Donald Aitken
2.  ‘Upside downer’ (Musto Skiff) — Alistair Reid
3. ‘Whoopsie’ (Laser) — Ruth Welensky

Club Championship 2009
1. ‘Slippery Sid’(505) — Jim Blyth & Donald Aitken
2. ‘Upside downer’ (Musto Skiff) — Alistair Reid
3. ‘Eurocrat’ (Europe) — Gordon McGeorge

Sunday 20th September
Series 5 Race 5
Autumn had definitely arrived for this penultimate race day in the championship series as a chill breeze sliced through bright sunshine from the south west. Race Officer Johnny Paterson set a long course in the expectation of fast laps and the fleet started well through a start line set by Safety Team Alistair McCabe and Martin Gilfoyle. Immediately into the lead was defending club champion Alistair Reid in his Musto Skiff pursued by Jim Blyth in his 505 crewed by stand-in crewman Len Read who was reasonably bemused to be surrounded by so much coloured string, each piece of which had to be pulled in roughly the correct order. Not withstanding this, the kite was hoisted at the windward mark and the 505 made a good fist of chasing Reid in his Musto Skiff closing to within a few seconds on the first lap. Further back team Cockburn were driving their Laser 2000 well using its kite to keep ahead of the Lasers that were labouring somewhat behind. The fast boats did a heartening five laps without a change in race order when the Race Officer brought proceeding to an end.
Result Race 5 of Series 5
1. ‘Upside downer’ (Musto Skiff) — Alistair Reid
2. ‘Slippery Sid’(505) — Jim Blyth & Donald Aitken
3. ‘Bob’ (Laser 2000) — John Cockburn & Jamie Cockburn

Series 7 Race 5
The second race of the day started well in pleasant conditions helped by a modest 10kt south westerly and Alistair Reid (Musto Skiff) once again used his kite well to keep ahead of Blyth and Read in the 505. As the boats entered their second lap the wind shifted a little to the north west which allowed Blyth and Read (505) to get past the Musto Skiff but shortly afterwards a good squall cut through from the south west again. The 505 weathered this storm well with some coloured string being pulled to take the power out the sails but the Lasers capsized followed by Alistair Reid (Musto Skiff) which allowed John and Jamie Cockburn (Laser 2000) through into second spot. Reid did get going again but the Laser sailors opted for a cup of tea in the clubhouse with Martin Gilfoyle swapping his seat in the safety boat for an unexpected sail in one of the Lasers. With a good degree of prescience the Race Officer chose to bring the race to a finish. 
Result Race 5 of Series 7
1. ‘Slippery Sid’(505) — Jim Blyth & Len Read
2. ‘Bob’ (Laser 2000) — John Cockburn & Jamie Cockburn
3. ‘Upside downer’ (Musto Skiff) — Alistair Reid

Sunday 30th August
Series B Race 4
The force 5 south westerly that had battered the shores for two days was still on evidence on this Sunday morning but looked manageable. Race Officer Ian Paterson chose a long course to celebrate the impending action, the Safety Team, Johnny Paterson and Mary Riffkin, quickly set the start line and the small fleet started well. The manageable wind dropped soon afterward and entered the barely interesting range allowing the boats a leisurely trip around the bay lead by Ruth Welensky (Laser) and Martin Gilfoyle (Laser). Further practice was obtained by repeating the laps three times before the Race Office was satisfied.
Result Race 4 of Series B
1. ‘Whoopsie’ (Laser) — Ruth Welensky
2. ‘A&E’ (Laser) — Martin Gilfoyle
3. ‘White Fiver’ (Laser) — Nigel Cottam
Series 5 Race 4
More boats joined the next race but the starting hooter coincided with the wind dropping to almost nothing and controlled drifting ensued. Blyth and Aitken (505) were first to the windward mark and on rounding it found the wind gently wafting from the opposite direction so were not able to hoist their kite, so they and the  three gennaker carrying boats following, inched down another windward leg.  Those that had brought sandwiches found time to unpack and eat them on this leg but at the next mark the big kites came out the bags, to the annoyance of the Lasers drifting along behind, and sturdy if unspectacular progress commenced with some ripples seen from the bows of the boats. Blyth and Aitken (505) had done significantly better than the others and were rewarded with a finish after just over 30 minutes but the last Lasers took nearly an hour and no second lap was contemplated. With conditions now a flat calm the last race of the day was cancelled
Result Race 4 of Series 5
1. ‘Slippery Sid’(505) — Jim Blyth & Donald Aitken
2.  ‘Upside downer’ (Musto Skiff) — Alistair Reid
3. ‘Nothing Compares’ (29er) — Len Read & Frances Lord

Wednesday 26th August
Series 6 Race 5
Race Officer Steve Wood was keen to get going quickly on this penultimate Wednesday race as he correctly thought the wind would not last. The Safety Boat team Kevan Gibb and Colman Clarke laid the start line and the fleet started into the teeth of a gentle force one south westerly. Alistair Reid (Musto Skiff) and Gordon McGeorge (Europe) were overcome with enthusiasm passing through the start line too soon and had to return but Blyth and Aitken (505) headed off to arrive first at the windward mark pursued by the faster boats. Further back McGeorge (Europe) had recovered from his poor start to power past the Lasers with Callum Gibb (Laser) just keeping in touch. On the second lap the gentle wind became even more gentle and the boats got slower but the three fast boats had to embark on a third lap lead by Blyth and Aitken (505) which became frankly leisurely allowing Gordon McGeorge to claim top spot with a good sail in his Europe.
Result Race 5 of Series 6
1. ‘Eurocrat’ (Europe) — Gordon McGeorge
2. ‘Slippery Sid’(505) — Jim Blyth & Donald Aitken
3. ‘Friday’ (Laser) — Callum Gibb

Sunday 23rd August
Menzies Salver
Race 1
The Largo summer raged on for this Trophy Race with a cold force 3 south easterly and a penetrating drizzle. Race Office Lauri Taylor set quite a short course to keep everyone active and shooed them onto the water. The club house interior was more inviting. Safety Team Lars Christiansen and Dave Waring, wrestling with another recalcitrant power boat, set the start line and a good start was made. Alistair Reid (Musto Skiff) was straight into a commanding lead pursued by Read and Lord (29er) and Carruthers and Marston (Laser 4000). Further back John and Jamie Cockburn were doing well keeping their Laser 2000 ahead of a shoal of Lasers and Radials using their kite well to keep in touch with the faster boats ahead. There were few surprises in the race with a steady progression around the course and a victory for Alistair Reid in his Musto Skiff
Result
1. ‘Upside downer’ (Musto Skiff) — Alistair Reid
2. ‘Nothing Compares’ (29er) — Len Read & Frances Lord
3. ‘Bob’ (Laser 2000) — John Cockburn & Jamie Cockburn
Race 2
With the races sailed ‘back to back’ the next race had to be contemplated without a restorative bar of confectionary so got underway quickly. The excitement was broadly similar to race 1 with Alistair Reid (Musto Skiff)  swooping through the drizzle into a series and cup winning first place. Nigel Orkney was in the race in his Laser having sat out the first one while he made some repairs to his boat with drill and sticky-backed plastic. On the water he wrestled with John and Jamie Cockburn in their Laser 2000 but they managed to keep ahead the whole race to take another good third spot.
Result
1. ‘Upside downer’ (Musto Skiff) — Alistair Reid
2. ‘Nothing Compares’ (29er) — Len Read & Frances Lord
3. ‘Bob’ (Laser 2000) — John Cockburn & Jamie Cockburn
Race 3
Having come ashore to warm up, some crews thought that there was no further need to practice for the Winter Series and packed up. On the water, the wind was dropping and the pace was more sedate. Alistair Reid (Musto Skiff) took up his traditional trailblazing stance at the head of the fleet with the Cockburns (Laser 2000) in hot pursuit. On this occasion Martin Gilfoyle (Laser) kept the pressure up on the Laser 2000 ahead earning himself a useful third place but the final placings were unaltered
Result
1. ‘Upside downer’ (Musto Skiff) — Alistair Reid
2.  ‘Bob’ (Laser 2000) — John Cockburn & Jamie Cockburn
3. ‘A&E’ (Laser) — Martin Gilfoyle

Menzies Salver
Final Result
1. ‘Upside downer’ (Musto Skiff) — Alistair Reid
2. ‘Nothing Compares’ (29er) — Len Read & Frances Lord
3. ‘Bob’ (Laser 2000) — John Cockburn & Jamie Cockburn

Wednesday 19th August
Series 6 Race 4
A light south westerly this Wednesday evening meant a shortish course was ordered by Race Officer Peter Ferguson in the expectation that the wind would fade away before the finish. The Safety Team set the start line and a good start was made with Blyth and Aitken (505) to the fore ahead of Alistair Reid (Musto Skiff) and Read and Lord (29er). These three boat hoisted their kites at the windward mark and drew out a good lead on the water over the pursuing Lasers. Reid (Musto Skiff) tried hard to overtake the 505 but was not able to close to more than a few metres on any lap and had to concentrate on keeping a good distance ahead of Read and Lord (29er). Of the Lasers George Bowman made the best progress but this was an evening for using your gennaker.
Result Race 4 of Series 6
1. ‘Slippery Sid’(505) — Jim Blyth & Donald Aitken
2. ‘Nothing Compares’ (29er) — Len Read & Frances Lord
3. ‘Upside downer’ (Musto Skiff) — Alistair Reid

Sunday 16th August
Daniel Cup
The Daniel cup is the annual trophy race for both the new sailors who came to the training sessions and the Junior Cadets and is a suitable finale to the training season. Unfortunately, a gusty force 5 south westerly kicked up a good chop and all racing was cancelled. The good news is that there is a spare weekend where it can be rescheduled later on in the season
Wednesday 12th August
Series 6 Race 3
A pleasant easterly looked promising for the midway point of Series 6 but the first problem facing race officer Lars Christiansen was that the engine of the safety boat would not start. A sizeable committee gathered around the silent engine all espousing their theories on how to liven it up but to no avail. Fortunately, Ian Paterson had his power boat on the water already and Safety Crewman John Cockburn transferred the start marks so everything could go ahead. The start line was laid and a good sized fleet started well with Blyth and Aitken to the fore in their 505 followed by Alistair Reid (Musto Skiff) and Read and Lord (29er). The single handed fleet was lead off by Gordon McGeorge who kept his Europe in front of the faster Lasers for the whole race and the RS 200 sailed by Hilary and Johnny Paterson. It was a good sail for Blyth and Aitken who plied their trade well in the 505 well keeping ahead of the faster Musto Skiff and the slower 29er for all four laps with a weather eye needing to be kept for Gordon McGeorge who took a good third place on handicap in his Europe. 
Result Race 3 of Series 6
1. ‘Slippery Sid’(505) — Jim Blyth & Donald Aitken
2. ‘Upside downer’ (Musto Skiff) — Alistair Reid
3. ‘Eurocrat’ (Europe) — Gordon McGeorge

Sunday 2nd August
Series 5 Race 2
A brisk south westerly put paid to the first race of the day but with some signs of abatement a limited selection of hardy souls took to the water. Race Office Peter Ferguson set a windward leeward course closer inshore so that any debris would drift ashore and the boat started well. Blyth and Aitken (505) started out as they had finished Wednesday, storming to the windward mark ahead of Alistair Reid in the faster Musto Skiff who was finding the going quite heavy. Further back John Wilson was doing well keeping the RS300 upright and ahead of George Bowman (Laser) but he needed to do a little more work to close with Reid’s Musto Skiff. In the conditions all the boats kept going with some panache and Blyth and Aitken (505) made getting first place look easy with five almost equal laps.
Result of Race 2 of Series 5
1. ‘Slippery Sid’(505) — Jim Blyth & Donald Aitken
2. ‘Upside downer’ (Musto Skiff) — Alistair Reid
3. ‘Coila’ (RS300) — John Wilson
Series 7 Race 2
The wind appeared to drop slightly and further crews took to the water to stiffen the competition. A good start was made and once again it looked as if Blyth and Aitken (505) had the measure of the conditions. Close behind were Read and Lord (29er) who had got in front of Alistair Reid (Musto Skiff) on this leg. It was still quite windy however and it must have been reassuring to see the carbon mast of the 29er flexing in the gusts as it is designed to do. John Wilson was having a better time in the RS300 in this occasion and kept the pressure on the 29er just ahead and in front of both Ian Wilson in another RS300 and George Bowman  (Laser). Alistair Reid (Musto Skiff) picked up in the second lap passing Read and Lord (29er) but was not able to make much impression on Blyth and Aitken’s (505) lead who swept home for their hat-trick of race victories.
Result of Race 2 of Series 7
1. ‘Slippery Sid’(505) — Jim Blyth & Donald Aitken
2. ‘Coila’ (RS300) — John Wilson
3. ‘Nothing Compares’ (29er) — Len Read & Frances Lord

Wednesday 29th July
Series 6 Race 1
As is so often the case Wednesday evening brought the promise of only light winds and winds that may fade later on. Race Officer Joan Sneddon chose a short course and Safety crew Ruth Welensky and John Marston set the start line quickly and the boats were away to take advantage of the dying breeze. Straight into the lead were Blyth and Aitken (505) who were first to the windward mark followed by John Wilson in his RS300 and then Alistair Reid (Musto Skiff). Blyth and Aitken were not going to relinquish the lead all night but further back Gordon McGeorge (Europe) and Kevan Gibb (Solo) were only seconds apart with McGeorge getting in front on the water on the second lap.  As predicted the wind began to fade and those that had to do a fifth lap has a struggle to keep there places on handicap Read and Aitken (29er) and John Wilson (RS 300) although Blyth and Aitken (505) continued to flourish lapping some of the slower boats
Result Race 1 of Series 6
1. ‘Slippery Sid’(505) — Jim Blyth & Donald Aitken
2. ‘Eurocrat’ (Europe) — Gordon McGeorge
3. ‘Resin Barrel’ (Solo) — Kevan Gibb

Saturday and Sunday July 25th and 26th The Closed Regatta - Donald Aitken
The morning of Saturday 25th July was warm with bright skies and promised much for a great weekend’s sailing. 15 competitors entered the event with a large number of single-handed entries including Lasers and RS 300s. All the sailors were encouraged by the promising weather conditions and were eagerly anticipating the sea breeze, this would normally kick in around 13.00 hrs, just in time for the first race.
By the time of the first race, the breeze was blowing directly out of the south making it a challenging direction to set a start line. Race officer, Donald Aitken, set a relatively short course for this first race including a short hitch to the first mark before the anticipated beat to mark 3, the intended windward mark. Just as the gun went to signal the start of the race, the breeze clocked round to the south east making a mockery of the course, with all the boats reaching on all legs of the course.
This dramatic change to the wind direction was to be something, which would torment the race officer and the sailors for the rest of the day with the breeze refusing to settle from any direction. At one point in the afternoon, the race officer noted that during a 20-minute period the breeze actually came from all points of the compass.

Saturday 25th July
Race One
The leading positions changed often around this difficult racecourse, with A Reid (Musto Skiff) competing closely with L Read and F Aitken (29er). John Wilson joining for part of his annual leave in his RS 300 was also well in the mix and competing extremely well in the light and shifty conditions. The single handers were split into two groups headed by K Gibb (Solo) and closely followed by J Patterson (Laser), this was a pairing that would be side by side most of the weekend.
John Wilson RS 300 eventually came out on top in this race beating the Musto Skiff and 29er into 2nd and 3rd place respectively.

Race Two
G Mcgeorge took to the water in his Europe for the first time as he had taken his turn first on the club safety boat during the first race. Conditions on the water were now more unpredictable than the first race as the breeze prevailing on the land was markedly different than that on the water. The race officer now required assistance from Commodore A Read who was now on safety boat duty to help assess the wind direction and attempt this time to set a course relative to the conditions. Much debate was had by both parties and finally decided, a course with a windward mark off to the west was the ideal solution. The gun went for the start of the race and lo and behold, the wind shifted 25 degrees back to a South Easterly direction, much to the race officer’s disgust.
It was Gordon McGeorge (Europe), who revelled in these conditions unlike others who found the light and shifty conditions too testing resulting in a number of retirals. J Wilson (RS 300) also found the conditions to his liking and took a commanding lead starting the 2nd lap of the race a leg in front of the rest of the pack. Although a regular sailor at Largo over the years, he was to be caught out by a dropping breeze and a strong spring tide. By the time the rest of the pack rounded the windward mark for the 2nd time, J Wilson was completely out of the running not having noticed the breeze filling back in from the South. G McGeorge (Europe), Read and Aitken (29er) and wily campaigner K Gibb (Solo) had all noticed the conditions change and made the best of a difficult course to cement their positions near the top of the leader board. It was G McGeorge (Europe), who really showed the fleet a clean pair of heels, by winning the race on handicap by 6mins 48 seconds. K Gibb (Solo) finished in 2nd place with the 29er of Read and Aitken gaining another 3rd place. John Wilson eventually finished the race but this time only to be beaten into 5th place by his father Ian Wilson also sailing an RS 300. There was a wry smile on Ian’s face as he returned to shore, as beating his son is not a regular occurrence.

Race Three 
It finally looked like the wind gods were now finally in the race officer’s hands, with a steady South Easterly sea breeze. All the competitors’ were hurried out to the start line finally anticipating that after two races they might finally get a windward beat on the course. You guessed it just shortly after the start the wind once again shifted 25 degrees in the other direction round to the South West. By this stage most of the competitors made the best of a freshening breeze and although the windward /leeward course became two reaches it did allow for some quicker racing with the faster boats completing 4 laps.
Once again the 29er,RS 300 and Musto Skiff were all competing for the top spot but the close reaching conditions were to suit J Wilson (RS300) the best, taking a convincing win over A Read in 2nd and Read and Aitken in third. 

Sunday 26th July
The morning conditions that welcomed the competitors could not have been any different from the previous day. Stair Rod rain and a stiff southeasterly breeze was in fact exactly what the Met Office had predicted. Race officer Aitken was encouraged by the conditions and was confident that the rain would clear and the breeze would hold providing a platform for a great days racing. 
Race Four
A challenging mix of port and starboard rounding’s made up the course for today’s first race which would make for some interesting incidents around mark M and the adjacent start line.
With the breeze blowing a steady 10-12 knots the Musto Skiff of Al Read leapt out of it’s starting blocks like a startled rabbit. He was followed closely by Read and Aitken (29er) who chased him down like a thoroughbred greyhound. K Gibb ( Solo) and J Patterson (Laser)  found the conditions much more to their liking and with G McGeorge  also in the mix they would fight for position all the way round. Eventually Read and Aitken took the lead from Al Read who was beset by some technical difficulties and with J Wilson( RS 300 ) on safety boat duty for this race, the 29er took first place closely followed by G McGeorge ( Europe) and K Gibb ( Solo) in third place.
Race Five
Things on the leader board were now becoming quite tight and with Read and Aitken having to take their turn on the safety boat, it was time for Wilson and McGeorge to make their move.
With the breeze still steady from the South East, the grin on the race officer’s face could be seen from North Berwick. In fact, the breeze would build even more in this race with A Read (Musto Skiff) completing 5 laps of the course in only 41 minutes. Although a rapid performance it was still not enough to beat J Wilson ( RS 300 ) who also completed 5 laps and won convincingly on corrected time beating K Gibb (Solo) into 2nd place by over a minute. G McGeorge ( Europe) finished in 3rd place. Gibb and Patterson once again had close racing with the young Patterson demonstrating strong consistency by finishing in 6th place.
Race Six
Read and Aitken had the bit between their teeth as they took to the water for the final race. It looked comfortable for an event victory for J Wilson (RS300) but anything can happen in dinghy racing. John Wilson needed to finish no worse than 4th to take victory. Read and Aitken knew that a first place was the only thing that might see them in with a chance. The breeze was building out of the Southeast, now probably 15-16 knots and the 29er showed no sign of holding back. With the reaching legs of the course becoming quite tight due to the strengthening breeze, Read and Aitken managed to hold their spinnaker while A Read (Musto Skiff) could not. The conditions now were ideal for dinghy racing and saw some spectacular off-wind sailing providing all competitors with some champagne sailing that they will remember for a long time. Read and Aitken( 29er) crossed the line in first place quite some distance ahead of J Wilson ( RS300)
but only just managed to snatch first place on corrected time by the smallest of margins - 7 seconds.

There were some great performances across the whole fleet over the weekend with the Saturday proving extremely tricky for some of the less experienced. Sunday was quite a different story and saw K Carruthers and P Carruthers competing well in their Laser 4000 managing 6 races without a capsize!!  Well done guys. Steve Wood and Coleman Clark absolutely revelled in Sundays’ conditions and  surprised a few people as they competed well on the off-wind legs. Once again this was a great event well supported by all club members and was rounded off with a Buffet Supper at the Crusoe Hotel which saw most of the competitors attend and partake of a small shandy or two.

FINAL RESULTS

1. John Wilson     (RS 300) 5 points
2. Len Read & Frances Aitken ( 29er)  8 points
3. Gordon McGeorge   (Europe) 9 points
4. Kevan Gibb    (Solo)  11 points
5. Al Read     (Musto Skiff) 12 points
6. Ian Wilson    (RS 300) 21 points

Sunday 5th July
Series A Race 6
A warm sunny Sunday morning was building up to a real scorcher as club racing resumed after the previous week’s Regatta.  Not so good was the lack of wind and when a squall of heavy rain came through and killed what wind there was, the Series A race suffered the same fate as the previous Wednesday’s race and was cancelled.

Series 1 Race 6
Everyone was waiting on shore patiently and eventually a breeze filled in from the south east. Race Officer Martin Gilfoyle set quite a long course in celebration of this and Iain and Hilary Paterson launched the safety boat to set the start line and the fleet took to the water. A good start was made and Alistair Reid (Musto Skiff) burst into the lead being first to the windward mark and then using his gennaker to good effect. Right behind was Gordon McGeorge in his Europe and with Read and Lord (29er) retiring due to technical problems, Carruthers and Taylor (Laser 4000) were close behind to take advantage. George Bowman was the best of the Lasers keeping ahead of Chris Wood (Laser Radial) but lagged some way behind the Europe. A little bit of breeze built up resulting  in Wood and Clarke (Laser 2000) and Carruthers and Taylor (Laser 4000) going swimming and this allowed the leaders to pull away. Reid (Musto Skiff) could not really shake off Gordon McGeorge who came through well in his Europe to win the race on handicap by 46 seconds but it was not enough to deny Reid another Series win.
Result Race 6 of Series 1
1. ‘Eurocrat’ (Europe) — Gordon McGeorge
2. ‘Upside downer’ (Musto Skiff) — Alistair Reid
3. ‘Calypso’ (Laser) — George Bowman
Final Result Series 1
1. ‘Upside downer’ (Musto Skiff) — Alistair Reid
2. ‘Nothing Compares’ (29er) — Len Read & Frances Lord
3. ‘Calypso’ (Laser) — George Bowman

Series 3 Race 6
A degree of consternation on the start line saw some smart pirouetting as boats had to return for being across the line too soon but eventually Alistair Reid (Musto Skiff) to command of his vessel and stormed ahead to the windward mark. He was pursued by Carruthers and Taylor (Laser 4000) who were struggling to keep ahead of McGeorge (Europe) and George Bowman (Laser).  On the second lap McGeorge got through and set off in pursuit of Reid in the Musto Skiff hoping to close enough to win on handicap but a good final lap saw Reid take first in the race and the Series.
Result of Race 6 of Series 3
1.  ‘Upside downer’ (Musto Skiff) — Alistair Reid
2. ‘Eurocrat’ (Europe) — Gordon McGeorge
3. ‘Calypso’ (Laser) — George Bowman
Final Result Series 3
1. ‘Upside downer’ (Musto Skiff) — Alistair Reid
2. ‘Nothing Compares’ (29er) — Len Read & Frances Lord
3. ‘Calypso’ (Laser) — George Bowman

Sunday 24th May
Series A Race 4
A warm sunny day greeted the sailors this Sunday, but as boats were rigging quite a strong south westerly built up a head of steam and promised to make the conditions very tricky. Race officer Derek Gibb started the races from the Safety Boat assisted by Safety Crew Fiona Park but there were a number of capsizes before the start and only two boats started the race. Of these Marston and Carruthers (Laser 4000) did better at the capsizes than Nigel Cottam (Laser) to take top spot
Result Race 4 of Series A
1. ‘Light Speed’ (Laser 4000) John Marston & Ken Carruthers
2. ‘White Fiver’ (Laser) — Nigel Cottam

Series 1 Race 4
More boats joined the fray for the second race of the day and again the conditions continued to be a little tricky with a number of capsizes. The 505 found everything to its satisfaction with Blyth and Aitken keeping the lead from start to finish. Further behind Alistair Reid (Musto Skiff) was not able to close to within two minutes but kept ahead of Marston and Carruthers (Laser 4000) who were in a capsize competition with Johnny Paterson (Laser). In the end the Laser 4000 found the conditions more to its liking with some good reaches and Paterson had to be content with fourth spot.
Result Race 4 of Series 1
1. ‘Slippery Sid’(505) — Jim Blyth & Donald Aitken
2. ‘Upside downer’ (Musto Skiff) — Alistair Reid
3. ‘Light Speed’ (Laser 4000) John Marston & Ken Carruthers

Series 3 Race 4
With everyone feeling fairly battered a reduced fleet took to the water for the final race which started in the same way as the previous one. Blyth and Aitken drove the 505 through the heavy water with some aplomb and kept well ahead of Alistair Reid in the Musto Skiff. Marston and Carruthers (Laser 4000) had a long capsize had had to retire leaving Nigel Cottam (Laser) to take third with a display of some resilience.
Result of Race 4 of Series 3
1. ‘Slippery Sid’(505) — Jim Blyth & Donald Aitken
2. ‘Upside downer’ (Musto Skiff) — Alistair Reid
3. ‘White Fiver’ (Laser) — Nigel Cottam

Wednesday 20th May
Series 2 Race 4
Storm cloud marked the progress of the easterly squalls passing through Largo Bay for Race 4 of Series 2 on this Wednesday evening and Race Officer John Marston set a long course in expectation of some fast laps. Safety Team Ruth Welensky and Alasdair Sneddon set the start line and the boat were off without a problem with Alistair Reid (Musto Skiff)making it to windward mark ahead of Blyth and Aitken (505) and Read and Lord (29er). The gennaker of the Musto Skiff was difficult to hoist but Reid still finished the lap a couple of minutes ahead of the 505 which was having trouble shrugging off the 29er behind. Sandwiched between the single handers and the fast boats Kevan and Calum Gibb were going well in their RS200 with Gordon McGeorge (Europe) setting the pace behind. The Europe was doing well in the gusty conditions frustrating George Bowman (Laser) who had to wait until the third lap to get through and although at several times in the evening it looked as if some bad weather was on the way everything missed the bay and there were no difficulties. In the end Alistair Reid had done enough to win by 40 seconds.
Result of Race 4 of Series 2
1. ‘Upside downer’ (Musto Skiff) — Alistair Reid
2. ‘Slippery Sid’(505) — Jim Blyth & Donald Aitken
3. ‘Nothing Compares’ (29er) — Len Read & Frances Lord

Wednesday 13th May
Series 2 Race 3
Wednesday evenings are renowned for light failing winds but this evening took up where the previous Wednesday had left off with a rather vicious easterly with a bit of north in it. Race Officer Mike Wares set a long course to reflect the high-speed conditions and with Safety Team Paul Jeffery and Kriss Cunningham laying the start line the boats were off without a problem. Straight into the lead were Blyth and Aitken (505) pursued by Read and Lord (29er) and Nigel Orkney (Laser) and the 505 was first to the windward mark and pulled away impressively on  the first downwind leg. Read and Lord kept at it in the 29er and generally had the advantage downwind where they closed to within a couple of seconds of the 505 and overtook them on one lap. The 505 is particularly good on the beat and Blyth and Aitken always drew out a good lead on this leg in an effort to gain on handicap. Meanwhile, Nigel Orkney was going well in his Laser at the head of the Laser pack where a fair amount of swimming was taking place, and the Safety Boat had to buzz around to keep an eye on this with Colin White on hand to assist the relatively inexperienced crew. As the end of the race drew close Blyth and Aitken (505) were leading on the water by about 45 seconds and needed twice that to win on handicap so rushed the fifth and final lap to gain time on Read and Lord (29er) and when the handicap calculations were made the 505 had won by just three seconds
Result of Race 3 of Series 2
1. ‘Slippery Sid’(505) — Jim Blyth & Donald Aitken
2. ‘Nothing Compares’ (29er) — Len Read & Frances Lord
3. ‘Kashoggi’ (Laser) — Nigel Orkney 

Sunday 10th May
Golden Jubilee Trophy 
Race 1
Largo Bay Sailing Club is fifty years old this weekend and a new race and trophy has been instigated as a result. The previous evening a celebratory dinner had been held in the presence of the Provost of Fife, Frances Melville, with Alistair McCabe, the Club’s longest active member, giving a speech on the history of the club. It was fitting, therefore, that he went from the top table to the roof of the club house as Race Officer for the day, with Peter Ferguson and Mary Riffkin as Safety Crew. A good turnout ensured a crowded start line and after a false start caused by a technical fault the fleet got away well into a fluky light easterly breeze. Blyth and Aitken (505) made the early running to the windward mark followed by Alistair Reid (Musto Skiff) and Read and Lord (29er) who were a little off the pace and pursued by Gibb and Jennings in an RS200 and a club Laser 2000 sailed by Calum Reid and Chris Wood. Further back Orkney (Solo) and Gibb (Solo) were going well in front of all the Lasers except Bowman and managing to pick up some breeze. Alistair Reid (Musto Skiff) got past Blyth and Aitken (505) on the second lap but was not able build enough of a lead to win on handicap. The Solos did it again from the back of the fleet with the first five boats separated by less than a minute.
Result of Race 1 of Golden Jubilee Trophy
1. ‘Resin Barrel’ (Solo) — Kevan Gibb
2. ‘Slippery Sid’(505) — Jim Blyth & Donald Aitken
3. ‘Shagileogigolo (Solo) — Nigel Orkney

Race 2
The wind continued to be lacklustre and patchy for race 2, with a bit of north in some of the puffs. Another good start saw Alistair Reid (Musto Skiff) go into an early lead followed by Read and Lord (29er) who had got ahead of Blyth and Aitken (505). Reid and Wood (Laser 2000) kept well in touch with the leading boats ahead of Kevan Gibb (Solo) who was leaving the Laser fleet  behind. The light and variable wind seemed to favour the boats with kites and the three fast boats made the race their own with Alistair Reid several minutes ahead and in control.
Result of Race 2 of Golden Jubilee Trophy
1. ‘Upside Downer’ (Musto Skiff) — Alistair Reid
2. ‘Nothing Compares’ (29er) — Len Read & Frances Lord
3.  ‘Slippery Sid’(505) — Jim Blyth & Donald Aitken

Race 3 
There was a little more wind coming out of the south east for race 3 and the start was lively with a few stragglers. Alistair Reid (Musto Skiff) again started well and was almost out of sight by the end of the first lap. Chasing him Blyth and Aitken (505) tried to keep in touch while staying ahead of Read and Lord (29er) and Reid and Wood (Laser 2000). Further back George Bowman (Laser) managed to keep ahead and Kevan Gibb (Solo) who was keeping the pack of Lasers at bay with only Johnny Paterson (Laser Radial) getting close. The wind began to fall away on the last lap affecting some of the late finishers and allowing Kevan Gibb into second place, but Alistair Reid dominance of the last two races meant he was the winner of the inaugural Golden Jubilee Trophy
Result Race 3 of Golden Jubilee Trophy
1. ‘Upside Downer’ (Musto Skiff) — Alistair Reid
2. ‘Resin Barrel’ (Solo) — Kevan Gibb
3. ‘Slippery Sid’(505) — Jim Blyth & Donald Aitken

Final Result Golden Jubilee Trophy
1. ‘Upside Downer’ (Musto Skiff) — Alistair Reid
2. ‘Resin Barrel’ (Solo) — Kevan Gibb
3. ‘Slippery Sid’(505) — Jim Blyth & Donald Aitken

Wednesday 6th May
Series 2 Race 2
Wednesday evening seemed to be the beginning of a promised storm with an angry south westerly and a significant chop so there were few takers. Race Officer Frances Lord set a short course and Safety Team Len Read and Alistair Reid laid the start line and four boats took to the water. Almost immediately two of them were suffering in the conditions and retired leaving Kevan Gibb (Solo) and Nigel Cottam (Laser) to fight it out. It was a fight against the conditions really and both sailors did well to keep upright and finish the race with Gibb leading the whole way. Cottam’s hard work means that he currently leads the series.
Result of Race 2 of Series 2
1. ‘Resin Barrel’ (Solo) — Kevan Gibb
2.  ‘White Fiver’ (Laser) — Nigel Cottam
 

Sunday 3rd May
Series A Race 3
A fairly brisk and gusty westerly was the order of the day and a degree of north in it made the sea flat and inviting. It was a bit of an illusion so Race Officer Donald Aitken, on his third consecutive Race Officer duty, made it a short course. The start line was laid by  Safety Crew Jim Blyth and Callum Gibb and a good start was made. The initial going was made by John and Jamie Cockburn (Laser 2000) and Dave Waring and Colin White (Buzz) followed by Nigel Cottam who did well in his Laser with only a modest amount of swimming. The gusts were making it difficult for Waring and White in the Buzz and more water sampling went on. The Cockburns (Laser 2000) handled their gennaker well and kept in the lead but in the end there were only 2 finishers
Result of Race 3 of Series A
1. ‘Bob’ (Laser 2000) — John Cockburn & Jamie Cockburn
2. ‘White Fiver’ (Laser) — Nigel Cottam
Series 1 Race 3
With the wind picking up a little quantative easing took place and more boats appeared at the start line. A good start was made with Read and Lord (29er) making the pace with Alistair Reid (Musto Skiff) close behind. Reid got past at the windward mark, hoisted his kite and sped away only to capsize and watch Read and Lord streaming past. Meanwhile, eschewing a gennaker, Kevan Gibb (Laser) made a beeline for the mark keeping the unpleasant bending and gybing to a minimum and he was followed by the other Lasers. A number of crews were intent on checking the water temperature and the Safety Boat needed to be attentive while the routine of Reid getting into the lead past Read and Lord (29er) only to capsize went on for much of the race. Despite four capsizes Alistair Reid still managed to keep to within a few seconds of Read and Lord (29er) on the water while they only had to swim once. In the background Kevan Gibb (Laser) was staying upright and cruising to victory on handicap keeping well ahead of the other Lasers, George Bowman and Nigel Orkney. At this stage the sailors decided that that was enough excitement for the day and the third race was cancelled
Result of Race 2 of Series 3
1. ‘Tango’ (Laser) — Kevan Gibb
2. ‘Nothing Compares’ (29er) — Len Read & Frances Lord
3. ‘Upside Downer’ (Musto Skiff) — Alistair Reid

Wednesday 29th April
Series 2 Race 1
For the first Wednesday of the season a pleasant south westerly had been blowing all day. Race Officer Donald Aitken knew, however, that such breezes do not last and struggled to get the fleet on the water. Fighting a couple of flat tyres on the safety boat trailer again he got the crew to lay the start line and the racing fleet on the water relatively quickly: but the breeze was already dying. A good enough start was made with one boat jumping the gun who failed to restart so ruining an already less than exciting evening for himself. Gordon McGeorge lead the way in his Europe and was first to the windward mark followed by a string of Lasers headed up by Ruth Welensky. By halfway through the first lap it was already looking a bit discouraging with painfully slow progress and a race order that was a bit like Buggin’s Turn. Eventually the Race Officer mercifully brought proceedings to a close with the boats finishing in the order they started.
Result of Race 1 of Series 2
1. ‘Eurocrat’ (Europe) — Gordon McGeorge
2. ‘Whoopsie’ (Laser) — Ruth Welensky
3. ‘White Fiver’ (Laser) — Nigel Cottam

Sunday 26th April
Series A Race 2
It was another warm sunny afternoon at the start of racing with the cool north easterly of Saturday being replaced by a steady south westerly of between 9 and 12 knots. Race Officer Donald Aitken chose a short course and after the Safety Team Ian Paterson and Martin Gilfoyle had inflated the Safety Boat trailer’s flat tyre the start line was laid and racing got underway. First away were Calum Reid and Colin White who had taken one of the club’s own Laser 2000s followed by Ken Carruthers who also had a club boat, a Laser this time. Tucked in behind, Nigel Cottam (Laser) was keeping Ruth Welensky (Laser) out of it while trying to close on Carruthers (Laser) ahead but Carruthers was going well and passed Reid and White (Laser 2000) on the second lap  to pull into the lead. He finished eight seconds ahead on the water but when the handicap was calculated Reid and White had just made it by three seconds.
Result of Race 2 of Series A
1. ‘Zulu’ (Laser 2000) — Calum Reid and Colin White
2. ‘Tango’ (Laser) — Ken Carruthers
3. ‘White Fiver’ (Laser) — Nigel Cottam

Series 1 Race 2
The end of the first race coincided with some dark clouds rolling in and a sharp drop in the temperature. An enlarged fleet took to the water and a good start was made with Alistair Reid (Musto Skiff) going straight into the lead chased by Read and Lord (29er). Once again Calum Reid and Colin White (Laser 2000) were in sparkling form keeping right up with Brian and Lauri Taylor (Buzz) and ahead of George Bowman (Laser). It was getting quite gusty by the second lap which made conditions a little challenging and some crews did prematurely test the water temperature with Read and Lord, in particular, losing out. Brian and Lauri Taylor (Buzz) were in a good position when forced to retire with a technical problem allowing Reid and White to slip into third place on the water and in the excitement Carruthers (Laser) missed a mark and retired. Meanwhile, Alistair Reid (Musto Skiff) was well ahead and going well but not well enough to beat Reid and White (Laser 2000) on handicap.
Result of Race 2 of Series 1
1. ‘Zulu’ (Laser 2000) — Calum Reid and Colin White
1. ‘Upside Downer’ (Musto Skiff) — Alistair Reid
2. ‘Calypso’ (Laser) — George Bowman

Series 3 Race 2
For the third race the Race Officer set a windward/leeward course closer inshore because of the gusty conditions only to see the wind drop significantly. Sod’s Law rules sailing too! Another good start was made with Alistair Reid (Musto Skiff) making the running with Read and Lord (29er) just behind in a very slow first lap. The breeze freshened a little and the boats managed to complete three laps with Reid and White (Laser 2000) going for the hat-trick in pursuit of the two fast boats, while keeping George Bowman (Laser) in check just behind them. It was a hard battle but in this race the Musto Skiff did enough in the end to win by 17 seconds
Result of Race 2 of Series 3
1. ‘Upside Downer’ (Musto Skiff) — Alistair Reid
2. ‘Zulu’ (Laser 2000) — Calum Reid and Colin White
3. ‘Nothing Compares’ (29er) — Len Read & Frances Lord

Sunday 19th April
Series A Race 1
Another glorious spring day welcomed everyone to the beach on this first weekend of the club championship: the warm-up rounds are over and the nitty-gritty starts today. A pleasant force 2 sea breeze appeared on cue and race officer Lars Christiansen set a short course with safety team Dave Waring and Ken Carruthers putting down the start line. The early start for the day caught some people out and it was a small fleet that started without a problem. Ruth Welensky was quickly into the lead in her Laser and the target was to keep ahead of the Laser 2000 sailed by Steve Wood and Colman Clarke by enough to for the faster Standard Laser to win on handicap. Despite the Laser 2000 using its gennaker to good effect it was Wood and Clarke’s first sail of the season and there were some cobwebs to be blown away as they trailed by a minute. Close behind, Martin Gilfoyle came in third in his Laser ‘A&E’ – his children’s initials rather than where he is aiming to end up after the sailing.
Result of Race 1 of Series A
1. ‘Whoopsie’ (Laser) — Ruth Welensky
2. ‘Pod’ (Laser 2000) — Steve Wood and Colman Clarke
3.  ‘A&E’ (Laser) — Martin Gilfoyle
Series 1 Race 1
With just three boats on the water initially some Quantitive Easing took place which rapidly resulted in ten boats starting the race and without a problem. The heavy guns had shown up so there was general stiffening of resolve and Alistair Reid (Musto Skiff) swooped into the lead in perfect conditions pursued by  Read and Lord (29er) both boats using their gennakers well. Just behind, George Bowman was going well in his Laser and further back Kevan Gibb would be posing a threat in a Solo. The two faster boats lapped the whole fleet as they managed five laps in nearly an hour and at the end when the calculations were made Kevan Gibb (Solo) was tied with Read and Lord (29er). There were a number of recounts accompanied by the rustle of used fivers but the maths was incontrovertible— there were two boats tied for second place
Result of Race 1 of Series 1
1.  ‘Upside Downer’ (Musto Skiff) — Alistair Reid
2= ‘Resin Barrel’ (Solo) — Kevan Gibb
2= ‘Nothing Compares’ (29er) — Len Read & Frances Lord

Series 3 Race 1
With the excellent conditions persisting another big fleet started well with similar tactics to the previous race: Alistair Reid powered off in the Musto Skiff with Read and Lord (29er) in pursuit. Brian and Lauri Taylor got their Buzz going well and kept right up with the 29er with George Bowman (Laser) in touch as well. Further back Kevan Gibb (Solo) was going well too but being harassed by his son Callum in a Laser Radial only a few seconds behind. Alistair Reid circled serenely round the course five times to take first place with Read and Lord (29er) pushing Kevan Gibb into third with Brian and Lauri Taylor (Buzz) and George Bowman (Laser) seconds behind. 
Result of Race 1 of Series 3
1. ‘Upside Downer’ (Musto Skiff) — Alistair Reid
2. ‘Nothing Compares’ (29er) — Len Read & Frances Lord
3. ‘Resin Barrel’ (Solo) — Kevan Gibb
 

Sunday 12th April
Springboard Series Race 3
A really warm Easter Sunday started with little wind but after a short time the first sea breeze of the year kicked in from the south east and rose eventually to a gentle force 3. Race Officer Steve Wood set a short course and safety team Colin White and Coleman Clarke set the start line and another couple of marks on the course. A good start was made with the Musto Skiff racing into the lead as befits the fastest boat on the water and using his gennaker to good effect. Behind, a clutch of Lasers was in pursuit with Johnny Paterson leading the pack but having to deal with Kevan Gibb’s Solo that pressed him all the way with series leader George Bowman a minute behind. Gibb (Solo) got through into second transiently but Paterson regained his position quickly but was unable to draw out a sufficient lead to impose on the handicap of the Solo which itself was eying up the distant Musto Skiff. However Alistair Reid had done enough to win by nearly a minute
Result of Race 3 of Springboard Series 
1. ‘Upside Downer’ (Musto Skiff) — Alistair Reid
2. ‘Resin Barrel’ (Solo) — Kevan Gibb
3. ‘Puzzle Pirate (Laser) — Johnny Paterson
Springboard Series Race 4
A good start was made again to the last race in the Springboard Series with the Musto Skiff soaring away as normal. This time the pursuing pack was lead by George Bowman (Laser) who was himself closely marshalled by Kevan Gibb (Solo) but they both did well to keep on the tail of Alistair Reid (Musto Skiff) who was out in front. Bowman kept up the pressure but was unable to pull away from Gibb (Solo) who took first spot in spite of being overhauled by Johnny Paterson (Laser), but his efforts were enough to consign Reid (Musto Skiff) to third place and win the Springboard Series.
Result of Race 4 of Springboard Series
1. ‘Resin Barrel’ (Solo) — Kevan Gibb
2. ‘Calypso’ (Laser) — George Bowman
3. ‘Upside Downer’ (Musto Skiff) — Alistair Reid
Final Result Springboard Series
1. ‘Calypso’ (Laser) — George Bowman
2. ‘Resin Barrel’ (Solo) — Kevan Gibb
3. ‘Upside Downer’ (Musto Skiff) — Alistair Reid
 

Sunday 5th April
Springboard Series Race 1
With the Frostbite Shield over in the first weekend it was straight into the Springboard for Largo Bay’s sailors in the first weekend of April and the day looked promising. Good sunshine and a healthy westerly promised some lively activity. Race Officer Lauri Taylor set a short course as the entrants were largely Lasers and the start line was set by Safety Team Alasdair Sneddon and Brian Taylor who had some wait on the water as the boats slowly left the beach. Stiffening the fleet at the last moment was Alistair Reid in his Contender, a boat that likes a good breeze, with his appearance regretfully coinciding with a drop in the wind. A good start was made with Reid first to the windward mark chased by Johnny Paterson (Laser) and George Bowman (Laser). These two were having a good race with Paterson making the early running but on the fourth lap Bowman got through and set off after Reid in the Contender which was finding the conditions a little light. For a time it looked as if both Lasers may beat the Contender on handicap but a little bit of extra wind on the last lap got Reid out on the trapeze wire at last and the speed to edge into first place by 45 seconds. 
Result of Race 1 of Springboard Series
1. ‘Puffin’ (Contender) — Alistair Reid
2. ‘Calypso’ (Laser) — George Bowman
3. ‘Puzzle Pirate (Laser) — Johnny Paterson
Springboard Series Race 2
There was not much evidence of the sun by the time the second race started and the wind-chill was significant. Another good start saw Reid (Contender) straight into the lead, the running repairs done between the races standing him in good stead. Bowman (Laser) fought well right behind for much of the race but Paterson (Laser) had to retire allowing Colin White through in the club’s own Laser Radial. Another burst of wind saw conditions liven up to suit the Contender for a short time with Bowman falling   back a little but he still managed to keep well ahead of the pursuing Radial.
Result of Race 2 of Springboard Series
1. ‘Puffin’ (Contender) — Alistair Reid
2. ‘Calypso’ (Laser) — George Bowman
3. ‘Club Laser’ (Laser Radial) — Colin White
Sunday March 29th 
The Frostbite Shield
Largo Bays Sailing Club’s first race of the season was on the receiving end of the blustery wind we have been having for many days but at least it had swung to the south west from the north overnight. The new race's full title is the Frostbite Warm-up Shield but with sub-zero temperatures overnight there was little evidence of any ‘warming up’. The weekend started with a training session for the Solo fleet with ten Solos being put through their paces by Duncan Hepplewhite — the start was delayed on Saturday because of the 20-25 kt northerly but this abated during the afternoon and the Solos took to the water. On Sunday morning conditions were good with the wind from the south west and a good workout was had by all.  At the start of club racing the wind was working its way up again but Race Officer Nigel Cottam decided that a couple of quick races were possible. Safety team Alistair Reid and David Jennings laid the start line in quite heavy seas and a small fleet augmented by some of the Solos took to the water. It was lively stuff with George Bowman (Laser) taking an early lead and kicking up considerable spray. He was pursued by Robbie Paterson and Callum Gibb who were handling their Toppers well in the conditions without any reefs with Callum coming out the better of the two in both races. In the second race Kevan Gibb (Solo) had a good race with Bowman (Laser) to win on handicap but it was not enough to stop George Bowman taking the first Frostbite Shield. The third race was cancelled due to the deterioration of the conditions.

Result of the Frostbite Shield 
1. ‘Calypso’ (Laser) — George Bowman
2. ‘Resin Barrel’ (Solo) — Kevan Gibb
3. ‘Beach Bum’ (Topper) — Callum Gibb