A bright and sunny morning with decent breeze greeted the fleet, and with a strong turnout racing was bound to be close.

The start proved to be controversial as the fleet pushed early. It was a good case for a general recall as the management couldn’t see who was over. Rick Perkins and Simon Dodds returned and the rest dissapeared to mark 6.

Once again Simon Northrop rounded clear and extended his lead throughout, managing to avoid capsising and the island this week!

Behind Simon it all got very close right on the line as the wind dropped to nothing as Chris Brealy, Steve Restell and Colin Smith approached. They drifted over the line in that order, followed by a your fast approaching author, Lee Goody and a recovering Rick Perkins.

It was a great sail throughout the fleet, but much discussion followed centred on the benefit of general recalls.

I think the race team have a difficult job on a sunny day as they are looking straight into a very bright low sun ...

If they can’t see all the boats who are over then it’s a general; if the same happens next week I will not bother restarting unless others do ...

Westbere sailors are very lucky that the club has both Derek and Pat who turn up each week to run the race and along with Richard in the rescue boat ensures that no sailors are asked to do a duty to run a race.

As Rick points out, it is very difficult to see down the line in sunny conditions to pick out the boats and the Race Officials have in the past been ‘kind’ to the offending competitors. Whilst I would prefer that when boats are over they face the penalty, I would also wish the competitors to be more honest and return without being called back. Good sailors know if they have pushed the line.

It is a narrow line that we walk if we are not to scare off the volunteers who turn out each week including standing in the rain and freezing cold to run a race for us.

Please bear this in mind and remember Westbere racing is hardly ever decided on the startline.

Jon,

No-one is have a dig at the race/rescue teams; we are all aware of what it meants to be part of a members club and we are all grateful they they turn out every week.

It’s a difficult line to sight due to the sun; if in doubt with a lot of boats over I’d encourage the team to not be afraid of a general.

Having a good view from further down the line it seemed to me that there could have been 5 or 6 boats over at the start so a general recall would probably have been the best course of action.