QM Lasers win at Bexhill

Report by Mike Hicks

With the Masters Worlds starting in September, Tim L, Iain M, ex QM member Mike Partridge and I decided that some more sea sailing was required. So we went to the pebble beach at Bexhill for their open. Not a big entry, but conditions were just what we needed. Force 3 to 4 occasionally dropping to 2 with some nice waves and a tide running east to west. In other words typical South Coast sailing conditions for July. Upwind care was needed not to over stand the windward mark because of the current.  Downwind the course was far enough from the shore and the run slightly biased for the starboard gybe to mean there was no opportunity to get out of the tide on the run back.  So the plan was to hike as hard as possible on the beats, and try to hang on to the waves on the runs and reaches. Landing meant sailing straight at the shore and hoping ther shore team would catch the boat and run you onto the trolley.

Tim won, with QM taking 2nd and 4th places.

Iain broke his rudder downhaul when launching, so did not make race 1. Tim led the race, capsized at the top of the second beat, fell to third, then pulled though on the run to win. I decided to try a port tack start in race 2  but mis-timed it and was OCS. Tim won again, with Mike Partridge in 3rd.

               

                              Picture: Mike Hicks of QMSC in action

In race 2 Tim was second and I won. Tim did not need to sail the last race, which was a close match between me and Iain.

What did we learn? Generally it was good to get some practice in the waves. I think we all improved downwind simply as a result of some more time on the water. Tim's big gain in race 1 was made on the run, sailing by the lee on port gybe with the other boats on starboard. But in the later races the wind had shifted slightly to the South, and generally staying on starboard, and moving between broad reaches and sailing by the lee on starboard gybe seemed to allow longer surfs on the waves than trying a port gybe.

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WHO ARE WE?

The Laser fleet at Queen Mary has been growing steadily for a number of years and now boasts approximately 120 boats in total, covering a range of standards. The fleet comprises former Olympians & national champions, to complete beginners.

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To be the UK's Premier Laser Racing Club