Sailing 2nd - 5th of May

It was a busy weekend for the sailors of Whitby. Not only was it a Bank Holiday Weekend, but the state of the tides determined that the first of Midweek series of races could be conducted on the Friday. There was a moderate wind from the north for this race and 6 boats were keen to compete. A close start saw Icon with Cold Steel and Samaki not far behind. Déjà Vu had the door closed on her at the start mark and was forced to circle round leaving her with a large distance to catch up. Teemane and Double D made more timid starts. The fleet headed for Sandsend with Déjà Vu getting in to her stride and eventually getting to her rightful place at the front. The leading four, Déjà Vu, Icon, Cold Steel and Samaki headed for a mark just short of the Bell Buoy. However, navigation skills were a little rusty as 3 of the boats headed for the wrong mark and once they determined which the correct mark was, they misjudged the headings required, so Cold Steel, Samaki and Icon rounded the third mark in close formation, with Déjà Vu well ahead. The race was restricted to one lap and Déjà Vu led the fleet in with the next three, Cold Steel, Icon & Samaki finishing within 10 seconds of each other, but the handicap would turn the result around. Result: 1^st, Samaki, Nigel Robinson, 2^nd Cold Steel, Nigel Jarvis, 3^rd Icon, Neil & Lorraine Williamson.

The wind had disappeared on the Saturday and the race was postponed, but within 15 minutes, a gentle wind materialised allowing six boats to compete for the Stewart Perkins Cup. A light wind course was selected. No Compromise soon adopted her usual position at the front with Antix, Icon & Cold Steel forming the chasing fleet. No Compromise maintained her lead throughout, but Antix and Icon had a close tussle, with Icon having her nose in front at the end. Result: 1^st, Icon, 2^nd, Antix, John Allen, 3^rd Cold Steel.

Sunday started with a steady drizzle, dampening some of the boats enthusiasm to go to sea. Five boats did go out and were rewarded with the drizzle being turned off and splendid sailing conditions materialised. Icon timed her start nicely and led Cold steel, Antix and No Compromise, with Skywalker, the only Class B boat having her own race. At the first mark, just Antix and Icon popped their spinnakers for the short run out to sea before beating back to the coast where Antix passed Icon. The next leg took the fleet out to sea again, before another beat back in to Sandsend bay where No Compromise also passed Icon. The order was maintained for the remainder of the race, although the Race Officer thought that just 1 lap was sufficient for Skywalker in Class B. Antix led the fleet in, with No Compromise second, Icon third and Cold steel a long way off the pace. Result: Class A. 1^st Antix, 2^nd Icon, 3^rd No Compromise, Derek Frank. Class B. 1^st Skywalker, Peter Brown.

Enthusiasm was waning for the fourth race of the weekend and just 2 boats came out in Class A and 2 boats came out in Class B to compete in the fifth race in the Bank Holiday series and were greeted by the best weather of the weekend with a fresh southerly wind blowing providing warmth which had been lacking from the previous northerlies and a flat sea. All four boats made a close start with the fleet rapidly settling in to the theoretically correct order of Antix, Icon, Samaki and Skywalker. Speeds were excellent and the boats completed their first lap in under an hour and set off for their second with the order remaining the same, Antix, Icon, Samaki and Skywalker. Class A went on to complete a further lap, but Class B curtailed their race in the order Samaki and Skywalker, but the handicap would reverse the result. In Class A,  Antix led in Icon with a large enough lead to beat her handicap. Result: Class A. 1^st Antix, 2^nd Icon. Class B. 1^st Skywalker, 2^nd Samaki