Kinghorn Traveller 09-July-2005

Holiday time in Scotland produced shirt sleeved sailing at Kinghorn on the Firth of Forth but a much reduced fleet of Solos for their fourth Scottish Travellers event.

Sun sand and very little wind greeted the eight competitors who rigged in unusually warm conditions for the east coast. Initially the west wind looked likely to succumb to the influence of an easterly sea breeze but after some initial fidgets it settled to a force two westerly which increased to a very pleasant three as the afternoon progressed.

Race officer Steven Stead waited for the wind to steady then ran three full Olympic courses back to back within three hours with minimal waiting between races. Racing was tight within the fleet and the maximum time between first and last in any race was four minutes.

Race one set the pattern for the day with Jim Sinclair of East Lothian Yacht Club first round the windward mark followed by Ian Mclean of Royal Forth proving the benefit of their recent tuning sessions at North Berwick. Alistair Angus of Clyde Cruising Club eventually moved into third place having been locked out at the start by Mclean and suffering the ignominy of a 720 in front of a knowledgeable committee boat crew.

Race two saw Sinclair first round the windward mark closely followed by Richard Davies of Clyde Cruising Club. The strong tides were an added factor in all races and allowed Angus to take second place followed by McLean whose close attention eventually won him an overlap at the last gybe mark. The advantage was jealously guarded providing a second Sinclair, McLean, Angus finish.

With two races won, Sinclair had the luxury of an early ice cream on the Kinghorn seafront while the remainder set about their last race. Ian Mclean led from start to finish and the remainder of the fleet skirmished, with Angus managing to retain second place ahead of Davies and John Cameron of Newburgh SC.

1st Jim Sinclair, ELYC; 2nd Ian McLean, RFYC; 3rd Alistair Angus, CCC

Alistair Angus #4474