Coniston 2004

This was a new venture for us, towing the boat behind our camper van and spending a bank holiday weekend in the Lake District !  Coniston Sailing Club’s open meeting consists of 2 races Saturday afternoon, 3 races on Sunday and another 2 on Monday.  As newcomers to the experience we decided to travel to Coniston on the Friday and return on the Tuesday, giving ourselves plenty of time to set up and to pack up and enjoy ourselves in between.  It was an interesting weekend.

The steady fall of rain experienced on Friday became a torrential downpour on Saturday morning.  We questioned our sanity.  Saturday afternoon arrived and, as if ordered by the race committee, so did the sun and wind!  Having been welcomed and briefed by the Race Officer we sailed forth to race in the B Handicap fleet of 8 RS200s, 1 Phantom, 4 Albacores and 6 assorted Lasers, giving a total of 19 boats.  At this point I need to inform you that our aim for the event was to enjoy ourselves and not to come last.  After many frustrating wind shifts (usually as we were trying to round a mark), a capsize in which we inverted (despite me climbing over and standing on the centre board), we finished 18th.  Things could only get better!  At least we now knew where the wind was ‘weird’, including the start line, which due to a small headland south of the clubhouse, meant that three quarters of the line had totally different and less favourable wind than the furthest quarter in which all 19 boats tried to sail as the hooter sounded!  This time we focused on the other RS200s and our goal was to keep at least one behind us.  We made it and the honeymooners with ‘Just Married’ taped onto their hull would be behind us for the rest of the event.  The sun continued to shine until the Tuesday morning giving us wonderful views of Coniston Old Man and the surrounding peaks. Throughout the weekend the wind gradually eased from force 4 to force 1 and virtually nothing if you were in the wrong place! 

All in all great weather, a wonderful setting, good sailing, a convenient camp site (but I’m not sure that I ever want to share a field with about 700 people again!), a friendly club and an enjoyable Bank Holiday weekend. 

 Julie Gibbon

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