Leslie keeps Team Tideway on Course

Notts County TT – National Series No 3. & Northern Series No. 1 Team Tideway – Leslie and myself, supported by Hugh and Kate rolled up to the 3rd meeting in the TT series, which was held only 2 days after the postponed Wealden meeting, on 23rd May at Notts County Sailing Club. A very friendly club set in lush countyside in the Trent valley. We unloaded the boats and set up camp the day before in the club grounds. The gusty wind was still forcast and was perhaps the reason only 12 boats turned up to race. In the event though, the wind was good all day and the sun shone - making for ideal racing conditions. There was a trapezoid course, again, which made for 2, exciting, reaching legs in the gusty wind.

I started the first race well and maintained a decent lead to the end while keeping watch on the chasing boats in my new mirrors. I had to drop out of race 2 when the, prototype, sip and puff control stopped working. We switched back to the old system for the 2 races after lunch. Race 3 didn't go so well; the competition was fierce and I struggled to keep up with the leaders. I have become used to the s 'n p control and the intuative control it gives me; the old system requires me to be constantly flipping switches in to control the sails independently. Race 4 was worse still; the main sheet got fouled in the winch and I lost control of the main sail. I came 4th overall out of 5 Liberty's racing.

Leslie had only one competitor in the 303 single handed class but it was Kate Hedley, who is turning out to be Leslie's biggest rival so far in the series. They had a close battle for all 4 races, finishing on equal points. However, Kate clinched first place by winning the final race and taking line honours. Leslie is putting in consistently good races; I need to be doing the same.