Uproar had 2 new crew members today, we had Nigel at the Helm, Bryan on main, Stuart trimming, Natasha in the Pit, Alex on the foredeck and Malcolm trimming.

With a light breeze of about 8 knots and the tide ebbing strongly the start line was quite tricky to judge. We did a couple of timed runs but still managed to arrive a few seconds late with Deity above us dishing up some dirt. We tacked out of the worst of the tide and rounded Arne in third position. Amethyst was away on the run whilst Diety had to tack again, dumping on us and forcing the extra tack. This allowed the Hanse 301  Dragonfly to get on our tail and she held on down to No 28 on a run where we ‘rolled’ her by reaching up at the mark and pulling away down to Glover with First Escape,  Fraid Seau, Shebeen, and Upgrade not too far behind . Deity had a clean drop at Glover  and was  pulling away from us with white sails down to Bell. A gybe and hoist at Bell saw us back to Glover Gate where keeping out of the windshadow of Brownsea Castle  yet keeping in the shallows made us ground on those behind. The wind freshened as we fetched down to Stakes and the trimmers maximised boat speed and we closed the gap on Deity and Amethyst. With Deity having to tack to avoid going aground to round the mark. A beat through the line back to Arne with a quick hoist on starboard pole back to the finish.  Deity rounded in front on port pole going deep and losing ground before gybing back onto starboard.

We lost out at the start but once round the windward mark made few mistakes. The new crew did well with everyone doing their bit to get the best out of the boat.  Overall a very good race which saw us finish 3rd across the water but 1st on corrected time. Its hard work without a good start! Roll on next week

Natasha

The second race of the spring series started with light, shifty winds from the south west. Uproar had a number two and full main.

Crew: Helm; Nigel, Main; Bryan, Trimmer 1; Henry, Trimmer 2; Stuart, Pit; Natasha, Foredeck/Tactics; Bob.

Uproar  achieved an excellent start with Deity  being ‘over’ following an eventful dial up between Uproar, Deity and the  ‘Fraid So, the Beneteu 260. The Tactician found us breeze on the right and we found ourselves first  to Hutchins  until the final tack to the windward mark when Amethyst got in front down to Gold. After a quick hoist and gybe at Arne we had a deep run in the shallows down to 28. Unfortunately, Uproar got beneath a cruiser running its engine, but this didn’t cost us much and we soon pulled ahead. The wind was very shifty and Uproar was by-the-lee for a lot of the time, Amethyst ran deep and as the wind shifted forward they were forced to drop their kite and lost some ground. Uproar stayed high and  was able to carry the kite down to 17 and made more ground on the fleet behind us. Uproar then had a quick drop and rounded Glover  toward Brownsea. This was a critical leg but in the lighter breeze, rating with just a number two, lost out. This allowed Deity to make up distance. Uproar rounded Brownsea  and had a tight kite reach off Brownsea Castle. A kite drop as the wind shifted was necessary and a two sail reach to glover gate. A shifty beat to Stakes followed. On this leg Deity finally overtook but Uproar opened out on the other boats behind. We rounded Stakes and beat our way up through the line.

We finished third on the water and first on corrected time . It was good to get a win which was made easier by the excellent calls from the Tactician.

 We were much improved from last week but there is still a lot to learn. When the hot shots and other Impalas come out to play I’m sure we will have to raise our game.

Henry S

The day started with a brisk westerly force 4/5. Uproar started with 6 boats on the line. Flying a number two and full main.

Crew: Nigel – Helm,  Bryan- Main,  Henry – Trimmer,  Stuart – Trimmer,  Natasha – Pit,  Mark – Bow.

All the boats were a bit late with Uproar taking the middle of the line in a good position. The two bigger boats, ‘Amethyst’ (Elan 40)  and ‘Deity’ (Dehler 37) quickly pulled in front below Uproar on a tight reach. Shebeen took the box end and chose to take a broader reach down to the mark. Uproar took third position and pulled away from the rest of the fleet. Uproar rounded Hutchins still in third. The next leg was a two sail reach for Uproar but Shebean and the Beneteu 260 hoised their kites and started to make ground on Uproar. Shebean overtook the 260 but once Uproar got round 28 bouy and hoisted the kite we began to make the distance back up and pull away further. Uproar did a good gybe round glover for a broad reach down too bell mark where Uproar dropped its kite with a few issues but didn’t loose too much ground, still third we were on a beat to glover gate.

The wind was incredibly shifty and Uproar was very powered up at times and very underpowered in the lulls with just the number two. Shebeen was carrying a much larger sail plan and began to make up ground. Uproar was by this time far in front and rounded glover gate and began another beat to stakes where Shebeen continued to reel us in until we rounded stakes and then had a very tight reach through the line and back up to Hamish where we begun a hoist but failed as the kite gear had been rigged wrong. We were a safe distance in front of Shebeen so we left it and two sail reached back through the line and finished third on the water behind the Elan 40 and Dehler 37.

We later found that we were second on corrected time behind Shebeen. We did well for our first race although slickness was not a strong point for us, this will come with practise, I hope!

Henry