Whippersnapper at Bell Lawrie Scottish Series 2003

Whippersnapper at the Bell Lawrie Scottish Series 2003

Whippersnapper under spinnaker - copyright Patrick Roach (2003)
Picture courtesy of Patrick Roach Picture Agency

After many years of attending the Clyde Cruising Club's Scottish Series Regatta at Tarbert Loch Fyne to calculate the results for the event, it was time (and I now had an appropriate boat) to actually enter the Bell Lawrie Scottish Series. (Not that I was let off doing the results, with most of the work done before the event it was possible to leave the data entry to the rest of the results team.) The Hunter 707s are entered in the Sportboat class and are the slowest in this class. A total of 5 Hunter 707s were in the class (4 came from Port Edgar).

The planning started back in the winter when accommodation was booked. Crew arranged, regulars from last year Duncan and Fiona, plus Robert and Gillian (Laura having a holiday with grand parents to allow both Mum and Dad to go sailing). Nearer the event the Port Edgar crane was booked to lift Whippersnapper out and on to her trailer. The tow over was uneventful and it proved easy to launch from the trolley on the ferry slip (don’t tell Cal Mac!). The accommodation was only a short walk from the boat and had fantastic views of Tarbert Harbour and down Loch Fyne.

On the Friday (racing for the Sportboats starts on the Saturday) all the crew had arrived and we went for a practice sail. A couple of halyards were crossed but otherwise we were ready for the racing. The new (battened) jib set well. A copy of Yachting Life appeared, and a quick look at Andi Robertson’s article on who he fancied, we find that Whippersnapper is expected to do well in the Sportboat class. I think, more to do with my control of the results calculations rather than any proven sailing record.

We had two races each day. Most of the racing was held in F2/F3 winds. In the first race we surprised ourselves and beat Code Z (something we had not done all season at Port Edgar). That was to prove one of our more successful races. We had a few moments when we well up, but all too often lost it later in the race. Reading the shifty winds in Loch Fyne proved difficult. In would not be a Scottish Series without a day of shifty winds. This year it proved to be Monday, in the morning race we stayed out of the wind holes and got our best result of the week.

Click here if you really want to see the overall results. Just for interest I have broken out the Hunter 707 results into level rating class. These results are here. Interestingly these don't give the same winner.

However the results are only part of the story, we enjoyed the racing having the occasional dual with another 707. The training from the coaching weekend paid off and we consistently managed quick windward spinnaker drops. We got some good starts but these were then spoilt by faster boats coming through and dictating our tactics up the first beat – that’s life. The crew worked as a team without too much shouting at each other – we were still talking at the end and wanting to do more sailing.

All too soon it was time to pack up, we could not believe 4 days of racing had gone by. A quick drop of the mast and crane out, tying the boat down for the tow back could wait until the next day. Now some time to relax with a final meal before the crew go their different ways. A final thought with our results no one can accuse me of fiddling the results; personally I blame the curse of Andi Robertson naming us a potential class winners. (Only joking Andi!).

My thanks to the rest of the results team who proved they can manage if I go off sailing. Also thanks to my crew, Duncan and Fiona (good luck with the move to Oxford), and Robert and Gillian. Amongst the crew there was a consensus that we would like to come back next year. Wouldn't it be nice if there was a class start for the Hunter 707's.