FBE NATIONAL SAILING DAY 2009

FBE Sailing Day 2009

36 sailors, FBE members and guests came to Windermere on Friday 9 October for the third FBE sailing day. The forecast had been mixed all week but there was wind in abundance all day and the rain stayed away which made for a great day's sailing which included 3 races in the afternoon.

The boats were Beneteau yachts ranging from 30 to 37 feet and all were crewed by a team of 6 plus a skipper. The day was organised by OB Sailing.

After a morning’s training in winds of 10-15 knots, the boats took a break for lunch and watched the wind increase to 20-25 knots with gusts of close to 30 being recorded.

3 races were sailed in the afternoon over a course in the northern part of the lake.

Bullock Construction were fastest out of the blocks leading from start to finish and winning the first race from the FBE team with Buro 4 in third place.

Race 2 was very close with Buro 4, Walker Sime and FBE all battling it out at the front of the fleet with Bullocks, the All Stars and Turner and Townsend close behind. Buro 4 held on to beat FBE on the water but on handicap Walker Sime pipped FBE for 2nd place by 7 seconds.

In race 3 Buro 4 led from start to finish with FBE in hot pursuit and these two boats broke away from the rest to battle it out for 2 laps with Buro 4 winning by nearly a minute. The wind was dropping and Bullock Construction managed to hold onto third place from Walker Sime and Turner and Townsend avoiding a white wash by just beating the All Stars boat.

The overall results were as follows:

• 1st  Buro 4
• 2nd  FBE
• 3rd  Bullock Construction
• 4th  Walker Sime
• 5th  All Stars
• 6th  Turner and Townsend

The teams retired to the Wild Boar hotel for some drinks and the prize giving where FBE Chairman Phil Laycock presented the prizes to the competitors.

L: aboard Team FBE boat, with Neil Griffiths, FBE Finance Director at the helm
R: The winning team, Buro 4