Following a similar event last season, seventeen Club members presented themselves for Squib training on 27th May, Bank Holiday Sunday, determined to have a jolly good day out. The weather forecast promised thunderstorms and an overcast sky but the weather Gods smiled benevolently and, instead, we enjoyed glorious sunshine and light winds.
First, in the classroom, we reviewed drone footage from the Oulton Broads Squib Regatta in early April. The video provides excellent coverage of some top-class close racing and an opportunity to apply considerable hindsight to race starts, tactical decision making and applications of the rules (or not) in an assortment of common situations. It proved a most valuable teaching tool. Local interest was provided by our own Aldebaran, crewed by Iain Jones and Celia Rushton, who generously, selflessly and unwittingly, provided much material for discussion. Hindsight is a most wonderful thing. Especially when other Club members are involved.
Next, it was out onto the pontoons for some alongside spinnaker drills with Aldebaran and Jubilation pressed into service as floating simulators. Adam Bowers and Ray Capp provided a master-class demonstration of some advanced techniques on Jubilation, whilst on Aldebaran, Peter Jackson and Patrick Jones pirouetted elegantly through the basic drills.
Most optimistically, we then all took to the water, enjoyed the sunshine and flat calm, and imagined that there may have been some wind. Celia Rushton provided excellent and patient support from the RIB, effecting crew changeovers and generally towing boats about the Bay. But after a period of dogged perseverance and with imaginations exhausted, we gave it up and headed back to the Club for lunch. It was a less frustrating story later. A light breeze created almost perfect conditions for an afternoon’s spinnaker practice and all ended well.
Thanks are due to all those who provided their boats, time and expertise to make the day a success. Two more Squib training events are scheduled for the coming weeks: the Squib Introduction Races on Sat 2nd June, and the Show ‘n Tell Races on Sat 16th June.
Submitted on 28th May 2018