The Mayland Mug Trophy

Maylandsea Bay S.C. ran the Mayland Mug Trophy Race on the 1st June. It was a light airs displacement sailing affair in a NE to E 2-8 knots on a soft running tide under grey skies.
It was the first of four Mayland/Harlow (Blackwater) joint trophy races and sadly not well supported by either club. The biggest disappointment was the Sandhopper class that felt that the light airs and in the bay/creek course would be too demanding for them to race on!
H(B)SC put out six assorted dinghies with MBSC fielding six more. The windward start against the tide passing the spit can to port resulted in a rafting at the windward end of the line and the door open for the smarty pants who hit the line in the right place. It was noted that the return of the H(B)SC fleet would indicate that not much has changed with boats being too early on the line and going the wrong way up the beat with no regard for tide and the wind bends around the boat yard pontoons.
Jacko and Lorna showed a measure of skill and picked up on the lifts and quickly broke clear not to be seen again and with well-practised spinnaker work and only thwacking of one race mark had a good day.
Martin Tarling in his Laser recovered well from a poor start and as usual did a very workman like job on staying in the wind patches and with smooth tacking and boat handling finished 2nd
Dave Islin and Don Ares in the Fireball (not a great Fireball day) made a good start and was clear of the pack and with his gentle words of wisdom and encouragement bouncing off the marina to Don and the rest of the fleet, kept all those sailing on their toes, to finish 3rd

Notables: Nick Longshanks in a Laser made a brilliant start and had a well sorted first beat rounding the Jetty mark in front the faster boats but with shifty winds sadly slipped out the back door.
Jan Nuttall sailing a Pico (not a great Pico day) had her moments but along with the new boys on the block also in a Pico failed to finish but did show that the Pico can mix it with the faster boats.
All in all it was a tough day at the office and the first light airs day for a long time. The next trophy race is at H(B)SC on the 15th at 9:45 and it will be race on as it is the Osea Cup a race around Osea Island and we should assume that the Ballers will be burning seaweed on the jetty in hope that the winds blow heartily and they don’t have to think too much. Lets hope we see the Sandhoppers in the race for there must be enough time and distance to get their kites flying.

For full results
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