The 2002 Scottish Championship was held on the Clyde again this year organised by Helensburgh Sailing Club as part of their annual regatta and the Towns bicentenary celebrations.
The event was held on the weekend of August the 10th/11th and the Saturday was bright and sunny but with little wind. All courses were windward / leeward.
Race 1 started in a southerly force 1 and the early leader at the windward mark was John Burgis in Rhythm & Blue closely followed by Scruples and Offbeat. These latter two led at the leeward mark but with the wind getting even lighter the race officer, Bill Carlaw, shortened course and Minx sailed by Sandy Gibson managed to split the two HSC boats with Chris Tait in Scruples getting victory and Andy Gibson in Offbeat taking 3rd.
For the second race the wind had shifted to the west and had settled to a nice force 2/3.The start line had a clear Port bias and Tim Tindal in Peshwa 4 had attempted a port tack start. He found that he had to dip all the remaining boats to get away. This did not prove to be any disadvantage however as Peshwa was well clear by the time the others tacked off. Tim extended his lead throughout the race and took a good first place. A good battle was taking place for second between Tragedy and Offbeat but the former was able to cover Offbeat all the way to take second with Offbeat third and Scruples fourth.This left Scruples and Peshwa tying on pointswith Offbeat on 6 at the end of day 1.
Sunday’s weather was the opposite from Saturday- very heavy rain and an easterly force 4 .
Race 3 was hit by a windshift just after the start which made the beat a very one sided affair but after an hours racing it was Chris Tait in Scruples who was to record his second winwith Tragedy and Offbeat again battling for second. But again they finished in that order and Richard Schooling in Flute coming in a close 4th with Peshwa 5th.
The final race was the closest of them all with a good beat but again it was Scruples who got away from Tragedy Offbeat and Flute on the second beat Offbeat pulled through to second with Flute 3rd & Tragedy unfortunatly got entangled with the windward mark and retired. A close battle developed between Scruples Flute and Offbeat but at the end of the final beat it was Scruples who first very closely from Flute and Offbet was 3rd.
The result means that Chris Tait is the deserved 2002 Scottish Champion with second place going to Tim Tindal in Peshwa 4 on count back and not surprisingly Andy Gibson was where he had been all weekend 3rd.
It is disappointing that only 7 boats could make it to this event which was well run by Hscand yet vup to 15 Sonatas turn out every Wednesday evening on the East Patch. It is a problem that we will try to address over the remainder of the season and thee Winter months ahead.
Peter Booth