July 2024 Newsletter

Given the temperatures we have experienced in the last week, you won’t be surprised to learn that we have entered what Shakespeare termed, the ‘dog days of summer’. Those of us who witnessed the crowds of admirers surrounding Patrick and Aly’s new puppy last week may be forgiven for thinking that the term refers to something other than the weather!
At the end of the month, which celebrates a famous Caeser it seems only fitting that I should begin with the sailors who came, saw and conquered.
The Wednesday and Saturday Spring Series have been completed. The podium places were occupied by the following:

Wednesday

Winner:	3934 Graham Davies/ Homfray Vines with a total of 31points. Their best results were
	two race wins (one helmed by Graham the other by Homfray ) and two 3rd places
2nd:	3922 Ian Zimmerman/ Mike Barton (mostly/exclusively?) with a total of 35 points.
	Their best results were 1 race win, 2 second places and one 3rd
3rd:	4016 Roberta Hartley/ John Lyons (+ deputies) with a total of 50 points. Their best results were one race win and a 3rd place
Saturday
Winner:	4115 Ian & Kim Linder (+deputies) with a total of 24 points. Their best results were 1
	race win and two 2nd places
2nd:	3821 Patrick Keats/ Aly Baxter with a total of 39 points. Their best results were two
	2nd places and a 3rd place
3rd:	4111 Mervyn Wright/ Ron Elliot with a total of 48 points. Their best result was a 3rd
	place

You should know by now, but in case you don’t, I’ll tell you, that fuller details of our results are on our FF15 website, along with individual race reports which will flesh out the details of the tabulated information above.
Still on the subject of winners, we have the small matter of announcing the Sailors of the Month for July. The Wednesday series was restricted for a variety of reasons to 3 races out of a possible 5 with an average turnout of 12 boats. In 4016, Roberta Hartley and John Lyons beat a total of 26 boats. Their nearest rivals, still eligible for one of the bespoke bottles of beer, were Mike Clapp and Paul Tasker in 4027 who managed to defeat a total of 23 boats in their Wednesday crusade. We know that Roberta doesn’t drink beer so maybe one of the bottles could go to one of John’s deputies, but obviously not Ron!

The Saturday series saw slightly more traffic. We raced 3 times out of a possible 4 with a healthy average turnout of 16 boats. The last race of July presented 20 of us with a cracking sail!  The Fireball Syndicate sailing in 3922 will be the possessors of the goodies but which of them that will be in person is a mystery to this writer, and it should be fun seeing how they work it out! Either way they managed to defeat 40 boats; their nearest rivals still in the running were Geof Gibbons and his crew(s), mostly, if not exclusively Nick. Does H sail on Saturdays Geof? Their total of vanquished boats was 32. Prizes will be handed out at the first available opportunity!   
 
Meanhwile, here are June’s Sailors of the Month who were rather belatedly awarded their winnings recently.  Richard Whitworth has to choose which of his many crews to share the beer with for Saturdays while Graham Davies owes Homfray Vines a drink for their success on Wednesdays.  
 
One last winner in this prestigious month we have to announce is the latest holder of the Rasputin Cup.

I am utterly convinced that Pete Allam has many photographs of himself holding cups or medals, or indeed perhaps one of him with HRH! However, I am willing to bet he’s never received an honour for forgetting to bring his wet-suit with him to go racing! The crime was made worse by the fact that we had a terrific wind to sail in for the first time in what felt like weeks.  
The winners of this cup seem to grow week by week. It’s a good job we’re not going to put names on the cup; we’d need to buy a bigger one!
 
There has been a lot to celebrate in July. More of that later, but first we must acknowledge that this has been a month shrouded in sadness. Our thoughts and hearts go out to Emily’s family and friends in the midst of their upheaval.  Many members of the club and of our fleet did their best to help on that tragic evening and subsequent day. But for us, life will continue, so I hope you will forgive me, if I now turn back to reporting on our sailing exploits.
You don’t have to be a trophy winner to be counted a success (although it does help!). Ron and Mervyn, for example, didn’t win the race I write of now, but to be leading a pack stuffed full of hot shot sailors for several mark roundings must have been deeply satisfying, even if the final victory eluded them. At the other end of the fleet, Sam and Luke have ended their run of coming DFL on several occasions in July. I don’t know what’s in store from them, but I think they should bear in mind the words of Chairman Mao: “The longest march starts with the first step” – well done fellas for starting the march to future successes!
Another cause for celebration was the long-awaited arrival on the water of Edith and Tim. Their sail moniker definitely adds an exotic air to our fleet. I’m also very pleased to announce that Clifford and Jane are still sailing together, seemingly enjoying a degree of success, despite Jane’s disparaging remarks about her helm!  
There is often a good reason why so many of us fail to complete a series without having to count a DNC, but the fact remains that only 8 boats in the Saturday series and nine on Wednesday’s accomplished this achievement. Thus, BZs go to 3922, 3966 and 3936 who did so in both series!  
Lastly, but in no ways least, I must mention David McLeman’s magnificent report writing – it was a tour de force of memory, (if not of spelling!). His reward is on its way.
Well, that’s it for July.
Let’s hope that in the month when many are striving to be, citius, altius or fortius, our sailing efforts are truly Olympian. For motivation, we may consider what Baron de Coubertin may have said – “The most important thing in Poole Week is not winning but taking part, just as in life what counts is not the victory but the struggle”- amen to that!
jk