Results / RS Wars at Dalgety Bay Dalgety Bay - 18/06/2005

In a galaxy not so many days ago an epic battle took place for the crown of RS 200-traveller champion. This was the 3rd battle in what is sure to become a long a hard war that will no doubt last the full sailing season. Before this battle could occur many young Jedi appeared early on the Saturday morning for the wise and skilful Yoda (played by Ronny Millar), to pass on his knowledge of the force. In the first session he talked about how to set up your battleship for heavy winds in particular and touched on other wind strengths. The young wannabe Jedi�s then took to the water to improve their use of the force, under the watchful eye of the video camera and Jedi high council. The Jedi�s were then given a video debrief and very informal chat on rules which came in to good effect on Sunday! Yoda is certainly someone you want avoid whilst on the water as his knowledge of the rules of the force are of the highest order. Sunday morning and battle was to commence � everyone prepared the battleships for the titanic struggle ahead � 5 races back to back. The PRO � John Robertson (himself a renowned Jedi from Dalegety Bay) had a difficult job and did exceptionally well to get all 5 races in, as the wind was variable in both strength and velocity. Thankfully for the rescue crew the course was a windward, leeward passing through the gate on the upwind leg. Race 1 A light easterly F1 with a strong tide running out resulted in a tricky start. The sequence (3-2-1-go) and light wind caught out 2 boats and one of which was the contender for the crown � young Skywalker and Princess Lea (Robbie Burns / Vicki Simpson). They crossed the line a full 20 seconds behind the rest of the fleet and immediately headed left where there was more breeze and less tide. Yoda and his crew Mace Windu (played by Alison Davies) started near the pin end and tacked off to the right hand side of the track, whilst the wise Obi-wan (Richard Evans) and crew Jar Jar Binx (Val Evans) started at the pin end went middle left. Obi� wan/Jar Jar had bought a new light speed coupling for this season (mainsail) and was showing good height to windward. Young Skywalker made his way in from the left only to find that he had clawed his way up to 4th. Once at the first jump to lightspeed (downwind leg) Yoda/Mace Windu gybed early to try and take advantage of the tide only to find there was less wind on the left-hand side of the run. Obi � wan and his young apprentice Skywalker then had a lightsaber battle downwind where the young padiwan learner got inside and gybed on to the layline of the mark. Now having an inside overlap pulled away from the older wiser Obi-wan and went on to win the race. A close battle then ensued for 2nd, 3rd and 4th between Obi-wan/Jar Jar, Yoda/Mace Windu and Mon Mothma (Liz Jamie)/Palapatine (Ross Mckerar), and they finished in that order. Race 2 With the wind going SE F1 and patchy the next race was going to be a test of concentration and keeping eyes out of the boat. With a heavy committee boat bias Skywalker started there and pulled out a early lead and sailed to the middle of the course to put a very loose cover on Obi-wan and Yoda who started at the pin end. The Rebel speeder of Jamie/McKercher and battletstar of R2D2 (Tor Muclow) & CP3O (Nick Davies) went right and found good breeze and were leading the rest of the fleet into the windward mark respectively. The rebel speeder rounded the w/w mark then made the jump to light speed and took out a 1/2 leg lead as they were whisked away with the tide. The battlestar understood the w/w mark in the dying breeze and young Skywalker in the millennium falcon managed to squeeze round the mark and soon made the jump to light speed in the favourable tide. Once round the L/W mark the battlestar covered the movements of the millennium falcon. The falcon eventually managed to break free from the cover and found better wind to cut the gap to 1/8 of a leg at the next windward mark. Downwind the falcon showed exceptional lightspeed and cut the lead down to 6 boat lengths. A lightsaber battle then did take place between the leading 2 where young Skywalker managed to get to leewards of the battlestar and used the tide to there advantage and finished a cats whisker ahead. 3rd place went to a impressively quick Anakin Skywalker (Richard Dowsett) and Senator Amidala (Sarah Dowsett) in their new tie fighter. Race 3 Again the wind was from a new direction, coming from the N N/E F1 - 3 when the course was laid. However, come the start of the race the wind had shifted E N/E making the first upwind leg a one tack beat. Obi-wan had a good start mid line and tacked soon after the start to find himself on the layline, thinking he was going to round first. Yoda & Skywalker started beside the pin end. Yoda tacked soon after the start and then soon engaged light speed on a reach to blast over the top of a surprised Obi-wan. Skywalker failed to realise that it was a one tack beat and proceeded to round in 2nd last place. With all the boats entering lightspeed in the F3 downwind, Skywalker managed to sail beneath the pack and rounded the L/W mark fourth behind Yoda, Obi-wan, and Anakin. As Yoda pulled out a good lead on Obi-wan, Skywalker managed to pass Anakin. Obi- wan then caught up halved Yoda�s lead on the next lightspeed leg with Skywalker in hot pursuit of them both. On the next upwind leg Obi-wan tacked straight after the L/W mark and Yoda tacked to cover. Young Skywalker saw his chance and carried on to the layline of the upwind gate, found a lifting breeze and overtook the his mentor Obi-Wan and cut down Yoda�s lead to 4 boat lengths. A small lightsaber battle then did ensue, downwind between Yoda and Skywalker. Bit the old and wise Yoda defended his wind wisely and went on to win the race from Skywalker with Anakin and Senator Amadala sailing well to pass Obi-wan. Race 4 The wind now shifting to the east again resulted in the course being shifted. The mark layers did a fine job throughout the weekend under difficult conditions. Yoda and Obi-wan had a good lightsaber battle for 1st whilst Anakin got the better of Young Skywalker downwind. On the final downwind leg the breeze all but evaporated, and in the strong tide the leading 4 boats closed up. All 4 boats were with 5 boat lengths as they struggled to make it to the line. Skywalker tacked early after rounding the mark and fetched off in next to no wind and made good progress while the 3 others tussled for position. The race finished Obi- wan/Jar Jar, Yoda/Mace Windu, Skywalker/Lea then Anakin/Senator Amadala, with all 4 boats finishing within 10 seconds off each other. Race 5 Again the wind shifted back to the east as in race 1, the second true course of the day resulted with an F1-2 prevailing over the northerly winds that were forecast for the weekend. This made for some good close racing. On the first upwind leg Obi-wan was first on to the starboard layline, Yoda then tacked on his lee-bow, followed by young Skywalker tacking on his leebow, with Anakin trying to pass the W/W mark head to wind. Skywalker pulled out a 2-boat length lead with Obi-Wan 2nd and poor Yoda getting caught up with Anakin dropped down the fleet. Anakin retired, whilst Yoda made good from a bad situation and soon pulled through to 3rd but because of the tangle could not catch Obi-wan. This in turn may have lost him 2nd place in the regatta as 2nd place was tied on points. Skywalker pulled away to good effect having put into practice skills he had learnt from the wise Yoda at Largo bay last year. With the next event at Largo Bay on the 26/27 th of the month we hope for a repeat of last years conditions where the fleet were treated to some of the best sailing conditions of year. We all hope to see more of the RS 200 fleet on show from both Scotland and across the border so we can get some closer lightsaber duels throughout the fleet. Author�s : Robbie Burns & Vicki Simpson