POWERFUL winds were forecast and several members stayed at home as a result at Upper Tamar Lake Sailing Club on Sunday, May 25.

Others came to the lake but stayed on the shore, while the northwesterlies were indeed powerful, coming barrelling over the hills with the turbulence of water cascading over a weir.

Nonetheless the vice-commodore devised a course for a potential race and Dave Perrett, his Solo flying a cut-down sail, was the first to take to the water to try it out.

He made it to the top of the lake but came to grief trying to round West White buoy. It was difficult to right a capsize when the gale wouldn’t allow the boat to stay head to wind and Perrett needed assistance from Tom Sparks in the safety boat.

Brian Pollard, sailing the Bosun with his usual crew, Natasha Routley, could have used a lot more weight than she provided to counter the wind pressure.

As it was the boat was over-powered by the northwesterlies and he sailed across the lake to Inlet where the winds were unwilling to let him turn the boat around. When that was finally achieved, the Bosun scuttled across the lake back to the pontoon.

Nathan Pollard lofted the smallest of the Aero’s four sails, the five, but was still over-powered.

Bob Sampson was similarly cautious. He put the little 4.7 sail on the mast of the Laser, but it was no use. The man known for loving the sheer exhilaration of planing at speed across the centre of the lake may have avoided a capsize but was very soon back on shore. Nathan capsized but continued to sail a lap of course before retiring.

Both scheduled races were cancelled.

Thanks were extended to Jenny and Liam Routley who oversaw the races and to the photographer, Mandy Pollard.