12/04/2025
Bardowie Open Clyde Cruising Club

HD Sails Scottish Series

by David Parkin

The first event was at the Clyde Cruising Club dinghy section at Bardowie Loch on 12th April.  Five visitors joined one local boat. The visitors were from Yorkshire, the Borders, Lothians and Aberdeenshire.

Bardowie is a difficult venue, being a small loch surrounded by hills, shifty winds are guaranteed.  This year we had wind, forecast to be 6-10 mph from the South, increasing and going SW which is what was delivered with mild sunshine.

Course setting was difficult for the first race as the wind was still in the south.  The first beat saw Katie Masterton (St Mary's Loch SC), Paul Noble (East Lothian YC) and David Parkin (Aberdeen and Stonehaven YC) round together.  Katie and David (using his brand new HD sail) then pulled away and after a few place changes David beat Katie by a boat length.  Jim Sinclair (East Lothian YC) passed his clubmate to finish third.

Race 2 saw the wind increase from the SW with gusts giving hiking and occasional planing.  Jim showed his pedigree as previous Scottish champion and lead from start to finish with Paul in second and Katie just behind in third.  Barney Proud (Craven SC) was showing consistency in fourth with a photo finish from David.  Diane White (Bardowie) very close behind.

The third race started with all to play for.  A small left shift just before the start allowed david to make a pin end start and tacked to cross the fleet just as a 60 degree right shift put him last.  There seemed to be a steadier wind for this race giving fewer snakes and ladders.  Jim again did a horizon job with Katie second and Paul third.  Barney again pipping David for fourth.

This meant that overall Jim was comfortably the winner from Katie.

Thanks are due to the race and galley team from Bardowie and series sponsor HD sails.

Overall Results: