by Simon Hinnigan

Good Evening Bowmoor Swimmers and Sailors!

Last weekend we hosted a fantastic RS 200 Open event, many thanks to Charlie and the race team for organising.  Ian Pickard has written the race report below.

We've also published results for the Spring racing Series (Sunday and Wednesday) below.  Congratulations all - I'll have the prize vouchers ready for collection this weekend.

This weekend we have the 8hr race - there is still time to get your entries in.  As always, there will be a live band, stroud beer and lit BBQ's for the after party.  All members and guests are very welcome!

Hot weather:  We've started the hot summer weather this week and I need to highlight how very seriously we take water safety.  Breaking safety rules can, and probably will, end your membership.  Swimming in the wrong place, at the wrong time (boats on the water) and SUP'ing with no buoyancy aid were all reported in the past few days.  As happened last year, we will suspend or terminate your membership. 

Read this: Drowning doesn't look like Drowning. Drowning is fast, silent, and can happen in as little as 30 seconds. No Splashing. No Waving. No Yelling.

Please also pay attention to club security, best practice is to open a locker door, take out your kit, and close and relock the locker while you sail.  Please don't leave other members exposed to an opportunity thief while you are out sailing.

Personal Equipment: Finally, you must not leave Tents or Campervans on site when you are not present.  We will remove Tents, Campers are harder to take down... but it is a breach of our bylaws.  Personal property must not be stored on site or in the club house, the club is for all members to enjoy, we can't provide security for your property and sadly people have lost some valuable items that they left outside recently.

If you haven't already, please join Bowmoor SC Members private facebook group.

See you at the club!

Simon

Many thanks as always to Geoff Silcock for keeping our Club racing results on track!

The Spring Wednesday’s Series:

Fast - 1st Neil Crosby, 2nd David Lynal & 3rd Liz Fewings
Slow - 1st Brian Smith, 2nd Pete Allsop, 3rd Roger Smith

Spring Mornings:
Aero - 1st Ian Aplin, 2nd Matt Bate
Fast - 1st Phil White, 2nd Ben Viggars, 3rd Andy Marshall
Slow - 1st Pete Allsop, 2nd Richard Lymposs, 3rd Brian Smith

Spring Early Afternoon:
Fast - 1st Ian Aplin, 2nd Phil White, 3rd Andy Marshall
Slow - 1st Richard Lymposs, 2nd Brian Smith, 3rd Geoff Silcock

Spring Personal Handicap:
1st Graham Royal, 2nd Mike Otlet

Congratulations All!

From Ian Pickard 

Bowmoor was delighted to welcome visitors from as far afield as Bough Beech, Castle Cove, Bartley, Draycote and Chew Valley for the 2025 RS200 Master's Championship and the third round of the West Country Boat Repairs RS200 Southwest Ugly Tour.  Sunshine and a warm gusty south-westerly Force 4 greeted competitors, enabling PRO Charlie Sansom and his team to set a windward-leeward course which made good use of the lake.  Five races were scheduled back-to-back, so suncream and plenty of water formed a key part of each team's preparation!

Race 1 quickly demonstrated that the wind conditions were going to be challenging, with gusts up to Force 6, significant windshifts, and lanes of wind funnelling down the course.  A theme for the day was set with (Master) Andy and Jill Peters taking the win from (Grandmaster) Mike and Joe Warwicker in second, followed by Dave Lynall and Ellie Pickard in third.  Race 2 followed a similar pattern, but with David Sweet and Anna Mason coming through to take second.  The wind eased a bit for Race 3, with Caroline Whitehouse and Sophie Downing taking the win from the Warwickers, as the Peters experienced issues with their spinnaker halyard.  The breeze picked up again for Race 4, with the Peters returning to their winning ways, followed by Joseph Tubb/Amelie Curtis and David Sweet/Anna Mason.  The final race was again won by the Peters, with Alistair Hodgson/Ella Spain in second, and David Sweet/Anna Mason scoring another third. 

After racing, the fleet came ashore to a late lunch laid on by Hackett's, the Bowmoor caterers, followed by the prizegiving.  Andy and Jill Peters won the event, counting four firsts and becoming 2025 RS200 Masters Champions in the process.  Mike and Joe Warwicker were second overall, with Mike becoming the inaugural RS200 Grand Master Champion.  A special mention and spot prize went to Ffion Hawley from Bartley who did a fantastic job crewing for her dad Steve in challenging conditions, despite being clearly the youngest and smallest competitor at the event.  The class rep for Bowmoor (and report author) declined to award himself the Duckhams for both closely inspecting the slot gasket during the first race and towing the spreader mark all the way into the reeds with the spinnaker sheet during the last race!  Bowmoor looks forward to welcoming the RS200 fleet back in 2026.

Wednesday 2nd July
19:00 Summer Wednesday Series Starts
Saturday 5th July
 8hr Race - Restrictions, see race officer.
Sunday 6th July
Summer Series Starts
11:30 Summer Series AM
13:30 Summer Series PM
15:00 Summer Series late PM
Wednesday 9th July
19:00 Summer Wednesday Series
Saturday 12th July
 Member Training/Youth Training
Ladies who Launch
Cruising Saturday
Sunday 13th July
11:30 Summer Series AM
13:30 Summer Series PM
15:00 Summer Series late PM

The full calendar is published on bowmoor.com/calendar/