Seven Herons, along with a few Mirrors sailing the same courses and having the same start times, enjoyed a very good day at URYC.  As is the custom at the host club, they started the first race going down the river against the tide to marks over a mile away, then returning on a beat with the tide to the finish line. 

In the first race, a local boat helmed by Matt Pickett ( 9812 Retern) was caught out at the start by the north bank eddy and was over the line by a whisker; Matt was in exactly the correct position but just a fraction too early!  His return to the line cost a few seconds and the fleet was led away into the distance by John Nobbs, an Australian visitor to Eyott SC (just up the creek) sailing 9891 EzPz, followed by John Caton (also from the club up the creek) in 2524 Jinty.  After several buoys near the distance mark, the tacking back up the river to the finish brought several changes in position.  However Matthew could not catch either John Nobbs, still the leading boat, or young Alexander Johnson, also from Eyott SC, sailing 10061 Kes.

After a swift lunch break, the sailors were soon back on the water again, this time to go up the river.  The river is wide enough to start this many boats without any problems unless they all choose the same tack!  On this occasion boats started on both port and starboard tacks, but port worked better as it was the long tack, gaining most ground.  Most of the boats managed to get in the lead at sometime: Bilbo 9336 and Ultramarine 7, sailed respectively by Tim and Amanda Harris (URYC) and Jon and Verna Hunt (Chipstead), were both well up after good long tacks but lost out when coming back onto starboard.  Two boats, sailed were Matt Pickett and John Nobbs, broke free on the long tack up the river, with John leading.  However when they came back Matt was leading as John had sailed past the furthest mark, and only turned after he saw Matt do so.  On the run back to the club there was a slight drizzle - rain had been threatening all day.  After passing through to a buoy downstream, the boats tacked back to the finish line.  John had made up a lot of lost ground on Matt and they were short tacking on the far bank, out of the tide, with just half a tack between them.  On this occasion, it was Matt who got to the finish line first but John Nobbs still won overall first place by virtue of his better position in the first race.

Taking the two races together, the single handed boats came out top, apart from our other Australian visitor John Veale who had a good sail but was unable to match the speed of the others in his borrowed craft.  Nevertheless he said that he had had fun - which is what it is all about really.