SAILING at Roadford Lake on Sunday took place in sunny conditions with a westerly wind force gusting 4 which became more northerly as the day went on.
Five boats sailed the morning race with first race of the season for two boats, the Flying Fifteen sailed by Robin Burnham and Bob Alliss, and a Wayfarer helmed by Keith Becket with Elizabeth, Naomi and Tim crewing for him in pairs,
Both courses were a trapezium, sausage trapezium, starting at Middle buoy and beating to the mark in Shop inlet.
The Becket family had a good start crossing the line first with the fleet in hot pursuit. Alistair Wallace and Dick Sealey in the Bosun tacked after the start covering Mike Kinger and Nicky Buckett in the Wayfarer while Kevin Boyd and Sonia Calloway pursued the Becket's Wayfarer who rounded the windward mark first.
Trying to catch up, the other Wayfarers flew their spinnakers but the Beckets were difficult to catch.
The Flying Fifteen and Mike Kinger's Wayfarer reversed position in the race a couple of times, while the Bosun sailed steadily round. On the final lap Kevin Boyd in his Wayfarer was in the lead followed by the Beckets' Wayfarer then Kingers.
Boyd went for the finish after the second mark of the course leaving out third. Keith Becket followed Boyd who on almost reaching the finish realised his error and turned to head for the mark at the cafe. Becket also realised and just made the mark ahead of Kinger's boat. Boyd had further to return and rounded the mark third, a costly mistake.
The Becket family won the race, Kinger's Wayfarer came second with Boyd third.
The second race had more starters. The wind had shifted slightly to the north. The Wayfarers started closer together on this race and just as they crossed the line the Laser 5000 sailed by Rob Horsley and James Kerr sped through the slower boats.
Again, the Beckets' Wayfarer was in the lead and reached the windward mark first with Boyd's Wayfarer close behind. His crew Sonia flew the spinnaker and the added sail enabled them to pass the Beckets and take the lead.
Rob Horsley's Laser 5000 crossed the finish line first but after adjustment for the handicapping of the boats had to be content with fourth this week.
The winners were Boyd and Sonia Calloway in their Wayfarer with the Becket family second and Kinger's Wayfarer third. It was a creditable day for the young Becket family taking first and second on their first outing.