WEIR Quay Sailing Club has been holding the second race of their Winter Frostbite series on the River Tamar in fresh but sunny conditions.
Twelve boats took part with the Topper of Alexander Archibald being an early retirer and the RS400 of Megan Fell retiring halfway through after capsizing five times, one a complete inversion.
Of the 11 finishers, the fast handicap was won by John Tomlinson in his Wayfarer 'Final Chance' who opened up a commanding lead on the upwind leg on the second lap. Erica Pilkington in her Marauder visiting from Plymouth came in second followed by Rob Musgrove in his Wayfarer.
The slow handicap was won convincingly by Ben Houghton sailing single-handed in his Mirror. Daniel Newcombe, also single handed in a Mirror came in second with Ian Brooks coming third.
Conditions were challenging with six capsizes keeping the safety boat busy. The course began with a hard beat to the windward mark on the Cornish bank. This was followed by a fast reach to the gybe mark down river from Weir Quay with the first capsizes occurring there.
The third leg was a good run back upriver with the lead boats chancing their luck and flying their spinnakers. The results were some impressive planes and hard work at the down wind mark before sailing back to the hard.