Approaching half past two on the afternoon of Sunday, 18 September a few experienced Snipe sailors were to be found standing around debating whether or not to sail but when five enthusiastic trainees turned up their minds were made up for them. In the end four Snipes sailed in two more of the Silver Snipe series races over three laps each. The Pico sailed two laps of the same course, as if they were racing, but were not part of the Silver Snipe series races.  The wind was easterly and the course sailed was round marks 1, 5 and 7. 

Trainees Nathan Omand and Ed Johnstone sailed the Pico during the first race and the other three trainees crewed in Hassfang (Eilidh Leiper), Wild Goose (Aidan Morrison) and Double Dutch (Griogair Morrison). After the first race Ed Johnstone took over the helm of the Pico and Nathan Omand and Griogair Morrison swapped boats. 

In the first race it was Hassfang and Wild Goose that had the best starts and it was Hassfang that came through to win, followed by Wild Goose.  Third place went to Go Faster Blue, helmed by Thorfinn Johnston.  This is Thorfinn’s first full series of races competing against experienced skippers rather than just other crew and he has already notched up firsts in the series. Fourth place went to Double Dutch.

In the second race, again it was Hassfang and Wild Goose that had the ‘best’ starts but Hassfang slightly mis-timed it and had to return to restart. Wild Goose’s skipper was not sure whether he was also over the line and so returned also.  This gave an opportunity for Go Faster Blue and Double Dutch but the advantage was short-lived as Hassfang and Wild Goose restarted very quickly and came through to the front of the fleet again. This time it was Wild Goose that won the race with Hassfang second. Again Go Faster Blue and Double Dutch were third and fourth. 

The full results for the Silver Snipe series races were:

Race 1:  1 Hassfang (Chris Moore and Eilidh Leiper), 2 Wild Goose (Mark Taylor and Aidan Morrison), 3 Go Faster Blue (Thorfinn Johnston and Malcolm Tipler), 4 Double Dutch (Kenny Holland and Griogair Morrison).

Race 2:   1 Wild Goose, 2 Hassfang, 3 Go Faster Blue, 4 Double Dutch (Kenny Holland and Nathan Omand).

The support boat was manned by Donnie Hall and Ian Johnstone and Isobel Tipler was the starter.

Isobel Tipler

20 September 2011