Tall Tales & Tell-tales

by Ainsley MacLaren

Early on Sunday morning, just as the rain stopped and the sun started to come out, a group of 12 of our Laser sailors arrived at the Clubhouse to participate in the second of the Laser “B” Team training session. Sunday’s session was lead by our own Jim Sinclair and Robbie Lawson, ably assisted by Martin Baillie and Ben Hay on safety.
 
The age range and experience level of the group was wide. For some, it was the first time out on the water in a couple of years.  The objectives of the day were threefold, to improve our sailing, to have some fun, and to eat tea and cake.  At least, those were the sailors objectives, Jim had other plans.

Our briefing in the Sail Loft was to get ready and launched as soon as possible and meet at the start line.  Our instructions were then to sail in a line on a beam reach, harden up on the whistle and then tack every time Robbie blew the whistle.  Oh, and to take a deep breath and relax every time before we tacked.  Similar instructions were given for the downwind leg.  Well, that seemed straightforward enough…...Suffice to say we all had fun, even if the exercises were not completed entirely as Jim had hoped.

A return to shore for lunch in the wet lecture room with the members of the “A” team and lots of tea and cake.

After lunch, another quick briefing session the abiding memory of which is of Jim doing physical impressions of a tell-tale (really!). Then out to a full bay to play some games and improve our close quarter sailing technique.  At least, that was the idea.  Adding a small round football for the purpose of playing dinghy netball to the mix seemed to put all thoughts of sailing out of our heads.  We returned to shore as the wind picked up and the mist closed in, having indeed had fun. 

The day rounded off with a de-brief, and you guessed it, more tea and cake!

Thanks to everyone who ran the session and to all those who took part.