Forteiths lift the silverware at Glencoe Regatta
OBAN’S Billy and Steven Forteith, sailing their First 31.7 Shadowfax, lifted the silverware overall at the recent Glencoe regatta.
Winning Friday’s passage race from Oban to Onich, the Shadow fax team added two firsts at the regatta in class one to lift the coveted Ballachullish Slate Trophy. Angus Fyfe’s Contessa 25 Popcorn from Glencoe Boat Club took first in the slow handicap class after finishing second to Shadowfax on Friday and also taking two wins on Saturday in Loch Leven.
Reasonable winds with a flood tide saw a dozen yachts leave Oban Bay on Friday with kites being set for the majority of the race. Jean and Peter Aitken were officers of the day. However, patchy wind through the Appin Narrows and north of Shuna saw the slower end of the fleet catch up and it was some time before the faster yachts caught a breeze again. A tide change and lightening winds caught the majority of the fleet out at the entrance to Loch Leven and many boats were forced to retire. However, the wind filled in and lifted the remaining yachts to the finish at Onich. Shadowfax made a major gain getting into the breeze first and won the race by a big margin to lift not only the win on handicap but line honours.
Light but reasonable winds gave good conditions for the two races on the Saturday in Loch Leven under race officer Peter Duggan. Local Peter Watt and his BB10 Vaila showed form after three years out of the water finishing second overall, while Eric and Irena Chapman’s Sigma 33 Amber Haze of Oban Sailing Club finished third in class. The kenspeckle Elrhuna of Hilary Watson was helmed by son Mungo into second place overall with the 106-year- old yacht looking fresh out of the wrappers. The boat has been worked on extensively over the winter and looked stunning on the water. Hot Toddy was third, with the Hawk 20 of Jean and Peter Aitken third.
The prize-giving dinner was hosted by Crafts and Things in Glencoe with the Fyfe’s Clan MacDuff Hotel of Fort William catering for the event.
Robert Watt, commodore of Glencoe Boat Club, said: ‘It’s been another brilliant regatta – our main event of the year and we were delighted to welcome so many visitors in amazing conditions. I want to thank Tracey, our secretary, and husband Nigel for their help, Colin Haste who was on hamburgers, Alec Blanc, our treasurer and barman, Peter Watt and the Mills family, as well as Jo MacIntyre, Kerry Tozer, Joan and Jeanette Watt for all helping at the regatta.
‘ We held a ‘push the boat out’ session last month where taster sessions in dinghies, keelboats and tours in powerboats were on offer.
‘Our regular club racing has also been great and we look forward the rest of our season.’