Cove sailors, Alan Harper, Eric Robertson and crew, on their Sigma 33 Leaky Roof 2, lifted the top prize at the just finished West Highland Yachting Week (WHYW)..
Winning the Peter Cocks Memorial Trophy for the best performance of the 114-yacht fleet, the Leaky Roof 2 team (below) just edged out Clyde sailors, Jonathan Anderson and Murray Findlay, who tied on points with them in their new XP38i Roxstar.
The Harper/Robertson partnership said they were delighted to take the coveted overall series win, pointing up excellent race organisation under PRO Malcolm MacGregor and superb sailing over the week.
They said: ‘We knew we had some good results and were always hopeful so we’re very pleased with being top boat.’
This is the third WHYW event for Leaky Roof 2 and the first race of the series was a family affair, with youngsters of seven, nine and fifteen-years-old aboard, including Eric’s son and Alan’s daughter.
In what was effectively match racing off CYCA 15.25, Class 5 boasted seven Sigmas and proved the most competitive of the ten-class WHYW fleet. Harper and Robertson recently finished second overall in the Sigma 33 Nationals in Dublin Bay and prior to that won the Sigma Class at the Brewin Dolphin Scottish Series in May. Taking five bullets and a third over the week the Sigma was consistently well sailed, finishing on five points for the series.
Also tying on five points with the new XP38i Roxstar, sailing gurus Johnathan Anderson and Murray Findlay said they were pleased with the way the brand new boat had performed at the event. Roxstar was just ‘out of the wrapper’ before being brought across the North Sea from Denmark by Murray Findlay to compete at WHYW. This first test showed she not only had speed but staying power across the range of conditions presented to the fleet. Roxstar also won the best corrected time in the fleet for the final passage race from Tobermory to Oban, sponsored by Thomas Tunnock Ltd.
It was one of the closest fought events remembered with seconds separating some of the top three in each class per race. In its variety, the weather gave all round sailing conditions from zephyrs to gusting 35 knots downwind on the race from Oban to Tobermory.
The McLaren’s from Helensburgh (above) won the coveted West Highland Yachting Week Family Trophy in their Sigma 33 Sigmatic. Racing white sail with three generations of his family aboard, Donald McLaren finished second overall in Class 6. He recently pipped Leaky Roof 2 to become National Sigma 33 champion in Dublin.
It was also the story of the week for Popcorn, the little Contessa 25 from Lochaber belonging to the Fyfe family.
Restored over the last 18 months after 26 years lying in the garden this was the first event Angus and his family had competed in since the boat was launched. It was also a return for Angus to WHYW after 30 years and a most fitting one in that he almost took first overall in Class 8. However he had to be content with second overall by just one point after dropping places in the final race.
The event finished on a high note with the usual prize-giving ceilidh in the Corran Halls in Oban.
Note: the photographs accompanying thos artiicle are © Yachting Images
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