Travellers' 1000+ years of sailing 

Well over 1000 years of sailing experience was combined among sailors and race officials for the final NW Senior Travellers event of 2012!

The wind was light and the sun shone for this over-50's open meeting at Elton S C on Tuesday 8 October.

In the first race Dave Ivins and Lesley Johnson in their Graduate easily took the honours on handicap from the Solos of John Cronshaw and Dave Eccles.

With many boats of a similar handicap, it was all about who got the best start and who got stuck in traffic. It was playing the shifts that then determined the winners.

In the second race it was the Laser of Darren Nield and the Merlin of Martin and Rene Watts that got away and left the pack to slow each other down. Dave Eccles emerged from the pack and eventually split the first two on corrected time.

It was wide open for the third and final race with several boats in with a chance of top places. In the end John Cronshaw emerged from the middle pack to take the race with Martin and Rene 2nd and Darren Nield 3rd.

The overall series, expanded from its trial in 2011 of four host clubs to seven in 2012 has been a resounding success. Fifty eight boats have taken part in one or more event with the highest individual entry being 29 boats at Bolton S C. This proves there is definitely an appetite for mid week sailing for retired, semi-retired and those sailors who can take the odd day off. It is strongly recommended to other regions in the UK.

The series is based on seven open meetings with the best four results to count.  A variety of boats from  Mirrors to Merlins competed, sailing in three handicap races at each event with the best two results on the day to count.

The series has brought together sailors from neighbouring clubs who would normally not cross tacks with each other, as they sail different classes. These are friendly opens with a great atmosphere and lots of smiles. There is a huge amount of experience on the water enjoying close racing without the younger super fit sailors present.

Sailors are aged from 50 (one turned up on his fiftieth birthday last year) to several sailors at each event in their mid 70s. The overwhelming vote was to continue the series next year. It all fits in with keeping active, healthy and having fun. At the final, prizes were awarded for under achievement, on and off the water, as well as the top eight overall.

On the serious side solos took the first two series places overall sailed by Dave Woodhead and John Cronshaw with the Merlin of Martin and Renee Watts in third.