Grafham Water

Jim Saltonstall looks at one of Britain's most popular inland venues

Today, Grafham Water Sailing Club is one of the most popular inland water venues, hosting many major events for both dinghies and small keelboats. Situated just off the junction between the A1 and the A14, it has easy access from most corners of Great Britain. The club is well known for hosting major open meetings and Inland Championships.

The clubhouse is situated on the south shore of Grafham Water, in the village of Perry, with great facilities, both ashore and afloat. The race management team is very good, with a deep pool of knowledge and experience, and you can expect good quality racing. Accommodation in the area is at something of a premium, but there are bed and breakfast places within a radius of ten miles, so as always - book early to save disappointment. Contact the club for the latest information on these and camping and caravanning sites.

Race Areas

Grafham Water is large enough to run three race areas. These are situated one to the west, one in the middle, and one to the east, with the clubhouse situated to the south of the middle course, you have easy access to all three race areas.

Western Area

This is the largest of the three, where the lake is at its widest north and south.

Wind Direction

000-090 degrees: As with any landlocked venue, the wind is going to be unstable both in its direction and velocity, so identifying wind shifts is critical, knowing when you are being either lifted or headed on both tacks. Try to establish whether or not there is a pattern to the shifts in both their timing and angle. Are they five, ten, 15 or 20 degree shifts, are we going to tack on most of them as we might in a Laser, or only the larger shifts as we would in the bigger and faster boats? These questions need to be answered before the start.

When the wind is more in the north, and you face the wind direction in the western race area, you now have the nearest land mass on your port side, this is not too high, with surrounding trees and fields. The shoreline directly to windward is also relatively low, still with trees and fields. The land mass on our port side means there will be more wind on the port side of the course due to the convergence area. With this in mind we should be working the shifts up the port side of the course in more wind. The same effect that produces the convergence - greater friction over the land backing the wind - means that as you approach the west or northern shoreline on starboard tack, you may well get headed as you go in, and there will be corresponding possible lifts on port tack near the shore.

When the wind is more round to the east - 090 degrees - as you look up the beat you now have land on both sides to the north and the south. There is still more wind on the port side due to the convergence area, and less wind on the starboard side where there is a divergence wind area along the shoreline - so work the shifts left-of-middle. With the easterly wind running the full length of the lake, the wind is more stable in both direction and velocity. The other thing to note is that the water is much more confused with the backwash off the western shore, with bigger waves. It’s worth noting from a boat tuning point of view - setting sails slightly fuller, with a little more twist for the choppier conditions.

100-160 degrees: As the wind creeps round to the south-east, it starts to come off the south shore. In this sector there is less wind along the southern shore-line because of the divergence area. In some conditions I’ve seen lifts on starboard tack into the windward mark, giving an advantage on those coming in on port. Sail the beat before the start - as always - to check whether the lifts are there close to the shore on starboard tack, and whether or not they will give you the advantage over those who go left-of-middle up the beat in more wind.

160-220 degrees: Shifty off the southern shore, with the western shore on your starboard side, there should be less wind on the right in the divergence area, so we need to be working the shifts more to the left-of-middle up the beat, where there should be more wind velocity.

220-290 degrees: Shifty now off the western shore, with the convergence area on the southern shore. In these conditions we should now be looking to use the shifts left-of-middle as we go up the beat, where there is more wind velocity than there will be along the northern shoreline.

290-000 degrees: When the wind is in the north-west sector, it is blustery, shifty and gusty. The main thing is to keep your eyes out of the boat looking for the gusts, and using them to your advantage. As you look up the beat, the wind is coming more off the north-west shoreline, this will give you more wind on the left-hand side of the beat as well as a header as you go into the western shore on starboard tack, with lifts on port tack along the shore.

Central Area

The central race area is right in front of the club, keeping in mind what I’ve already said about the western race area, the following points are relevant for the central area.

Wind Direction

330-030 degrees: With the wind from the north sector, we are once again looking to use the shifts off the fairly low shoreline to windward. Down into the leeward mark and starting area, the shifts are less frequent and over a slightly narrower arc, ten to 15 degrees, whereas in the windward mark area, they can be up to 20 degrees. Sail the beat pre-start, and try and identify the oscillations, both in direction and timing, so that you can be in sequence with them as you leave the start line. It normally pays to work the shifts up the middle of the beat when the wind is in this sector.

030-090 degrees: It normally pays to go left up the beat, getting into the convergence area along the northern shore. You should also see a header on starboard tack as you get into the wind velocity increase, and lifts on port tack along the shore.

090 degrees: Go left! There’s more wind on the port side of the course, for the reasons already mentioned above.

090-160 degrees: The Catch 22 scenario, more wind left-of-middle, but I’ve seen lifts on starboard tack up on the starboard lay line, along the southern shore line. Check it out pre-start, and identify which you think is going to pay on the day.

160-220 degrees: Shifty now off the southern shore, and you need to work on the same principles that we used in looking at wind from the north sector.

220-270 degrees: With the wind in the southwest sector, go left to look for more pressure in the convergence zone by the shore-line.

270 degrees: Shifty off the western shore now, but not over too wide an arc, maybe ten to 15 degrees, but more wind on the port side of the course in the convergence area, work the shifts left-of-middle.

270-330 degrees: It normally pays to use the shifts left-of-middle, as there tends to be less wind along the north shoreline, which is a divergence zone.

Eastern Area

Wind Direction

330-030 degrees: As you look up the beat, we now have a shore-line on the starboard side of the course, creating a divergent wind area, with slightly less wind. So use the shifts left-of-middle, and look for port tack lifts near the shore.

030-090 degrees: Go left up the beat for reasons already covered when in the central area.

090 degrees: Shifty, off the eastern shoreline, with more wind along the northern shoreline work the shifts on the port side of the course.

090-160 degrees: Just as for the central area, check it out pre-start to identify which side is going to be favored on the day.

180 degrees: Go left up the beat, there’s more wind on the port side of the course, in the convergence area.

180-270 degrees: Go left up the beat for the same reasons as with the central and western areas.

270 degrees: Go left up the beat - as for the other race areas, there’s more wind velocity. The shifts are not too bad though, with the wind running the full length of the lake. But the water conditions are rougher, as you are in the backwash of the waves coming off the dam wall. Once again, more fullness and leach twist, for maximum power and speed through the waves.

270-330 degrees: Use the shifts left-of-middle, as with the other race areas there tends to be less wind in the top right-hand corner of the course, when the wind is in the north-west sector.

This is a great venue for a championship or an open meeting -but as with any lake or reservoir, keep your eyes out of the boat to pick up on both the gusts and the wind shifts.

Other Sources of Information

Tourist Information Office

Cambridgeshire, phone: 01480 388588

Map

Club website