Ernie Shows off for Henri

The annual dinner and dance took place at the Pavilion's Ocean Rooms last weekend. The black tie event was also attended by The Mayor of Weymouth and Portland councillor Graham Winter and his wife Mary alongside Coxswain of Weymouth Lifeboat Andrew Sargent and his wife Helen.

Also on the top table were commodores from CCSC, RDYC and RNSA along with their partners.

After the feasting and loyal toast from vice commodore Jez Rees, commodore Mark Bugler delivered a humorous speech which covered the previous years antics at the club. In the background, attendees had the chance to view stills from around the club and out on the water.

There then was a fashion show featuring Henri Lloyd's latest spring range. The models, all club members ranged from 16 year old former cadet captain Alice Perret to 86 year old Ernie Lee, his emergence from beneath some fairly heavy duty foul weather gear brought the house down.

The show was made all the more dramatic by our Barry Shereston's laser show.

The prize giving recognised the efforts of members both on and off the water. The Fenwick's took the largest share of the Squib trophies whilst Sam Pascoe walked off with a handful of dinghy trophies.

The keelboat trophies were shared out more evenly. The boat maintenance trophy "The Hanging Knee" was awarded to Kay and Kevin Stibbs for their gargantuan effort in preparing their boat ready for last years Fastnet race having broken the mast on their boat Draig or Mor weeks before the start. The Stibbs also managed to raise over £5000 for Sail 4 cancer in the process. The clubs Vincent trophy, awarded by the commodore to a club member who has shone in the previous year went to Nick Frampton.

After the prize giving and thank you's, the raffle for a Henri Lloyd Breeze jacket and a set of "tell tails" raised £249 for club funds.

The crowd were then entertained by a seventies tribute band and afterwards a disco run by the evenings compere Steve Dadd.

Steve Homan-Berry foolishly delivered an open invite back to his place after the function, the last of the revellers were seen wending their way home with the sun rise after emptying the contents of his drinks cabinet.

Submitted on 25th January 2012