A brisk northerly greeted the brave few who turned out for this event, a three-race series which has in recent years turned into a dinghy versus Squib match, won last year by a Squib - could honour be restored among the dinghy fleet this year?
We were lucky that the wind dropped off in time to set a start close inshore, and the small but determined fleet of nine boats completed three races, on a course which got smaller and smaller, providing a different challenge in each race, but rendering costly any spinnaker error, turning the air blue on occasion, especially for some reason in the vicinity of 'Iceni Rebel'!
'Inquisition' (Patrick Jones and Rob Hawes) unfortunately suffered a broken kicking strap which forced them to retire after the first race; 'Comet, helmed by Lloyd Bulley with a novice crew, sailed with a reduced mainsail which slowed them down but at least meant they survived the afternoon!
The dinghies showed they were more than capable of winning back the trophy from the Squibs this year; Phil and Ali Ashworth’s ‘Black Boat’ took line honours every time, and Terry Curtis fended off the Squib challenge to win 2-1 on corrected time from the Lloyd brothers in ‘Iceni Rebel’. though with a comfortable 6 point advantage overall. Nick Frampton in his OK and Nick Holland in his RS Vareo made up the dinghy fleet, while Simon and Jill Vines in 'Hope' and Celia Rushton and Peter Jackson in 'Aldebaran' maintained the pressure from the Squibs.
Congratulations and thanks to all those members who turned out for what proved to be quite an exhausting afternoon's competition in glorious conditions!
Steve Fraser
Race Officer
