CVRDA Rally at Roadford Lake Sailing Club
by Neil Witt 20 Jun 2008 18:23 BST
14-15 June 2008
boats contest the CVRDA rally at Roadford Lake on the Devon / Cornwall border © Dr Anne McDemott
Over the weekend of 14/15 June, 17 boats contested the CVRDA rally on the Devon/Cornwall border. Roadford produced classic summer conditions which were very pleasant for the majority of entrants who were camping and well contested racing. The sun shone and the winds were kind enough for all.
The joint event with the south west Finn travellers and Shearwater Club away weekend meant around thirty boats on the water and plenty of competitors for "Angie's Olympics" in the evening and the barbeque social.
The CVRDA fleet consisted of 5 Finns, 3 Merlins, 2 OKs, 2 International Canoes and others, all over 25 years old. Phil and Alison Philpott sailed their National 12 the most consistently all weekend to victory both in the old fleet and overall, whilst Pete Vinton's Finn with wooden mast and old sails on Saturday took victory in the classic fleet.
The racing was tight though with 4 different winners over the 5 races. Ed Bremner led one race throughout in his 1951 Canoe, Neil Witt led the next in his recently restored wooden Finn, Peter won 2 and Phil and Alison one.
A good range of classes were represented, including an unusual old double pointed Shetland workboat, restored and converted from gaff rig to sail very effectively with a racing style bermudan rig.
Overall Results:
1st Phil Philpott (National 12)
2nd Peter Vinton (Finn)
3rd Alan Williams (Finn)
4th Jon Rawson (Albacore)
5th Neil Witt (Finn)