Classic & Vintage Dinghies at Shearwater Sailing Club

A mixed fleet of fourteen Merlins, Albacores, Enterprises, a Mirror a Finn and an Otter turned out for the Classic and Vintage event held on Saturday 3rd October. Rit Walton travelled from Ipswich to sample the strong and shifty gusts that Shearwater can provide. We also had travellers from Bristol Baltic Wharf, Thames Sailing club and Banbury alongside a strong contingent of local boats. There was a brief discussion over whether cotton sails and wooden masts should be used in the strong conditions but most decided to keep the traditional rigs for lighter conditions despite the handicap advantage offered.

One boat, Chris Barlows Iska sailed in original kit but was forced to retire after a capsize in the first race preferring to watch for the rest of the day.

The first race started promptly by race officer Giles Penfold at 11.00 saw Roger Devereux and Ken Adams, Merlin 507, OCS and having to return while the rest of the fleet sailed on the long beat to the far end of the lake where the wind shifts made for some tricky sailing. Strong gusts saw many capsizes and some screaming planes and a few retirements but no major breakages. Roger and Ken fought their way back to the front of the fleet to win the first race followed by Sandy Lavelle and Pat Jones in Half Cut (Merlin 2121) with Ben May and Ian Pratt in Albacore 1443.

A warming lunch was provided by the excellent galley team which slowed a good many boats to the start line for the second race with only a few boats on the line at the gun.

The lead for the race was a tussle between Merlin 507 and Albacore 1443 until a strong gust took the Albacore out on a tack leaving the Merlin to take the second bullet of the day with Tim Bury and Ian McKenzie who crewed the same boat in the 60s to take second and the Albacore of Nigel Osborne and Sue Parrott to take third.

Several boats and crews had decided that they had done enough swimming at Shearwater and decided to sit out the last race and start packing up, but six boats went out again. The wind eased for a short period during the day to lull competitors into a false sense of security only to blast them again with huge gusts blasting down the lake. The lead was a very tight race between Merlin 507 and Merlin 1066 (Tim and Ian) with places changing all through the race. Tim and Ian being heavier were able to take full advantage of the winds upwind but Roger and Ken gained downwind and on the reaches through the series of gybes set to entertain the spectators on the bank. After an exhausting and exciting race Roger & Ken just took the lead over the line managing to hold off a strong charge on the last beat. Third was Pat and Sandy followed by Ben and Ian, and the Graduate of Paul Athay and Colin Newton.

All in all a great day and as usual Shearwater laid on a wonderful tea for the prize giving.

Thanks go to the whole team at Shearwater for a well run event.