Dart 16 Travellers at Dee Sailing Club
by Steve Roberts 6 May 2003 08:35 BST
The first of the Dart 16 Travellers Trophy 2003 took place at Dee Sailing Club. Friday started off with a F3 to 4, and a general recall which brought out the black flag. Then with every one away clear, it was Mike Ager & Chris Brook and Ben Daigneault & Hugo Jobling away first taking the lead, positions changing with Ager & Brook (Thames Est) taking line honours with Daigneault & Jobling (Eastbourne) 2nd Pollard & Stacey (Hastings) 3rd Roberts & Moruzzi (Dee.S.C) 4th.
Race 2 again saw Mike & Chris and Ben & Hugo as the first two boats away; Roberts & Moruzzi hitting the windward mark and losing positions on the second lap challenging Ben & Hugo for 2nd place but this time hitting the wing mark, at the finish it was Rob Lucking & Colin Day (Dee) in 1st place with Robin Hennessey & Paul Oliver(Dee) 2nd and Mike Ager & Chris Brook having to settle for 3rd place. Friday night the beer was a £1 a pint thanks to one of the sponsors and plus a Disco.
Saturday saw more wind F5 to 6 although it felt more like F7, out of the fleet nine had tried the conditions, and returned to shore with the exception of Ager & Brook and Daigneault & Jobling Race 3 going to Daigneault & Jobling & Races 4 & 5 to Ager & Brook. In the evening it was party night with a nine piece soul band Chico plus Disco.
Sunday saw a half hour postponement on the shore before going afloat reefed. Race 6 saw only 4 boats on the start line, again Mike Ager & Chris Brook taking the lead with the other three swapping positions, at the finish it was Ager & Brook taking line honours from Roberts & Moruzzi 2nd, Hennessey & Oliver 3rd, and James Miller & Mike Hilton settled for 4th.
Race 7 saw Mike Ager & Steve Roberts starting on starboard Robin Hennessey on port. Half way round Ager & Brook dropped the reef and went to full sail, took the lead to finish ahead of Hennessey & Oliver in 2nd and Roberts & Moruzzi settling for 3rd. Race 8 was down to two boats both back to full sail, Hennessey & Oliver lead from start to finish to take the gun from Roberts & Moruzzi.
Out of 50 boats including Dart 18’s, the biggest turnout in recent years a special mention goes to Michael Moruzzi age 9 the youngest competitor from both fleets in his first TT event.
Overall Results:
| Pos | Sail No | Helm | Crew | Club |
|---|
| 1st | 1822 | Mike Ager | Chris Brook | Thames Estuary Y.C. |
| 2nd | 2309 | Ben Daigneault | Hugo Jobling | Eastbourne Sovereign |
| 3rd | 2449 | Robin Hennessey | Paul Oliver | Dee S.C. |
| 4th | 2248 | Steve Roberts | Michael Moruzzi | Dee S.C. |