Dittisham Regatta 2007

A busy week-end for Ditsum sailors started with their local Regatta on Saturday when there were 2 races for dinghies and 1 for Old Gaffers.

The dinghies started with a pursuit race in which the time allowance for handicaps is added on to the start time, with slower boats starting several minutes ahead of their faster rivals who proceed to pursue and hopefully overtake them.  After a set time (60 minutes) the leading boats are the winners.

16 boats participated and enjoyed a moderate breeze and some close competitive racing, especially at the front of the fleet, where several Solos, trying to establish an overall lead, were constantly challenged by the D/Y of Mike Bennett.

At the final hooter the winner of the Anchorstone Cup was Jonathan Weeks; Solo, by a small margin from M.Bennett D/Y, who in turn was being chased by the Solo of John Raad.  A last minute entry was Jonathan Hugh Jones in his 505,in which he overtook all other competitors to lead the fleet, but was not the actual winner, as, due to his late arrival, he could not be given his correctly delayed start without becoming involved with the Gaffers race in which 11 boats set off to complete 3 rounds of the course round Ditsum lake.

They made a picturesque sight, especially when clustered together at the start, but soon became widely spread out on the first windward leg .as the Gaff rig is not designed to perform well to windward. At one buoy in particular where there was little wind but a strong tide, many boats spent more time moving backwards or sideways rather than forwards.

Only a few managed to complete 3 rounds in the time, and of these the winner of the Old Gaffers Cup was Mike Lucas in Marie Louise his Oysterman 16. 2nd was Lance Rowell in Dorothy his very elegant L.Hope Sloop. Sailing with the fleet was a Scimitar helmed by Anna Stillman who would have taken 3rd place but as the boat was not gaff rigged she received an alternative prize.

The second dinghy race was a routine handicap event and with a freshening breeze, provided excellent sailing for the 11 surviving competitors.

The Solos reversed their positions from the previous race, with John Raad winning the Blackness Cup and a Laser sailed by Patrick Bromley coming 2nd.3rd place was taken by M Bennett D/Y crewed by his wife Pam and 4th was J.Weeks Solo.

On Sunday the annual Commodores Picnic set off upstream to land on the beach off Sharpham point, to enjoy a BBQ, liquid refreshment and even a game of Boules.

Many boats joined in, varying from an electrically powered launch, converted by Frank Seear from his families old sailing Mirror16;,a cruising Catamaran carrying non sailing passengers; several Gaffers, motor launches, and small dinghies down to a Lymington Scow.

The more serious sailors set out to race up to Bow creek, but after rounding Gurrow point and entering the narrower stretch of the river, they encountered a strong wind blowing against a strong flooding tide, with resultant choppy water making progress very uncomfortable for a time. A 505 came to grief, turned upside down and got its mast stuck in mud, whilst Stephanie Ashton ,sailing her Graduate with an enthusiastic but inexperienced crew ,decided that the inevitable capsize would not be a comfortable beginning to the evenings festivities and so dropped the mainsail and returned comfortably though cowardly to base under jib alone.

Of the racers who reached the finishing line the winner was Jenny Richardson in a Laser Radial.2nd was Rob Adams in his D/Y in spite of carrying several extra passengers and 3rd was Alex Gibson Laser. A Laser 2000 would probably have been amongst the winners but neither the helm nor the OOD knew its correct Handicap.

Next week-end the second of the very successful sessions of Ladies learning to helm boats is scheduled for Saturday AM ,Racing on Sunday 9.30, weather permitting.

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