Dell Quay Sailing Club

Another fine weekend and favourable tides, saw Dell Quay sailors participate in a full weekend programme. Saturday provided ideal force three conditions for the annual crews races in which those that normally crew take the helm. This was combined with a series of three short races for beginners as well as two longer races for “all the rest”. Tim Dormer and Mike Fitzgerald (Laser 2000) emerged as winners of the crews race series after winning two of the races, with David Wakefield and Richard Wilde (Wayfarer) winning the other. The beginners fleet ranged from those who began racing last season to others on their first outing. John Purdy teamed up with new member, RS 400 sailor Rob Corfield to win the first two races in his Laser 2000, with Sylvia Burke (Topper Topaz) second and Nerys Legg (Topper) third in the first race and Tom and Fiona Dobbs ( Laser 2000) second and Paula Sands (Topper) third in the second race. The final race saw Legg win on handicap with Dobbs again second and Burke third. Overall positions were 1st Purdy and Corfield, 2nd Legg and 3rd Dobbs. The first 'all the rest race' was won by Steve and Henry Culpitt (National 12) with Laura West (Laser Radial) second and Bob and Gill Marshall (RS 400) third with Andrew Buchanan (Laser) winning the second race from the Marshalls.

On Sunday the wind picked up to a good force 4 for the penultimate weekend's sailing in the club's Early Trophy series. A fleet of 8 Laser 2000s took to the water for the first race and Bill and Charlotte Dawber eventually shook off the challenge from Anne and Jim Norfolk who briefly gained the lead up the second beat. Coming back up the harbour, the Dawbers were perhaps too far ahead and sailed for the wrong mark, thus allowing the Norfolks and Graham and Lucy Dalton to get ahead of them. With one more round of a long course, the Norfolks held their lead to the finish but approaching the line, the Dawbers just eased past the Daltons to take second place. In the second race, Mike Fitzgerald and Gordon Barron beat the Dawbers to the windward mark, but were unable to hold their lead and the Dawbers pulled away to win eventually by a large margin. On the long downwind legs both the Daltons and Norfolks passed Fitzgerald and battled for second place. After several changes of position, the two boats eventually finished the race with the Daltons just ahead by a few inches in an exciting downwind leg to the finish. The Solo race saw Phil Ingram lead the fleet in both races, to finish well ahead. Behind him Chris Ede and Mike van Klaveren fought for second place and although Ede held the position at the end of the first round, van Klaveren slipped past to finish second. Ede also finished second in the last race and is now tied on points with Ingram with two races to go. The handicap series is turning into a battle between Martin and Sarah Greenhalgh (Wayfarer) and Patrick Johnston (Laser). The Greenhalghs added to their lead by winning the first race from Johnston with Chris Rhodes and Chris Lynas (Wayfarer) third. The second race was won by Rhodes and Lynas with the Greenhalghs second and Johnston third. The outcome of this series will be resolved when the final races are sailed on 24 July.

Photos by Chris Hatton