Dragon Report
After a gentle start to the season with sunshine and gentle breezes, the forecast for the weekend looked ominous.
TEN Dragons started the weekend with a long race down river on Friday afternoon. A Club line start and then some windward leeward loops, eventually going all the way down to East Bulwick. A beat all the way back with the tide under us made a great race, with the lead changing several times. Hands Off the eventual winner with Repeat Offender challenging up Heartbreak Reach.
Saturday’s forecast did not improve overnight, and the prediction of 30+knot gusts and rain was enough to keep all but three boats on their moorings. Navaho (Rick Gillingham) from Aldeburgh, Suti (Toby Atack) and Gandalf (Edwin Hannant) went out and all completed the 4 races. Suti winning two and Navaho winning two. Sadly – both Navaho and Gandalf came back with broken masts so sadly the end of their regatta.
The forecast for Sunday was for much less wind and the remaining boats headed down early to Long Reach for 3 races. It turned out to be a great days sailing. The wind staying a steady 15-20 knots and the tide changing. Decisions made on which side of the river to take and when to cross made challenging sailing and leads gained and lost in all the races.
So in the end with a very pleasing 10 boat fleet, only one boat completed all the races. Well done to Team Suti – Toby Atack, Ivor Alcock and Steve Rushbrook the run away winners of the weekend.
Our thanks to the lovely Team Kismet who brought their boat down from Edinburgh to take part in our regatta. They are looking forward to the other regattas in the south over the summer.
The Race Committee did a superb job in difficult conditions – our sincere thanks to Philip Clarabut and his team.
Meanwhile on Saturday our Cruisers attempted to circumnavigate the Montgomery Wreck – report by Bob Turk
This year’s Montgomery cruise was a cruise with a difference. Firstly we never went to the Montgomery because of the Survey work going on . An alternate course of approximately the same length was Set. However, the weather decided not to cooperate and this alternate course had to be shortened even further.
In normal years we would get over 20 boats going for a nice cruise out to the Mount Montgomery and back this year due to the atrocious weather we only managed eight. Another five thought about it including Muskrat Ramble who decided the delights of the Jetty were more attractive then having your arms pulled out by the main sheet and buckets of water tipped over your head.
As in previous years, the winner has yet to be decided and the sealed bribes opened .
Congratulations, go to and you no particular order Maid Of Ditchling, Equinox, Solar Eclipse, Solo (went round the Montgomery anyway) Go Kart, Curlew, Arabesque and Silver Phantom all of who had the tenacity to give it a go.
