History was made on two counts last Sunday at Dittisham Sailing Club.

After much discussion, the club has purchased a committee boat called Nikita and it was used for the first time last weekend, which will enable race officers to set good courses whatever the wind direction. 

The second piece of history was the start of class racing at Dittisham after sixty years of just handicap racing.

The purpose of this change is to provide better, less crowded starts, closer racing and encouraging more boats to compete. This will apply throughout the summer for the Laser, Laser Radial and Solo classes.

The turnouts so far have been disappointing, but the cold easterly winds over the last month have discouraged sailors at many clubs from venturing afloat.

Anyway, perfect conditions produced an encouraging turnout of 16 helms to listen attentively to race officer Peter Symons explain the new starting procedure, course and start line adjacent to the committee boat. 

In the first race the Devon Yawls of Mike Bennett and Adam Milton had a clean start and were soon chasing the faster Phantoms, but the brisk conditions caught out Neil Drew, who capsized and retired. James Dodd in a Phantom built up a good lead and finished well ahead, but when corrected was placed third behind Milton, who was only just beaten by Bennett after a close battle over the hour-long race.

In the Laser Radials Josh O'Brien was a convincing winner, with Roy Prior second and Jenny Harford third.

Paul Mogridge won the Laser class with Barry Kenyon second and Martin Ely third. In the Solos the winner was Jonathan Weeks ahead of Richard Allen, and then Bob Thomas. 

In the second race the wind increased for most of the time, which gave good planning conditions for the lighter boats. The winners in the handicap and Laser fleets remained the same, however Josh O'Brien had to work hard for his win after a poor start.

This allowed Roy Prior to lead the fleet for most of the race, only to be pipped at the post by O'Brien.

In the Solos Bob Thomas sailed well to win, however Richard Allen capsized and finished fourth. The next racing is on Sunday, April 28, at 10am.

 

Results

Early Summer Points1 Handicap:

1 M Bennett and P Unitt, Devon Yawl; 2 A Milton and J Phillips, Devon Yawl; 3 D Thompson, Phantom.

                                 Lasers:

1 P Mogridge, 2 B Kenyon, 3 M Ely.

                                 Laser Radials:

1 J O'Brien, 2 R Prior,

3 J Harford.

                                 Solos:

1 J Weeks, 2 R Allen,

3 R Thomas

 

Early Summer Points 2 Handicap:

1 M Bennett and P Unitt, Devon Yawl;

2 A Milton and J Phillips, Devon Yawl; 3 D Thompson Phantom.

                                  Lasers:

1 P Mogridge,

2 M Ely.

           Laser Radials:

1 J O'Brien, 2 R Prior,

3 M Thomas.

            Solos:

1 R Thomas,

2 L Moors, 3 J Weeks.