After weeks of little or no wind recently, the racers of Dittisham Sailing Club mostly stayed away last Sunday as the forecast was for gusty winds up to force five and beyond.

Those intrepid few who turned up were greeted by a brown river Dart swollen by the flood water further up off Dartmoor and surrounding countryside and not looking very inviting. 

One member decided that he would stay ashore and the numbers of valiant safety boat crew equalled the number of racers as four dinghies came to the starting line.

Race officer Pete Joscelyne had sensibly set a relatively small triangular course with the first leg into the wind and tide to H mark.

Mike Bennett, crewed by Gil Hayward, only just reached the start in time as their kicking strap, which holds the boom down, broke and they had to make up a jury rig before they could race.

Young Joshua O'Brien made a good start ant was soon out in the lead. The Solo of Jonathan Weeks was also going well, but the Wayfarer of Peter Coxon and Steve Puckett struggled in the windy conditions but were still in the hunt. 

After an exciting gybe mark which all boats rounded safely, Joshua, in his Laser radial, was still well ahead until he suffered gear failure when his mast broke in a gust and he had to retire.

There was then a battle between Bennett in his Devon Yawl and Weeks in his Solo. Both boats were close to one another with Bennett slightly ahead at the gybe mark.

The Devon Yawl delayed its gybe in a squall and Weeks gybed inside but in so doing capsized.

The race was shortened and the Devon Yawl of Mike Bennett crossed the finishing line first, the Solo of Jonathan Weeks second and the Wayfarer of Peter Coxon a creditable third in the tough conditions. The second race was cancelled. 

There is a work party at 10am next Sunday, December 2, as the tides are wrong. The next racing at Dittisham is on December 9 with Winter Points 9 and 10 starting at 11am. 

Results

Winter Points 7

1 M Bennett and G Hayward, Devon Yawl. 2 J Weeks, Solo. 3 P Coxon and S Puckett, Wayfarer.