Senior Sailing Week at Bosham Sailing Club
by Nicky Chapple 30 Jun 2009 10:50 UTC
24-26 June 2009
Racing during Bosham Sailing Club's Senior Week Regatta © Nicky Chapple
Now in its 6th year, this popular racing event for the club’s over 21 year olds, took place between 24-26 June, attracting an impressive entry of over 70 dinghies and dayboats and over 120 sailors. The fleet was divided into 4 categories, Classic Dayboats, Fast/Medium Handicap, Slow Handicap and Chichester Scows.
The Fast/Medium handicap category was the largest with 24 entries and comprised dinghies ranging from elderly Wayfarers and Albacores to modern RS400s and Topper Spices. Amongst the oldest boats competing was Paul Dewing’s Chichester Harbour 18 Flight which was built in 1938 and Alistair Boyd & Stephen Smyth’s Thames estuary OD Sanderling.
The aim was for each category to have completed three races over the Wednesday and Thursday, with Friday given over to a pursuit race and committee boat harbour races. Following a detailed briefing and supper on Tuesday, the Principle Race Officer, Stuart Martell, set challenging courses for all categories over the next two days.
Wednesday proved testing for many in the fresh easterlies and many returned wet but smiling after experiencing exhilarating racing conditions in the harbour.
Thursday’s conditions were less severe and by the evening, everybody had achieved their 3 races for the Series’ trophies.
Friday dawned humid and overcast and with wind forecast for the afternoon, the pursuit was abandoned and each category completed a reasonably long distance race from BSC into the farther reaches of the harbour.
As well as the racing, well attended social events took place each evening, culminating with Friday’s tea, prize giving and “last night” supper and bop. Racing was extremely competitive and the following took the silver:
Frank Parham Salver (Chichester Scows)
Izzie Lee in Happy Bunny
Festival Cup (Slow Handicap)
Alistair Boyd & Stephen Smyth in Thames Estuary OD, Sanderling
Currey Cup (Fast/Medium H/C)
Dick Pratt in Finn, Air Pocket
Plymouth Cup (CDB)
David Edmund-Jones & Andrew Young in Chichester Harbour 18, Seafire