AC sailor walks the plank

by Suzy Rayment on 26 Oct 2005 After a hard day of racing on Saturday, many of the sailors got more than they bargained for when they attended the China Coast Race Week Trafalgar Beach Party. Plenty of rum was on issue … served up in the standard RHKYC teapot. Skippers were asked to name reprobates from the day’s sailing who need disciplining – and the miscreants were required to walk the plank.

First off the springboard was Marty Kaye from Drumstick, guilty of confusing ‘testosterone’ with ‘tactics’. Frank Pong (Jelik) nominated Thierry Barot “for not winning enough races for China Team' and Nick Craddock was shopped by his Mandrake crewmates 'simply for being Nick Craddock'.

On board Ffree Fire a consortium of female crew put the finger on Sidney Yankson, and an unnamed member of the Quest crew paid the ultimate penalty “for trawling for fish with the sheet and guy, but failing to attach same to Quest'.

Neil Pryde nominated John Gunderson “for failure to shut up whilst racing”, and as Gundy has not yet appeared to take the medicine, it will be stored up for another occasion.

In the words of the Regatta Chairman, “a cracking good time was had by all”. (It was definitely a Good Time for the crew of Silenus as they failed to make the Sunday morning HKPN start.)