Flying Dutchman Open at Port Dinorwic Sailing Club

Flying Dutchman Open at Port Dinorwic © Susan Burgess

Flying Dutchman Open at Port Dinorwic © Susan Burgess

Flying Dutchman Open at Port Dinorwic © Susan Burgess

A light wind weekend of close racing saw Strang Williams and Alex Rogers winning this event, held as part of the club's Rawson Cup Autumn Regatta. They won on countback from current National Champions Storky McLaughlin and Mark Taylor, as the GBR warm-up for the forthcoming FD World Championships in Scarlino, Tuscany.

For the first race, only two boats, Storky and Mark, and Julian Bridges and Ancel Davison, managed to get to the start line, 50 m from the slipway, in time for the clearly advertised start time. They enjoyed a close race, exchanging the lead several times, before Julian's incompetent rounding of the last mark necessitated a 720 penalty and some gaffa tape on the bow between races. Meanwhile, newcomers to the class, Alan Butler and Tomos Jones and class stalwart Richard Phillips with Ricky Harris on the wire also had a close race, but in a separate time zone.

The second race on Saturday afternoon was blessed with all five teams now being fully awake, and enjoying short tacking against the tide through the moorings, which were also full of the little naughties of the club in their Teras and Toppers, in the light and shifty breeze, truly ideal FD racing conditions. Strang and Alex pulled a horizon job this time, having completed splicing up their new lower shrouds. This time Julian and Ancel manged to keep the lid on the Scottish boat, with Richard and Ricky not too far behind.

Sunday morning involved a postponement long enough to both drink coffee, and to wait for the wind to fill in. Ancel now being on his way to the fleshpots of Portsmouth for freshers week, Julian was joined by Amy Barlow, Hornet crew and TOY helm of the parish. This time it was Storky and Mark who, powered by the residual effects of the previous evenings Bacardi, stretched out to win, with Strang and Alex, possibly more adversely affected by the Bacardi, in third place.

The fourth race of the regatta was again very close, but this time Strang and Alex navigated the round the cans course best, and finished comfortably first, with Julian and Amy throwing away a second to Storky and Mark, and leaving the event open to the last.

The finale was, of course, the Bart's Bash race, in which all the competing fleets combined to give a spectacular mass start, After a general recall, probably caused by those nasty big rough boys in Phantoms who were also having an open meeting, the restart was clean, with the FDs trying not to run down too many of the smaller boats. Picking their way round the course, Strang and Alex at 5th, Storky and Mark at 15th, Julian and Amy 18th and Richard and Ricky at 20th from 30 boats meant that the two leading competitors were tied, and the final winner decided on countback.

A great weekend for the FD fleet to enjoy friendly and relaxed, but very close and intense racing. Good race management, good food, good weather, and good hwyl.

Overall Results: