10th & 11th July 2010
Visitors to Aldeburgh on Saturday were greeted by sunshine and a force 3
southwesterly breeze. A total of 12 boats assembled representing 70
years of sailing dinghy development and construction.
A strong contingent travelled from Yorkshire to take part in the newly
designated vintage event. The eldest boat being the immaculate N341 Mat
part the Gatti collection with the youngest vintage entry being N2452
Phobos sailed by Rit Walton.
N3457 Ebba and N3500 Crazy Diamond represented dinghies constructed to
the latest rules, but sadly not a Dead cat Bounce or a winged rudder to
be seen.
PRO Patrick Gifford set excellent courses avoiding the local traffic. A
pattern soon emerged with Paul and Freya Pelling taking two firsts
despite the best efforts and local knowledge of Antony and Jo Gifford
sailing N3348 Charlotte Anne. After 2 races Howard Chadwick, crewed by
local Lesley Downing lead the vintage fleet with a 6th and 5th place.
Bernard Clark was unlucky to touch a moored tender, local rules calling
for retirement. The recently restored N760 Bobtail was the first of the
ribbed boats. The effects of a leaking centreboard case checked by the
frantic bailing of crew Tom Chalker.
Sunday dawned with temperature still in the mid 20s but the wind
increased to a steady force 5. Of the ribbed boats Jonathan Reuben’s
N443 Cygnet ventured briefly onto the water. A late night repair
to a damaged thwart in N2149 Xanthus enabled the remaining vintage
fleet continue with some close racing.
3 races sailed back to back were completed before the tide turned with
an expectation of rough water south of the Club. At the front of the
fleet Antony and Jo continued to chase Paul Pelling now crewed by son
Guy.
Race 3 sent the fleet upriver to the old brickworks. This include some
memorable reaching with fast planing throughout the fleet. In Race 4
Antony and Jo were unlucky to be overtaken on the last beat towards the
Martello Tower by Paul and Guy. Despite a late charge on the run to the
finish Paul and Guy held on to a slender lead for win number four to
take the Ganymede Trophy. The Gifford’s persistence paid of in the end
with a win in race 5 demonstrating that the Design 8 still remains a
competitive boat in the right hands. In the vintage fleet Triada
recorded an excellent 5th and 4th to secure first place from Paul turner
sailing N2020 Starfish.
So a fine weekend of sailing on the Alde came to a close. Thanks to the
hospitality of Aldeburgh Yacht Club, the expertise of PRO Patrick
Gifford, the visitors have promised to return next year with
reinforcements ensuring this fixture continues the long association of
the class at the AYC.
Overall results
|
Rank
|
Boat
|
No
|
Helm
|
Race1
|
Race2
|
Race3
|
Race4
|
Race5
|
Total
|
Nett
|
|
1st
|
Ebba
|
3457
|
Paul
Pelling
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
(13)
|
17
|
4
|
|
2nd
|
Charlotte Anne
|
3348
|
Antony Gifford
|
2
|
2
|
2
|
(2)
|
1
|
9
|
7
|
|
3rd
|
Crazy
Diamond
|
3500
|
Jerry
Garner
|
3
|
3
|
3
|
(3)
|
2
|
14
|
11
|
|
4th
|
Triada
|
2266
|
Howard Chadwick
|
6
|
5
|
5
|
4
|
(13)
|
33
|
20
|
|
5th
|
Starfish
|
2020
|
Paul
Turmer
|
7
|
6
|
7
|
5
|
(13)
|
38
|
25
|
|
6th
|
Red
Herring
|
3434
|
Guy
Pelling
|
4
|
4
|
4
|
13
|
(13)
|
38
|
25
|
|
7th
|
Xanthus
|
2149
|
Bernard Clark
|
5
|
13
|
6
|
13
|
(13)
|
50
|
37
|
|
8th
|
Bobtail
|
760
|
John
Chalker
|
8
|
7
|
13
|
13
|
(13)
|
54
|
41
|
|
9th
|
Mat
|
341
|
Tim
Gatti
|
13
|
8
|
13
|
13
|
(13)
|
60
|
47
|
|
10th
|
Cygnet
|
443
|
Jonathan Reuben
|
13
|
9
|
13
|
13
|
(13)
|
61
|
48
|
|
11th
|
Phobos
|
2452
|
Rit
Walton
|
13
|
13
|
13
|
13
|
(13)
|
65
|
52
|
|
11th
|
Scooter
|
3016
|
Colin
Brown
|
13
|
13
|
13
|
13
|
(13)
|
65
|
52
|
Burton week
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