Two thousand and nine was another successful season of growth for the dinghy racing section. 25 boats entered for the three series, and fleets were generally 10 plus for most races. The new Laser stacking racks in the dinghy park, brilliantly instigated by Captain Moorings, Ken Hubbard, have really helped to boost the numbers. Pursuit racing is getting less and less common in our calendar and our races are now mostly handicap with a Committee boat start. The Club’s new Committee boat, a replacement for Q17, will be a great asset to us. It will allow much greater protection for the Race Committee, and a lot more useable space for buoys etc., together with a safer form of anchoring. Windward/Leeward racing is becoming popular, and we will now be able to lay our courses for these more easily.
Our Dinghy Regatta was a great success, with three races completed in light winds. Congratulations to the race officials Sarah Mason, John Jane and Tom from Grafham Water S.C. for managing in difficult conditions. Once again the Susanna May Memorial Cup was held on a fine day, as was most of the racing last year, but I think the season was generally windier. We all gained a lot of experience in heavy weather gybing!
Race training has been taking place on Tuesday evenings, organised by Beccy Kestin, Mark Belshaw from the RYA, and with much help from Roger McDonald. Chris Hunt (Buddah to most!) has also given a lot of time to this. Consequently, the standard of racing in the middle to rear of the fleet has improved dramatically, and the front runners now have to look over their shoulders!
Our season concluded with a delicious Dinghy Dinner and presentation evening, but in the weeks following up to Christmas, some of us foolishly moved to Stithians Lake to join in with their Frostbite series. This was great fun, but sadly due to the weather we only managed to complete 3 races out of 8. Enough to constitute a series though, and hopefully we will be able to do something similar next year when the weather might be kinder.
Finally I must introduce my successor as I have completed my three year stint. Beccy Kestin has agreed to take over and was voted on to the Committee at last week’s AGM. Beccy is very keen and I am sure will continue the success of the dinghy racing section. The calendar for 2010 is drawn up, and looks excellent.
Many thanks to everyone in the dinghy fleet who, without exception, has supported me and gone along with everything I have organised. The last three years have been a great pleasure for me and I will miss it a lot, although I am looking forward to just turning up and going racing!
See you out there.
Adam Mason, Ex Captain Dinghies
