10/01/2010 2009 End of year Round up 2009 was an excellent year for Dragon sailing on the Solent. Very few days sailing have been lost due to an over abundance or lack of supply of wind. In addition to the regular weekend racing that takes place from end of April until the end of October, the fleet has enjoyed welcoming visitors to the South Coast Championship (24-26th July) and Cowes Week (1-7th August). We also welcomed two new boats - Nick Jones new Dragon GBR 739, Dilemma, and Thorkild Junker on Cool Runnings (GBR 748).
Early season competition
With several travelers in the fleet, competition has varied throughout the season. Eric Williams proved impossible to beat on the 6 days Ecstatic was on the start line, and dominated the spring series. Njord however won on points using the expedient tactic of turning out more. Class Captain Richard Cullen was slow to emerge from winter hibernation so the rivalry between Supremacy and Njord had a rather slow start.
South Coast Championships
The fleet was delighted to host the South Coast Championships, and thanks Tony Singer for taking on the organisation of the event. All participants agreed that despite the weather, the event had been very enjoyable, and as a dry run for the Edinburgh Cup in 2010 showed how Cowes facilities can deliver hugely enjoyable Dragon events. Tony has taken on organisation of the 2010 Edinburgh Cup, and we encourage all members of the BDA to book holiday now, and join us in Cowes from 27th June to 3rd July, for the South Coasts and Edinburgh cup.
Cowes Week highlights
Following the South Coasts, several visitors elected to stay on for the ultimate sailing party that is Cowes Week. We welcomed Ganador, Seafire and Rumours back to The Island. Several other sailors joined the fleet for the week: Rob Gray had kindly loaned Rackham to Peter Dicker, who brought Peter and Helen Stokes down from Lowestoft, Richard Davies arrived with the new Flotation, Buddha and team Flawless added boisterous Cornish glamour, and Matt Lingley sailed Kestral from Aldeburgh to join in. With such a social bunch, post race drinks and social events kept the fleet in high spirits.
This was an excellent Cowes Week, although the wind strength was on the light side, the Dragon fleet was as always, fiercely competitive. The racing was challenging but finally Rumours dominated the week after a shaky start. Eric Williams in Ecstatic never gave up but, like all the rest of us, struggled to counter Rumours consistency and boat-speed. The points were close up to the last day, so excellent competitive racing combined with the spectacle and social whirl that is the UK’s largest keel boat regatta made it a hugely enjoyable week for all.
Following Cowes Week, most of the fleet joined in the less hyped, but truly delightful Yarmouth regatta. As an antidote to Cowes, this town regatta attracts 6 “classic” classes and sponsorship from Tattinger. You can guess the rest.
Autumn and Late series
After a busy summer we all take a rest for the second half of August and resume sailing early September. By the Autumn Series, when travelers returned Supremacy, had pulled ahead aided by the god of weather who decreed that the beginning of September should deliver a balmy, sun-filled but sadly breezeless few days in Costa del Cowes. Annual “talk like a Pirate Day” came and went without a single Dragon timber being shivered, although a few tots of rum, may have been consumed on the shore in the Indian Summer sunshine.
Nick Jones by the beginning of September was getting Dilemma (GBR 739) up to speed, causing a memorable incident with a tanker and pilot boat. Njord meanwhile lost her mast and the last 4 weeks of sailing, so was unable to dent Supremacy’s supremacy.
Final fleet results
Top honours for the Red Funnel series (5 weekends of windward leeward over season) go to Richard Cullen and Supremacy, while top horrors for the season are awarded to his co-owner Keith Skelsey and regular crew Matt Hill who managed to put Supremacy out of action for a couple of weeks by casually sailing into a cruiser on their jaunt to the Yarmouth regatta. As if the Solent isn’t big enough.
End of season results are:
1 Supremacy, 2 Njord, 3 Jerboa, 4 Cavalier, 5 Ecstatic, 6 Fanfare, 7 Dilemma
Honours were awarded at the annual dinner, held at Prospect House. For pictures of the jollities visit solentflleet on flickr!
