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Dartmouth Regatta Roundup 2009
The 2009 Dartmouth Regatta sailing events attracted 313 craft within 18 classes for a total of over 122 races over the week. The 4 days of racing were reduced to 3 when racing was called off on Friday due to strong winds.

Fortunately conditions on Saturday were ideal with a strong breeze and brilliant sunshine but by Sunday the weather had deteriorated and constant drizzle coupled with an 18 knot wind meant poor visibility.

The marquee on Darthaven Marina on Sunday night was packed with contestants as Hugh Conway, chairman of the Joint Regatta Sailing Committee, thanked the Marina owners and staff, Dartmouth Yacht Club, Dittisham Sailing Club and Royal Dart Yacht Club (RDYC) for their support giving particular thanks to the RDYC who had allowed them to use their facilities and premises over the week.

RDYC Commodore, Mike Moody, presented the prizes – a glittering array of cups, plates, and trophies, some dating back to the last century. Class 0, the class for the largest boats competing - the Farr 45s - was won by Jerry Otter’s Werewolf which had an impressive win at the Royal Southern Yacht Club Regatta in July and in the Farr 45 Nationals in Weymouth earlier this year.

“It’s been great racing with pretty good winds each day,” said Nick Butt, Werewolf’s skipper of 4 years. “But this course has twenty degree wind shifts as Start Bay faces east, the prevailing winds are south-westerly and the hills make the wind go in different directions. It makes it very hard for our tactician.”

Evidently their tactician, a competitor in the Beijing and Athens Olympics, got it right. The story emerging from the winners is one of perseverance in the face of adversity. Werewolf had an engine fire on Thursday before the first race when the starter motor broke, setting fire to the electric cables.

Nick put it out with the fire extinguisher but had to drive back to their base in the Hamble on the Solent to pick up a spare motor so they were ready for the following day’s racing. IRC 1 was won by Peter Rutter’s Quokka 7 from Royal Southampton Yacht Club, IRC 2 by David and Kirsty Apthorp’s J-Dream and IRC3 was won by Sean Semmens and John Pollard of Brixham Yacht Club (BYC) in Xcellent which has won the last 3 Dartmouth Regatta series in their class.

Continue reading "By the Dart" July 2009 edition...
 
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