Dorset Police Regatta
Wednesday, 12th July, 2006
Venue: Poole Y.C.

The day dawned bright with a wind forecast of some 4-5 mph.

And so it was for the start of Race One, with all almost all the boats getting away cleanly to make for the windward mark of an Olympic triangle/sausage course. As the first boats rounded the top mark, the wind began to drop and the middle fleet struggled to round. The wind then dropped completely and the light influence of the tide took over. Andy Welch helming an Osprey was the last boat to round with any momentum. On rounding, Len Gooch in the Albacore, having managed to squeeze by the mark found himself proceeding along the next leg aft first. Boats following stood still while the front of the fleet slowly stretched out a lead, rounding the second (wing) mark while some boats still struggled to make the first mark.

In such conditions, the Race Officer, Malcolm Palmer decided to halt the race at Mark 3, the leeward mark As the leading boats on the water pressed on, what should have been a reach became a sort of drift in the current while sails were set to beat and the leaders fell away towards the right-hand side of the course attempting to make the finish line. Meanwhile the middle of the fleet, which had stood no chance of catching up, rounded the wing mark and keeping high to the left-hand side of the last leg, found a sniff of wind, then a waft which then came a breeze allowing them to reach in to the finish line at speed, turning the race positions into a travesty. Nevertheless Graham Cook with daughter Alison, who had been ahead from the beginning, kept their RS200 moving to cross the line first and win the race on corrected time by over 2 minutes.

The back markers were able to catch up but some 70 minutes had passed and it was decided to come ashore for lunch before contemplating Race Two and hopefully Race Three.

After the glass-like conditions of the morning, there was a welcome wind of Force 2-3 for the start of Race Two. Despite some boats being over the line, having misjudged the start, the fleet made its way swiftly towards the top mark. Those choosing the right-hand side of the beat looked to have a small advantage on the incoming tide when coming to the top mark on starboard. Meanwhile the wind had slowly increased to the top side of Force 4 resulting in difficult conditions for the smaller boats making their way through the lumpy chop on the water. Nevertheless Mike Scrivener, Contender and Ken Daniels, Phantom found conditions by far preferable to the light winds of the morning race. Two of the RS400's of Ian Ingram and Dusty Miller found themselves well to the front of the fleet pursued by an Osprey. Again, Graham Cook secured the race on corrected time by 40 seconds.

There was some wait while the last boat recovered from a capsize and made the finish line but the Race Officer just managed to squeeze in Race Three back to back. Whilst the tide was less of an influence and the wind had slowly increased to the top side of Force 4, there were further capsizes. The race was rather short but the Osprey with Andy Welch and Rob Gillespie came into its own on home waters to claim a convincing win over Cook by half a minute on corrected time with Ingram third.

There were some faces absent and new faces to experience the police sailing circuit. 17 boats taking part was a distinct high point. Prizes were presented by Graham Smith who is Dorset Police Director of Human Resources. It had been an excellent regatta despite the change in conditions thanks to Poole Yacht Club who always provide the very best of support for the police regattas and Rob Gillespie who now looks forward to organising the Police Sport UK Laser & Dinghy Sailing Championships for 2007.

Contact:
Det/Inspector Rob Gillespie
 Dorset Police
Eastern Division Headquarters,
Ameysford Road,
FERNDOWN,
Dorset
BH22 9HQ
Tel No: 01202-226210