Metropolitan Police Dinghy Regatta
Thursday, 21st June, 2012
Netley Sailing Club,
Victoria Country Park, Netley.
 

Only a select fleet of 8 boats made it to Netley for the Met open this year. But they had three races in varied wind strengths (1-16 knots) and a small amount of sunshine. Triangles and sausages were the order of the day, plenty of tide, and the wind shifting made for good close tactical racing.

The first race saw the West Midlands Enterprise of Ian Ingram and Marie Bond storm up the first beat to be pretty much leading round the first windward mark, only to find the light wind broad reaches a bit on the slow side. The Merlin Rocket of Frances Gifford and Pete Walker led across the finish line, three laps later, from Nick Mason in his phantom. On corrected time Frances and Pete won by 3 seconds, Nick was second and Ken Daniels, also in a phantom took third.

Race Two was sailed back to back, but featured mainly rain. The battle at the front of the fleet remained the same, but the next few mixed themselves up sufficiently to keep the results tight. Simon Hawkes and Mike Mason in an Osprey took third, behind Nick Mason in first and the Merlin Rocket in second.

The rain held off over lunch, and the decision was made to hold a further two races in the afternoon. After two laps in reasonable breeze Frances and Pete appeared to be extending a healthy lead, only for the wind to switch off, at which point they were wholly robbed by Nick Mason, managing to scoot past in the smallest of puffs to take line honours and with it the trophy. The rest of the fleet drifted slowly to the finish, which had been shortened at the gybe mark, before we all got swept out to sea. No more racing after all.

Ian and Marie had done enough in the final race to take third overall from Ken in his Phantom.

It was another great event, and hopefully with less happening in 2013, more boats will make the trip next year.

F.G.