Wednesday 1st July
With winds frustratingly light, getting over the start line in a westerly direction seemed to be the biggest challenge. Graeme once again steered Puffin to success. Blandina, Pimpernel and Anthea all completed the course with Magnolia retiring.
Prince Consort Regatta
Saturday 4th July
The course was back to the traditional Prince Consort (S), with the wind from the SW holding up nicely F3-4, later gusting F5-6. Four YOD’s joined the throng of XOD’s and Folkboats on the line near Berthon. Diatom got the best start and headed out to the windward side of the course. Puffin was closer to the mainland, and Blandina and Pimpernel followed behind. The long spinnaker run up to Cowes with the tide again emphasised why the Y’s like their large kites. At the mark, the flood was still strong, so everyone made for the harbour entrance, with its new breakwater. Puffin caught up when Diatom missed one of the marker buoys and had to do a quick reversal of course. Then in the mayhem of fleet tacking along the Green, Puffin got past Diatom to take the lead. At this stage, Blandina and Pimpernel were not too far back. By the time Puffin got to Salt Mead, Diatom was 20 boat lengths back and Blandina and Pimpernel were still in Gurnard Bay. Then slowly but surely, Diatom started to eat into the lead, sailing on opposite tacks. Coming into Bouldnor Bay, Puffin started to cover, and both boats tried everything to eke an advantage. Diatom used a moored boat to block the covering tack as she tried the decisive move, but with water coming in from all directions, was too sluggish to get going, letting Puffin just keep her lead, winning by seconds. Behind, Blandina seemed to have pulled clear, but was hunted down and overtaken by Pimpernel.
Sunday 5th July
After the high speed bash of Saturday, Sunday arrived with a wheeze, as the wind disappeared. However, as the crews boarded, there was a little puff, with the promise of a sailing breeze to come. With the Committee boat in Bouldnor Bay, a course of N, 4, line, N, 8, line, #,8, line was set. After one General Recall, Puffin got the best start, with Genista, Pimpernel and Anthea following. Diatom and Blandina brought up the rear. Puffin led the fleet from start to finish, and Genista held on for second. Further back, Diatom caught and passed Anthea and set about chasing Pimpernel. After closing on the spinnaker leg to 4, Diatom did a tight rounding and caught Pimpernel forcing her to tack from port to starboard, thus taking third place. To make matters worse, Pimpernel missed going through the line and had to do a rapid tack and bear off to repair the damage, leaving Anthea to snaffle fourth place.