2007 Regattas, Great Britain

Mason Cup, Overy Staithe Sailing Club

16 – 17 June

Now in its 37th year, the Mason Cup for OK Dinghies was sailed at Overy Staithe Sailing Club overnight on the 16-17th June. As is traditional it was sailed on high spring tides, that in Norfolk occur in the evenings and mornings. Thus the first start at 7.00pm allowed for a leisurely Saturday. Light winds dominated the harbour courses with the first race going to Pete Turner after extending his lead throughout to win by a considerable margin. Alex Scoles just held off Terry Curtis for second. The second race followed a similar pattern with Robert Deaves finding more pressure on the left of the first beat to round first and gradually extend to win from Curtis and Scoles.

After curry, beer and five hours sleep, the next start at 7.30am was set out to sea in slightly more wind and an incredibly strong tide. Jon Fish made the best of the first race by sailing furthest inshore and leading throughout. Most of the fleet had helped repair his boat overnight after he found one of the many groynes in the harbour and ripped his rudder fittings off in the first race on Saturday. Deaves pulled through Curtis and Turner into second place, but after initially heading for the wrong downwind mark, allowed Scoles, who had moved up four places on the last beat, to take second place.

With any of four boats capable of taking the Cup, the final tense race brought Turner to the front again after an excellent start. He led throughout with Deaves overhauling Fish on the second beat to take second and second overall. On equal points with Deaves, Turner won the cup for the first time.

Cartoon Trophy, Waldringfield

29 – 30 September

Using a borrowed boat, assembled just hours before the first race, Ian Harris won the 2007 Giles Cartoon Trophy at Waldringfield Sailing Club over the weekend of 29/30 September. Saturday brought great racing conditions with a shifty 8-12 knot breeze and a high spring tide. After a messy and crowded first mark rounding, Jon Fish took the lead and led the first race to the finish. Harris was a solid second until tragedy struck on the final run, when he nearly spun out – twice – before recovering to finish third. Gybe talking was a common theme that evening.

Fish looked set to repeat his first race victory in race two taking an early lead from the pack. However Robert Deaves took the lead up the second tricky beat and stretched out a lead along with Harris just behind. Terry Gibb had showed up with an old favourite and surprised everyone with his downwind speed. Crossing the club line for the second lap, he caught Fish on port and a crash tack left Fish in the drink right on the club line. Robert Deaves led away from the chaos but it was Harris who took the higher course and rounded the uptide windward mark with a useful lead. Harris was never really troubled for the race win with Gibb overhauling Deaves on the final beat for second.

Saturday’s night’s social event was simply a matter of staying alive. Dan Ager proved he was more than an old woman by leading the way through the all night drinking session. However the night fever and spirits paid its toll by first light, as several faces were absent from the tea queue at the clubhouse on Sunday morning. However as luck would have it, an overnight wind of change brought a flat calm and a sunny sky, and after three hours of waiting, an abandonment and an early prizegiving ensued. So Harris wins again and slunk back to the west country with his due rewards.

OK Northern Area Champs 2007

10 – 11 November,
Leigh & Lowton

The OK Northerns took place at Leigh & Lowton with a turnout of 12 boats from as far afield as Norfolk & Essex, joining the small but growing Northern OK fleet.  A slightly low turnout, but not bad for a freezing weekend in November!

Conditions on Saturday were fantastic with a gusty force 5-6 making for some exhilarating sailing.  Upwind was hard work but sailors were rewarded downwind as Gareth the race officer had laid perfect downwind angles to provide some superb reaches.  The vicious gusts made for survival conditions at times with only Mike Edwards & Nick Craig not taking a cold capsize.

Craig won all 3 races but both Terry Curtis & Jon Fish led races to score 4,2,2 and 2,6,3 respectively.  Light wind specialist Neil Goodhead almost found his toestraps to score 7,5,4 to complete the top 4 overnight.

Thanks to a gruelling day, Saturday night was quiet by OK standards with everyone in bed by 1am after some beer & curry thanks to the hospitality of Mike & Kath Edwards.

Sunday was more gentle with a shifty force 2-3.  Curits has to miss the days sailing due to a severe “bug” he had picked up (that or turning 40 has reduced his beer tolerance!)  Leading female sailor Mike Edwards showed great downwind speed to push Craig hard in the 1st race and come back after a poor start in the 2nd race to finish 2nd and claim 2nd overall.  Fish briefly led the last race but could not hold off Edwards to finish 3rd overall.  Daz Prior had his best race yet in an OK pulling through to 2nd for a couple of laps before a capsize on a tack, but he will clearly be seen at the front of the fleet again.  Keith Byers sailed a consistent series of top 5 results to finish 4th overall.  Top effort went to Ben Steel who put his boat back together after windy Saturday to push some very experienced sailors hard on the Sunday, all at the age of 16 – he will be a leading contender for next years OK juniors!