Abersoch Dinghy Week - Albacore Fleet

 

Thanks to a concerted effort from a number of sources and the support of 12 boats there was Albacore fleet racing for the first time at the annual Abersoch Dinghy Week. Set on the Llyn Peninsula in North Wales the sailing location has a deserved reputation as one of the most picturesque in the UK and wall to wall sunshine with reasonable winds only served to enhance that.

 

The week-long family event featured one race per day and the opener saw the strongest winds of the week with a good F4 though the combined Abersoch sailing experience of over 50 years could not stop the leading boats from "missing" the small D5 mark and rounding the wrong one! Confusion reigned with three boats sailing on to the finish unaware of their error, whilst Paul Lennie and Pam Gott in 7909 were the first to spot the correct mark, chased by new boy, new boat (8076) Will Gulliver and his crew John Green and Mike Banner/Alistair Mitchell in 8067. This was the finishing order though only after those that had sailed the wrong course had retired.

 

Day 2 started with less wind but equal drama as Lennie stormed off the port end of the line only to sail half the fleet to the wrong windward mark allowing Gulliver to take the lead which he held to the finish ahead of Mark and Catherine  Sherwin in 7912 Vitesee with Banner again in Third.

 

With Tuesday's racing abandoned due to lack of wind it was refreshing to see some breeze on Day 4. This time the fleet knew where the marks where and after a tight race with much place changing it was Trevor and Ann Smith 8000 who used their new-found light weight advantage to win from Banner with Gulliver in third.

 

Thursday saw similar breeze and similar tight racing though on a different course with the fleet splitting on the long run down to D1. When the boats converged it was Gulliver who had gained pole position with Peter Lawrence and Hazel Williams (7993) holding on to second ahead of Banner in his usual third.

 

That win effectively wrapped up the event for Gulliver who seemed to relax slightly in the final race though the battle for second overall was between Banner, Smith and Sherwin. Banner was first to the windward mark but was then passed by Smith, Lennie and Lawrence. Sherwin lost his jib halyard though fortunately not his mast and was forced to retire and whilst Smith won it was Banner pulling back again to third who secured the second prize position.

 

At the prize giving Will and John were presented with the Ruslip Cup donated by the NAA as an annual cup for the Abersoch Dinghy Week and the fleet posed on the sun terrace in their Albersoch tee shirts:

 

 

 

note!!! Next years ADW is from 21 July to 28 July and it is hoped to attract over 20 boats.