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CVRDA Traveller series 2004
The Classic and Vintage Racing Dinghy Association run a full programme
of events throughout the year. Six of the 7 events in the 2004 Traveller
Series were full weekend events, with food, drink and socializing as much
a part of the event as the sailing. Even the Frostbite meeting in January
had a party the night before! Here is a brief story of the year.
A clear bright sunny day with no wind saw 7 hardy helms
and their crews brave the cold for the 1st rally of the year, at Whitefriars
in the Cotswolds. Much place changing in the drifting conditions saw Rupert
Whelan's Minisail come out just ahead on handicap from David and Keith
Rollinson's Pegasus and John Gardiner's Graduate.
After a suitable gap for varnish to be applied, the next
rally was held in May, at Shearwater SC on the Longleat Estate. The Saturday
saw near survival conditions for the fleet, with many capsizes, breakages
and retirements, the Sunday drifting conditions. Saskia the Firefly mastered
these differing conditions best, sailed by Rupert and Kathryn Whelan.
The other race winners were John Gardiner in his Graduate and Mark Collyer
in Wippet the British Moth.
June's rally was our only salt water event of 2004, at
Mayflower SC. A close battle in perfect sailing conditions on Plymouth
Sound saw David and Keith Rollinson in Pegasus "Blast from the past"
defeat local sailors Alan Williams and Roger Howell in Hornet "In
Memory of Mike and Ricky".
July saw the cvrda come inland again, to Frensham Pond
SC. A great turnout, including a pre war Uffa King National 12, saw very
close racing over some interesting courses. Saskia the Firefly, being
sailed singlehanded by Rupert Whelan managed to hold off the challenge
of the immaculate Finn K60 sailed by Nick Clibborn, and the OK sailed
by Alan Price.
Llyn Clywedog in North Wales saw testing conditions for
the classic dinghies in August. Saturday's pursuit race saw an epic battle
between Steve Jones in Tideway 39 and Alan Price in OK 1211. Alan Just
crept ahead at the gun. Sunday's conditions were such that Chris and Lois
Barlow in Merlin 507 saw their brand new wooden mast (built by Chris)
snap and punch its way through the foredeck. There were only 3 finishers
in the first race: Keith Rollinson and Richard Corefield in a Flying Fifteen,
Ashley Weston and Will Coggins in their Shearwater Cat and Alan Williams
in his Finn. Wisely, the racing was abandoned for the rest of the day,
leaving The Flying Fifteen as the overall winner.
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August Bank Holiday saw 42 classic and vintage boats gather at Roadford
Lake for the cvrda’s National Regatta. Saturday was Rannoch’s
day. Neil Witt’s 1946 international Canoe was the first boat in
6 Roadford Rallies to win Best boat on the water, Best boat off the water
and Boat one would most like to take home, as voted for by the assembled
sailors, families, friends and even the odd interested passer by!
Sunday and Monday were wild and woolly, with early autumnal rain squalls
blowing through. Some of the more delicate classic boats and sailors stayed
ashore, (or was that because of hangovers from the party in the barn on
Sunday night?), but well over 30 boats battled the weather, with plenty
of early baths as a consequence Winner of the vintage fleet was Tideway
“Gwylan”, helmed by Mary Davis The old fleet was taken by
Wayfarer ”Goosander”, sailed by Roger Ford and Val Shillito.
The Classic Fleet and Overall winner was Saskia the Firefly, sailed by
Rupert and Kathryn Whelan.
The final event of the 2004 travellers series was on the
river at Chippenham. 9 boats competed on one of the narrowest stretches
of river in the country. Force 5 gusts tested some of the entrants rather
too much, and the eventual winner after 2 days and 7500 tacks and gybes
was Saskia the Firefly helmed by Rupert Whelan, followed by Alan Price
was in OK1211, which also won the Show and Shine on Sunday morning.
There were 9 qualifiers for the traveller trophy. Only
one team competed in all the events, Chris and Lois Barlow, sailing National
12 672 and Merlin 507. The overall winners of the traveller series were
Rupert and Kathryn Whelan, sailing Minisail 8122 and Saskia, Firefly 2324.
The 2005 season is shaping up nicely, and if anyone with
a classic or vintage dinghy would like to join us for some low key (though
occasionally red hot!) racing, cruising and boat chat, we would love to
see you! Your boat needs to be more than 25 years old, and of a class
designed before 1965. For more details see our website at www.cvrda.org.uk.
Results
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