Anglesey Offshore Dinghy Race at Red Wharf Bay Sailing and Watersports Club
by Steve Norris 31 Jul 2019 03:37 NZST
28 July 2019
Anglesey Offshore Dinghy Race © Gillian Norris
38 boats assembled at Beaumaris for the start of the ContractCars.Com Anglesey Offshore Dinghy Race, a 15 mile course around the coast of Anglesey.
The forecast for a North Westerly Force 4 stayed good and the fleet got away to a brisk spinnaker reach down the Menai Straits. The surprise came in Puffin Sound, where the fleet hardened up on to a beat, and the North West wind and the ebb tide conspired to produce some spectacular waves, all the way out to the Ten Foot Bank Buoy. We then all settled down to a long upwind leg, all the way past the Red Wharf Quarry mark to the Benllech buoy. A long close reach to Moelfre was finally followed by a run into the Red Wharf Bay SWC finish line off their Clubhouse at Traeth Bychan.
The fleet landed at Traeth Bychan with weary legs, after almost 2 hours on the wind, and many tales of the waves in Puffin Sound.
The first boat home was the Flying Dutchman of Jon Williams and Alex Rogers, but they were beaten on handicap by just 10 seconds by Paul and Karen Brotherton in their 505, from Glossop Sailing Club. Winner of the slow handicap fleet was the 2000 of Philip Howarth and Mike McCaldon from Etherow SC. Port Dinorwic SC were the largest visiting Club Fleet, and their leading boat was the 2nd placed Flying Dutchman of Jon Williams and Alex Rogers. The largest Class fleet was the GP14s, with their leading boat, 5th placed Steve Ward and Mark Acaster of Bartley SC. The leading Catamaran was the Dart 18 of Rachel and John Lockwood from Red Wharf Bay SWC.
Red Wharf Bay SWC are very grateful for the support of both CONTRACTCARS.COM and the Royal Anglesey Yacht Club.