75th Anniversary Weekend at Port Dinorwic Sailing Club
by Paul Green 14 Jul 2022 02:59 NZST
9-10 July 2022
One hundred sailors in sixty boats; twenty three visiting competitors; two hundred members and friends at a birthday hog-roast; dancing; bright sunshine and a gentle breeze; plus a flying visit by the RAF. What more is needed for an unforgettable celebration of 75 years since Port Dinorwic Sailing Club's first race on 5 July 1947.
The years following the Second World War were vintage years for the creation of sailing clubs. Communities came together to democratise sailing and make it more inclusive. Clwb Hwylio Y Felinheli has kept those ideals alive and the anniversary regatta put those values of community and inclusivity centre stage. Around half of the competitors live within a few miles of the Menai Strait, some within walking distance of the club house.
Forty percent of those on the water were women and girls, a quarter were youths. National and World champions rubbed shoulders with youngsters crewing together or parents crewing for their children. Two families had three generations on the water. There was even a sprinkling of pensioners in the fleet.
There was something for everyone: fun sailing and socialising on Friday evening; a four race regatta on Saturday (including open meetings for Laser Vagos and Miracles); and the annual Hywel Poole race on Sunday.
On Saturday a light shifty northerly wind with the ebb tide provided challenges for race team and competitors alike. Local knowledge proved valuable for the first start; some visitors struggled to cross the line against the ebb tide (but they learned quickly). The conditions provided plenty of opportunities for gains and losses with big wind shifts, holes and tidal eddies to negotiate.
The tide turned after lunch which brought a new set of challenges, particularly judging lay lines and the reach across the strait to a gybe mark strategically positioned in front of the club house.
With three races completed and the hog-roast beckoning the fourth race was cancelled leaving Dave and Elaine Jones (RS400) taking first place in the fast fleet from Jonny and Sarah McGovern (RS200) on countback. Visitor Alistair 'Storky' Mclaughlin (Devoti D Zero) was third. In the medium fleet Dave Turtle and Zara Frankton (Miracle) pipped local youths Jac Bailey and Ben Sinfield (RS Feva) to take first place with Alan Williams (Laser) third.
The slow fleet was won by Morgan Rogers (RS Tera Pro) with Pheobe Greenhalgh (RS Tera Sport) taking second on countback from Megan Gowers (RS Tera Sport) in third. Dave Baxter and Louise Davison took the Laser Vago prize with Stuart and Martin Walker in second. In the Miracles Dave Turtle and Zara Frankton were first with Wayne Atherton and Angela Sweeny in second.
A vast hog roast provided the centre piece of the evening's socialising. Club volunteers supplied an array of salads and desserts to keep everyone well fed. In addition to the main prizes, spot prizes were also given for the oldest boat: Jim Morris and Paul Edge in an Albacore; youngest crew: Awel and Efa Williams sailing with their mum in a Mirror; and furthest traveller: Gareth, Marilyn and Leah Hughes who had travelled from Maine, USA to be at the event.
Once the prizes and speeches were over the younger and more energetic members got the ceilidh under way while those of a quieter or more relaxed frame of mind sat outside the clubhouse in the evening sun catching up with old friends (including one, Harry Edwards, who joined as a cadet in 1950) and as the sun went down, enjoying a free firework show courtesy of the wedding across the strait.
There was a bittersweet start to Sunday. The club's birthday falls at the time when the club remembers former youth member Hywel Poole whose life was tragically cut short in a mid-air collision between two RAF Tornados in July 2012. The club celebrates his life with an annual long race towards Abermenai on the last of the ebb returning with the first of the flood. This year the course was set to a turning mark placed more-or-less at slack water just short of Caernarfon followed by a three mile beat back towards the club.
The leading fast boats had to push against the last of the ebb tide on the way back which meant that, as ever, it's not over till the slow boats (which get more 'tide assist') finish.
A downwind and down tide start provided a fitting spectacle. As the starting hooter sounded 30 spinnakers blossomed into a cloud of colour. Spinnaker boats in the fast class made an early showing at the front of the fleet, though light winds meant that the fleet spread out rather more slowly than normal. This made for a bit of extra excitement as the fleet, running down the channel to keep a shallow sandbank well to port, met a couple of yachts from the Three Peaks Race tacking towards them up the same narrow channel.
There was also a bit of amusement later in the race when the fleet spotted a third Three Peaks competitor stuck hard and fast on the same sandbank which, in mitigation, is currently a couple of meters shallower than charted.
The wind held up for the beat home, though trapeze crews were rarely at full stretch. Everything was pointing to a hiking boat winner. As the bulk of the fleet got closer to home some boats opted to search for a stronger tide on the mainland side, others opted for possibly cleaner wind and fewer tacks on the Anglesey shore.
Line honours went to previous winners Dave and Elaine Jones in an RS400. However, with the tide favouring the slower boats there was a long wait to find out whether anyone would snatch the win on handicap. By the time the numbers had been crunched and double checked Jac Bailey (RS Tera) emerged as winner from Tom Sinfield and Simon Greenhalgh (Laser 2000) with Jonny and Sara McGovern (RS200) in third.
In the slow (shorter course) fleet Kate Williams with children Efa and Arwel (Mirror) won with Ellen Thomas (Tera) in second and Iago Edwards-Bell (Tera) in third.
Though not qualifying for a prize, the fastest completion of the course deserves a special mention. An RAF Typhoon paid a special visit to make a flypast in memory of Hywel. Crossing the start line after most of the boats had reached the leeward mark, it made a low-level pass over the fleet. Turning over the mark it buzzed the fleet again crossing the line in a time more suitably measured in seconds rather than minutes.
However, because it crossed the finish line beyond the outer distance mark it was scored DNF and did not get a time recorded!
The final act of the weekend was to award the overall 75th anniversary trophy: a magnificent cut glass bowl. It went to the class winner from Saturday who was best placed in the Hywel Poole race on Sunday. Visitors Dave Turtle and Zara Frankton (Miracle) took home the trophy with their fourth-place finish.
Members will inevitably come and go but the future looks good for a club which can put so many family groups on the water; mobilise scores of volunteers to make a wonderful event happen; and generate a lifelong love of sailing and a fondness for the club which brings old members back to compete or simply socialise.
The founder members would be proud of how their club has grown and that the Commodore, the committee, the team of volunteers, sailors, and friends and family onshore created an event with a love of sailing at its heart and which showed the club at its best.
Well done and happy birthday Port Dinorwic Sailing Club. Here's to many more years to come.