Firefly Open at Dell Quay Sailing Club - Day 1

Dell Quay Firefly Open © Dell Quay SC

25 Fireflys swarmed at Dell Quay for the first open meeting since our sold out Nationals in Felixstowe (can we call it Glastonferry?). The fleet was a healthy mix of the young and the young at heart with lots of local parents and kids joining the travelling boats.

After a short postponement, the race officer did well to get the start off first time with the tide and 25 famously over-eager Fireflys. The wind shifted to the right early on the first beat. Guy Davison and Sally Wakefield in F2539 'Dylan' had started under a few boats, he Notorious OAP used his local knowledge gathered from back when dinosaurs roamed the earth and to find the magic lift. The pair lifted above the pack and got away.

They were pursued Jono and Freddie Pank in F1954 'Pogie' and Archie and Rosie Massey F3125 'Puree'. Jono and Freddie held off the home heroes for as long as they could but Archie and Rosie eventually managed to sniggle past to take second.

For the rest of the fleet the race was processional after a slightly chaotic first mark due to the challenging wind shifts - a bag of snakes. Positions shifted massively based on where you were on the course.

Dell Quay Firefly Open - photo © Dell Quay SC

Race 2 - The second race was much more open after a course change. At the first mark there were seven boats in contention. Local legends Harvey and Sophie Hillary in F909 'Jammy Dodger' took an early lead which they managed to hold onto to the end.

On the second beat Alex Baxter and Phil Aldhous in F4400, the Ovington prototype, spotted pressure (and some birds?) and went to the left - popped out second. Alex and Phil secured their result by triple gybing on Guy and Sally to make sure they couldn't get round to challenge Harvey and Sophie. The Hillarys took the win followed by Alex and Phil, Guy and Sally and Will and Rory Parrett in F18 'Flare' who had a storming final run to finish fourth.

Race three - The third race got off quickly after the second with the chocolate supplies melting fast in the glamorous conditions. Guy and Sally came off the line fast. They tacked early onto Port on a brilliant lift then returned to Starboard to catch the best of the breeze, The pair quickly cleared their air and disappeared into the horizon again.

The fleet got a good workout for body and mind with lots and lots of tacking following the oscillating shifts but the story of the race was playing chicken with the motor cruisers going into the Chichester basin. Not content with the amount of cruiser chaos, Gideon Isherwood decided if it was a Rondar he was probably going to hit it with Andrew and Izzy Hansayde in F3671 'Purple Doris' and Lucy Boreham and Fi Edwards in F3739 'Willow' on the recieving end.

Alex Baxter added to the chaos by seemingly forgetting everything they teach you at RYA Stage 3 and took several attempts to round the windward mark. His crew Phil sagely quipped "It really helps when you round the windward mark".

The fleet returned to shore in great spirits after a fantastic day racing ready for this evening's social.

Results after Day 1: