Norfolk Punt Open at the Norfolk Punt Club
by Dick Roe 28 Jun 17:44 NZST
22-23 June 2024
Norfolk Punt Open at the Norfolk Punt Club © Robin Myerscough
Ten Norfolk Punts signed up to sail the Norfolk Punt open meeting at the Norfolk Punt club over the weekend of 22nd/23rd June.
The fleet included two twenty foot traditional designs, Prawn and Goldeneye, three twenty-two foot traditional designs, Rushlight, Cavendar and Decoy, one Hardchine design, Woodpeckerk, one Wolstenhome design design, Razorbill, one Bushe design, Goosander and two Morrison designs, Merlin and White Eagle.
The weather was fine for a change but the wind was light, shifty and flukey, blowing predominantly from the west but at times from all points of the compass or not at all! This led to leads in races stretching out then being lost again as the fleet compressed when the wind shifted or died.
In race one Decoy (Simon and Rachel Clayton) got ahead and stayed ahead with Goldeneye (Dick Roe/Kate Dulieu) managing to hang on to the faster boats for long enough to finish second, with Cavendar (Mark Elson/Humphrey Bedford-Payne) third.
In race two a close tussle between Decoy and Cavendar, both on the same handicap, ended with Cavendar ahead of Decoy with Goldeneye third.
The close racing between Decoy and Cavendar continued untill Cavendar was forced into a penalty giving Decoy the win ahead of Cavendar and Goldeneye.
Race four was a similar story with Decoy again ahead of Cavendar and this time Goosander sailed by Henry Drew (crewed for various races by Fynn Elson/Emily Drew/Alastair Drew) in third.
Racing was close throughout the fleet with several ties after discards. Overall winners of the beautiful Ardea trophy were Decoy with Cavendar second and Goldeneye third.