Quest for the Red throated diver

As a weather dependant sport the winter TT at Draycote was rescheduled from Jan 11th to Jan 18th in anticipation of better visibility and the essential component of all sailing events, wind. We don’t need too much wind to race but a bit of wind was very welcome as the traveling sailors arrived at Draycote from as far afield as Carsington, Marconi and the Isle of Wight ( Shanklin ) sailing clubs.

It was apparent to all that it was going to be a light wind event so there was lots of discussion around light wind sailing techniques which were applied, to varying degrees of success, by all during the ensuing event. Top tips were ….adjust batten tension to minimum to keep air flowing over sail ….keep the tell tales moving at the top of the sail and above all…….keep the boat moving , this proved to be the most important tip especially for the winners!

Hector Bunclark of NDYC wins the event with stunning performance on Day 1.

Report by Liam Bunclarke

Some 33 competitors gathered for 3 days of racing at Instow that at one stage looked as though it was going to be raced in the tail winds of a hurricane.  Filled with optimism, the heavy weather sailors started getting excited.

Dart 15 Inland Chamionships sponsored by Gill

Saturday 26th & Sunday 27th October saw 16 Dart 15s prepare themselves for the last of the Summer Series and Inland Championships @ Grafham Water Sailing Club, generously supported by Gill.  The wind however had other ideas and despite a valiant effort by the race managemnet team of Nigel & Fiona Denchfield along with the GWSC mark layer volunteers, racing was abandoned mid afternoon due to a total lack of breeze.  Afternoon walks around the reservoir, boat fiddling or just hanging about seemed to be the main activities until Lisa & her team served up a very generous 2 course dinner that kept us all going until Sunday morning.

Ten Dart 15 travellers were welcomed by three home sailors to Carsington Sailing Club on a glorious autumn day and with the sun shining, warm temperatures and moderate breeze, the Derbyshire Dales / reservoir vista was looking superb - hard to imagine the change in weather fortunes over the course of the regatta.

On Saturday, 6th June, Draycote Water Sailing Club welcomed 17 Dart 15 sailors to the club. Special mention goes to Liam Thom and Yvonne Pike, who crossed the Solent to join us from Shanklin Sailing Club, and Ian Mounce and Keith Heason, who traveled up from Instow to represent North Devon Sailing Club.

The weather gods were with us, and a fresh westerly force four greeted everyone, with the promise of conditions picking up a little more throughout the day. Once set up, everyone was welcomed to the club during the race briefing managed by Race Officer Pete Slater, ably assisted by Steve Pell. Pete explained that there would be four 45-minute back-to-back races, with three to count around a square course. After wishing everyone luck, the sailors took to the water, and the fun began.

Minutes of 2024 AGM

Date: Friday 7 June 2024 at 18.00 hours

Venue: Spinnakers Suite : Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy.

A stellar weekend of champagne sailing at the home of British Olympic sailing – the 2024 Dart 15 Nationals sponsored by Noble Marine insurance really were a weekend to remember!

Forty five competitors competed in nine races over three days, in winds ranging from 12 to 25 knots from remarkably consistent westerly direction.  The event attracted its usual wide range of competitors geographically from Scotland to the Isle of Wight and various places in between and the age range was from 12 years old to mid-seventies.  Of particular note were the 13 entries from Marconi Sailing Club on the Essex East Coast and a number of competitors competing in their first ever Nationals, including several who were very new to the class.