The first race provided a taster of things to come, with a light easterly blowing down the estuary. This provided a beat against a near slack tide to the first mark.  Adam Wickenden and Brian Rouse lead Doug and Glenis Milligan round the first mark at Yalton.  However, he managed to park under the lee of a large dredger moored off Snapes Point.  This allowed the Coxons and Jack Mann and Brigitte Philbey to slip through.  Jack then proceeded to pull out what looked like a near invincible lead. But there is, however, at Salcombe no such thing as an invincible lead, Jack sailed too high on the return from Gerston and promptly parked himself in a hole.  This allowed Adam Wickenden to take the race, with the Coxons second and Jack and Brigitte third.

Day two provided similar conditions, with Jack  once again gaining a good lead, only to lose it in another classic Salcombe hole. Adam won, the Coxons were second with Doug and Glenis  Milligan third.

The third day provided the stiffest wind on the week.  David Coxon decided to sit the race out as the wind strength was discovered to exceed that laid down in his crew’s “job description”.  The fleet was presented with a stiff beat to Yalton with the tide followed  by a run which provided much entertainment; from capsizing Wineglasses to a fleet of Picos in which the Keeler twins managed to entangle themselves.  The best was however saved for later as Jack Mann capsized on the return from Frogmore and then suffered the indignity of having Russ Sharp attempt to sail over his mainsail.  This proved too much for Philip and Jill Meadowcroft who promptly wrapped their spinnaker around a yacht  anchor (how?)  The race was won (again !) by Adam Wickenden followed by Russ Sharp who just pipped Chris and Vicky King to the finish line.

Day four provided near identical conditions to day two.  However fluctuating winds in the estuary before the start provided difficulties for both the fleet and the race officer, leading to a running start with the tide that saw both Chris Partington and Philip Meadowcroft disqualified for being over the start line.  The flukey wind also saw David Coxon becoming rather more intimate with a large moored powerboat than was probably desirable!  Adam Wickenden won, with the Coxons second and Jack Mann third after a close race which saw the entire fleet bunch up together  in a hole on the exit from “The Bag”.

Day five provided very light winds leading to virtual drifting conditions at some stages, with a number of competitors opting for alternative activities.  The final beat proved a close tussle between the Coxons, and Adam Wickenden and Brian Rouse with only a lucky gust and a suitably placed Firefly from another fleet enabling Adam and Brian to win by barely a boat length.  Jack Mann was again third.

The final day provided probably the best conditions of the whole week, although the low tide restricted the choice of courses available. Inevitably, now, Adam Wickenden led round the first mark followed by the Coxons, Doug Milligan and Jack Mann. Doug was able to cheat the tide on the final run and overtake the Coxons to draw level with Adam.  Doug, however, slipped a little on the final beat to allow Adam to win, with he and Glenis second and the Coxons third, Jack and Brigitte having dropped to sixth after a misunderstanding as to the finish line.

Off the water, we held the 22nd Wanderer Salcombe Fleet Dinner attended by all the crews and their friends and families – and ex-Wanderer (Mrs B) Dave Harsant and his family.  This year’s guests were John Murrell, Salcombe Y.C. Administrator, Regatta Secretary and Morning Racing ODD, together with his wife Liz.  Having disqualified the Class Chairman and Chris Partington for over-ambitious starting (blast that tide) earlier in the day, John was uncertain of the reception he would get.  He had just cause to be worried; he was awarded the Sharp Practice trophy, donated by Russ Sharp, for supplying the depressing Sharp’s Doom Ale in the bar which Russ was forced to drink after a disappointing race. John also presented the other Joke Trophies (or at least those which could be found).

Overall Results:

1st  1288 Vanguard  Adam Wickenden & Brian Rouse British Airways SC - 5pts

2nd 184 Sandpiper   David & Rosemary Coxon Bosham SC - 11pts

3rd 108 Dougle  Doug & Glenis Milligan  Carsington SC - 17pts

4th 1087 Giverny Jack Mann & Brigitte Philbey British Airways SC - 21pts

5th  940 Larch  Chris & Vicky King  South Cerney SC - 24pts

6th  282 Sharp Practice  Russell & Liz Sharp Old Carthusians SC  - 31pts

7th  973 Spiritus  Robin Gabbitas & Gill Veirod   Bosham SC - 31pts

8th 1024 Presto Philip & Jill Meadowcroft   Salcombe YC/Henley SC  - 36pts

9th 1105  Who’s Helming   Dave & Mike Keeler   British Airways SC - 37pts

10th 992   Orinoco   Mike & Alyson Hamilton   CSSA    - 47pts

Ted’s Tankard:  Mike & Alyson Hamilton

Porteous Pot:    Doug & Glenis Milligan

Sharp Practice:  John Murrell

Wanderer Ancient Mariner:  Doug & Glenis Milligan

Chairman’s Lady’s Gift:  Theresa Partington