A fleet of 25 Wanderers gathered at Whitstable for the "National Championships and Rally". The format was an attempt to recognise and promote the general purpose nature of our boat which, as well as being the ideal 14 ft. cruising dinghy is also a great boat for one-design racing. Of the 25 boats, 19 chose to race and 6 took the cruising option.

The Great British Summer continued its
perverse ways, and Saturday dawned bleak and windswept with a good force 6 south westerly, wind against tide, whipping up the waters of Whitstable Bay. Race Officer Richard Davis wisely decided to postpone the start of the racing until, with conditions still tough but moderating slightly, he called the fleet afloat at 1200. We were sharing the day with the Mirror class, and because of the weather and the presence of a number of young crews among the Mirrors, there were problems with fielding enough rescue boats. The Race Officer commandeered the boat which had been intended as escort craft for the cruise, and this had to be cancelled - although the weather was in any case distinctly marginal for cruising. However, this highlighted the need in future events of this nature to have a dedicated escort craft "ring-fenced", as it were, for the cruisers.

With the windward-going flood it was necessary to tack across early and go right to catch the
tide. Gavin Barr and Mark Skipper did this and, coping well with the renowned Whitstable chop, were first to the windward mark, closely followed by Adam Wickenden and Jack Mann, David and Jamie Davies and David Pegg with Theresa Page of the local club as crew. A fast planing reach followed, but Adam and Jack came to grief at the gybe mark. Gavin and Mark shot away under spinnaker and held the lead to the finish. David Pegg and Theresa took second place and Adam and Jack recovered well to pull up into third, just pipping David and Jamie Davies on the line. Further back in the fleet, Mike Powell and Vicky King battled well to take 5th. Mike Hamilton and David Oates climbed through the fleet to 6th from a poor start, and Chris Partington crewed by Donna Hender were 7ths. Capsize recovery drill was well practiced by several boats

By the start of race 2 the tide had turned, and the way to go was left to avoid the strengthening ebb. Adam and Jack led Gavin and Mark out to the left hand layline, while some others tried playing the shifts up the middle. The tide proved decisive and Gavin and Mark, pointing higher, pinched off Adam and Jack to round the windward mark in the lead once again, holding their place to take the gun. The wind was swinging left and the spinnaker reaches were marginal. "Bear away in the gusts and luff in the lulls" is the maxim but in spite of luffing up whenever possible (not often) boats carrying their spinnakers were forced to drop early and head up to the gybe mark. David and Theresa, sailing with no kite, edged past Adam and Jack but were forced back into 3rd place in a close finish.

For race 3 the tide was strong, and time limited, so a shorter course was laid. With the wind still
howling, Gavin and Mark led throughout, recording three "bullets" for the day, with Adam and
Jack 2nd and David and Jamie Davies 3rd. Mike Hamilton and David Oates sailed a solid race
to take 4th place.

After the evening meal Anne and Dennis Kell gave a talk on "Dinghy Cruising", following their sailing experiences over the years first in their Wanderer then their current Wayfarer "Emma".   Illustrated by some terrific pictures, and with a well honed double act.   The phrase "Steep learning curve" occurred at every stage of their progress right up to the present.   Maybe a lesson for us there...!   I will remember their description of sailing back from Calais (described in their article "Down the river and turn right").   They surfed across the edge of the Goodwin Sands in a falling tide at 6 knots under jib only!   The Swedish Odyssey was also fascinating.

On Sunday, instead of the usual "round the cans" format, two passage races (races 4 and 5) were held, from Whitstable to the Swale, and back. The intention was for the cruisers to head the same way and rendez-vous with the racers for lunch ashore in Faversham Creek. The weather gods had not completely relented and the day started with grey lowering skies and and a strong North Easterly breeze. Race 4 started with a short beat before the fleet gybed and bore away on a hairy run in an awkward rolling sea for the Sand End buoy some 3.5 nautical miles to the West. Adam and Jack led the fleet with the rest bunched behind. Gavin and Mark pulled clear into 2nd place but were unable to catch Adam and Jack. The wind had eased as the fleet hardened up round the Sand End buoy and headed for Faversham Creek. On arrival at the intended finish, however, no Race Officer or finish line were to be seen. In the absence of the RO, Gavin and Mark, who finished 2nd, anchored off the North Cardinal buoy at the mouth of the creek and finished the rest of the fleet, giving a passable imitation of a hooter. David Pegg and Theresa were 3rd, followed by Mike Powell with Vicky King. David Davies was next closely pursued by Mike Hamilton. It transpired that the boat intended as finishing boat was fully
occupied rescuing capsized Wanderers and towing them to shore, so was unable to transfer the Race Officer to the finish line in time. No complaints from the Wanderer fleet who took it in their stride. Meanwhile the cruising group had also had problems with the strong wind and confused sea, and after some capsizes and near misses, most turned back. Gary Lewis crewed by Gary Whiffen continued and made the rendez-vous in the creek.

Lunchtime hospitality from the small but friendly Hollowshore Cruising Club, situated at the junction of Faversham Creek and Oare Creek, was much appreciated by the Wanderers, and some will have the code number of the H.C.C. unisex loo engraved on the brain.

Race 5 got under way at 1330, started from a rescue boat with the class flag and Blue Peter
hoisted on the end of paddles. In the freshening North Easterly sea breeze and the last of the
flood still running, the problem was at what point to stop short-tacking along the Kentish shore to cheat the flood, and hack out to sea to catch the ebb. The point of decision came at around 1400 somewhat short of Seasalter. Some elected to continue near the shore while others
headed out. Although the seaward group cast many a nervous glance at those inshore, the
tidal factor proved dominant. Adam and Jack, having headed out, tacked at exactly the
moment and overtook Gavin who was too greedy, overstood, and ended up reaching for the
finish. Only 2 seconds separated the two boats at the finish. Mike Hamilton and David Oates
played it well to come 3rd, and the crafty and experienced Andy Peter, crewed by son Michael
were 4th.

So ended a challenging and different weekend of sailing.

Final Racing Results [See Results spreadsheet details here]:
1st W1282, Gavin Barr and Mark Skipper (Whitstable YC);
2nd W1087, Adam Wickenden and Jack Mann (Silver Wing SC);
3rd W1226, David Pegg and Theresa Page (Slaughden SC);
4th W318, David and Jamie Davies, (Island Cruising Club, Salcombe)
5th W992, Mike Hamilton and David Oates (Civil Service SA)
6th W878, Mike Powell and Vicky King (Crawley Mariners YC)
7th W989, Mark Fagg and Jonathan Carter (WYC)
8th W1318, Stephen and Adrian Clampin (Harwich Town SC)
9th W198, Andy and Michael Peter (Keyhaven YC)
10th W1467, Chris Partington and Donna Hender (WYC)
11th W1541, Philip and Jill Meadowcroft (Salcombe YC)
12th W561, Gary Lewis and Gary Whiffen (WYC)
13th W1411, Vicky Bushell and Mark Wilkins (Whitstable Scouts)
14th W1332, Andrew and Jeremy Folkard (WYC)
15th= W823, Jim Van den Bos and John Webb (Bewl Valley SC)
15th= W502, David and Samantha Howard (WYC)
15th= W1099, Paul Cross and Shane Bunn (WYC)
15th= W1230, Aidan Blackall and Rachel Avery (Whitstable Scouts)
15th= W859, Barbara Heller and Gwenno Batty (WYC)

Cruising Group:
W980 David Hewett (cruise leader) and Lorraine Kindley, (Bewl Valley SC)
W1038 Tim, Niamh and Max Robertson, (RNLI)
W1527 Graham and Wendy Davis, (Hawley Lake SC)
W98 Geoff and Marion Hall, (Mengeham Rye SC)
W1098 Ian and Glenda Nevill, (WYC), Sunday only.
W116 Eriks Puce and Dominic Wade, (Seasalter SC), Sunday only.
W561 Gary Lewis and Gary Whiffen, (WYC), Sunday only.

Special Awards:
The Ted Shepherd Trophy for good sportsmanship was awarded jointly to W1411, Vicky Bushell and Mark Wilkins and W1230, Aidan Blackall and Rachel Avery, of the Whitstable Scouts.
First non-spinnaker boat, W1318, Stephen and Adrian Clampin.
Cruising prize, W561 Gary Lewis and Gary Whiffen.

Gavin Barr W1282 Photos bu Stuart Willmot and Stuart France