Carl Dyson Yacht Regatta 2003 at Port Edgar Yacht Club
by Liz Tulloch 9 Oct 2003 18:04 BST
4/5 October, 2003
Seventy-six yachts raced in the Forth’s main event of the season, the Carl Dyson Regatta. Famed for the originality of its prizes and its quality racing, the regatta always draws a good entry.
This year’s main focus was on the cut and thrust of Port Edgar’s Hunter 707 fleet sailing in their Scottish Championships and the major one design class. Thirteen 707s raced, joined this year by competitors from Hamble River SC, Royal Southern and Tony Wright’s team from Lossie CC..
The fast growing fleet has become a serious force in Scottish sailing and showed why as they coped with the 30knot gusts which characterized Saturday’s weather.
Racing was very close at all times. Local helmsman, James Urquhart in Code Z emerged from the pack to take the first race with Black Sheep (James Ross, Hamble River) second but they reversed places in race 2 when the wind really piped up and broaches were frequent.
Sunday’s conditions were steadier but cloudier and showed the Hunters sailing in tight formation with everyone desperately trying to break clear.
A damaged rudder then put Urquhart out of the game. Wright and John P. McCaldin took up the challenge, Wright bringing EH! out in front in race 4 while McCaldin steered Joe Blob to gain a useful third then a second in race 5.
With three firsts and a second, however, the Hamble crew were home and dry and the title went south.
Commenting on the event and clutching their prizes, a Porsche 911 remote control car and champagne, Ross and his Black Sheep crew said that they would certainly be back to race at PEYC as they had enjoyed excellent close racing, good hospitality and great prizes. The Scots say, ‘Come again and bring friends.’
The other One Design Class was the Cork 1720 with three racing. King Quick, raced by the well-known Loch Tarbert team, skippered by Ruariaidh Scott, swept to victory in all 5 races.
The Medium Handicap Class was the biggest with 20 entries and here Hamish MacKay, yachted to victory with his H-boat, Huffy also gaining 5 firsts. Geoff Bowerman kept the Bolero, Drumbeat out of trouble despite being surrounded by broaching yachts. Neil McLure brought So into third place while Iain Tait’s Albin Express, Spacehopper was 4th.
Jock Blair, sailing his new Europa 330, Eurobo, punched through Saturday’s heavy conditions to take two firsts and become overnight leader. Shoki (Jock McDougall, PEYC) came to the front in race 3 but in the final two races belonged to Alouette which showed the power that won the Stavanger-Banff race. The Mumm 36, Absolutely 2, also had a good regatta finishing 3rd overall.
Classes 5 and 6, Slow Handicap and Cruisers sailed off Port Edgar in the area between the Bridges. The Yeoman, Peridot (Ian Mason of Loch Tummel SC) took Slow fleet honours although Royal Forth’s Tom Wilson & Graham Mitchell in Smithereen kept challenging.
Peridot and Smithereen finished equal on points but Peridot had taken the last race and so was deemed winner.
The cruiser class was won by Burntisland SC’s Andy Linton in the Pandora, Naiad.
It was on then to the prizegiving and it was BOYZTOYZ year. As well as champagne, James Ross (Hunter 707), Hamish MacKay (Medium Handicap) and Ruriaidh Scott (Cork 1720) all went home clutching Remote Control Cars, (Porsches no less) and had there been more time, it’s likely they would have raced them round the shed. Fast, Slow and Cruiser Class winners were on top of the world to receive Gemstone globes.
Overall Results:
Hunter 707
1. Black Sheep (J. Ross, HRSC)
2. Eh! (T. Wright, Lossie CC)
3. Joe Blob(J.P. McCaldin, PEYC)
4.Doh! (A. Aldwinkle RSYC)
Cork 1720
1. King Quick ( R. Scott, LTYC)
Fast Handicap
1. Eurobo (J.Blair, PEYC)
2. Alouette (J. Murphy, PEYC)
3. Absolutely2 (Kelly, Bramall & Plummer)
Med. Handicap
1. Huffy (H. MacKay, PEYC)
2. Drumbeat (G. Bowerman PEYC)
3. So (Neil McLure, PEYC)
4. Spacehopper (I. Tait, PEYC)
Slow Handicap
1. Peridot (I. Mason, LTSC)
2. Smithereen (T. Wilson & G. Mitchell, RFYC)
3. Ragtime (B. Storrar, PEYC)
Cruiser
1. Naiad, (A. Linton, BSC)
2. Cherry Pye, (C. Hall, PEYC)
3. Therapy (Paul Gardner, PEYC)