Classic and Vintage Dinghies at Hunts Sailing Club

Classic and Vintage dinghies at Hunts © Gair Matthews

Classic and Vintage dinghies at Hunts © Gair Matthews

Something old, something new-ish, something borrowed...

A healthy turnout of 24 boats from all wings of the Classic and Vintage Racing Dinghy Association braved the elements at Saturday's end of season Open at Hunts SC, St Ives, Cambridgeshire. Eighteen different classes were represented, ranging from elegant Classic and Vintage Merlins, enjoying their own meeting within the meeting, through to 'Lost' classes such as the ToY and the Harrier, and several Classics including a pair of Signets, a planker Hornet, a seventies Cherub and a visiting Solo, Albacore and OK.

Weather through the day ranged from vicious squalls, with the lulls being as fearsome as the gusts, moments of briefly deceptive calm, and finishing with thunder and lightning. Safety crews were kept very busy as the older boats filled with water on capsize and inevitably needed towing home, and many crews having to effect running repairs with whatever they could lay their hands on. Buckets for bailing were very much in demand. Despite the carnage and chaos around him however, and despite being somewhat svelte for the conditions and his craft, Peter Vinton from Staunton Harald kept a cool head and won all three races in his Classic Finn sail number 197, only effecting the one capsize. Clearly it was a good day for una rigs with nicely bendy masts, as hard on his heels was Biill Sylvester in his OK number 1984, with Classic Albacore 195, sailed by Steve Bailey and Sophie Todd, in third place.

Racing was not the only attraction however; there was much admiring of boats, comparing of dramas and destruction, and cameraderie aplenty, as parts were found and fashioned to keep all the competitors afloat. Some of the less common-place boats, such as the ToY, the Hornet and the Signets drew much interest from both spectators and racers alike, with polished plastic being as much noted as finely varnished Vintage wood.

Use of the original or adapted Portsmouth Yardstick numbers, to allow for the ages of the boats and their modifications, meant each class and age of boat could race knowing everyone stood a chance of victory, despite the age or even appearance of their chosen craft, hence the growing popularity of this type of racing which truly offers something for everyone with a passion for the past.

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