International 14 Easter Tray at Itchenor Sailing Club

International 14 Easter Tray © Harry Penman

The Easter Tray, Good Friday through to Easter Sunday, was perhaps the perfect start to the season. The bank holiday weekend brought fabulous sunshine, with the breeze building slightly each day to ease the 14ers into the first regatta of the season, starting with 10-12 knots on Friday, building up to 15-20 on Sunday.

This year has seen renewed vigour in the class, with a number of new teams and some returning older ones leading to a very solid turnout, that included 3 new boats. It's always fascinating to see the new ideas that have been incorporated into these machines; Dinghy Designer Genius Dan Holman launched his new weapon self built to his own Cuckoo's Nest design. It can only be described as a work of art, showcasing some awesome detailed finishing and some great lateral thought: how about activating the gybing board using the rudder hydrofoil control?

Also taking to the water was four times world champion Archie Massey's new ship (also of the Cuckoo's Nest design) with striking dragon skin paint job, featuring fore and aft control on the rudder gantry. Finally was Douglas Pattison & Mark Tait's new boat Marilyn, a somewhat more conventional Beiker 5 meticulously built by Richard Woof, taking a more simplistic route with pinned rigging and a conventional setup.

International 14 Easter Tray - photo © Harry Penman

So what about the racing?

Good Friday

Pattison & Tait ought to have owned the day outright, however a course error threw away a substantial lead in Race 1, an invitation that PoW champions Katie Nurton and Nigel Ash wouldn't pass up on. A win in Race 2 saw Pattison & Tait joint leaders with Neale Jones and Ed Fitzgerald who'd posted a consistent 2, 2 vs. Pattison & Tait's 3,1.

Saturday

A little bit windier and a little bit worse for wear following the annual Easter cocktail party. Race 3 launched the fleet round East Head into some large shifts, and foul tide. Some smart tactics with a helpful tidal lee-bow saw Charles Duchesne & Adam Ovington post a popular lead at the windward mark, However a fast hoist from Pattison & Tait propelled them into a lead that they held to the finish ahead of a fast finishing Jone & Fitzgerald. Race 4 again saw the tables turned with Jones & Fitzgerald sailing fast and clean to develop a substantial lead, leaving the leading pair tied overnight on points.

International 14 Easter Tray - photo © Harry Penman

Easter Sunday

The sun was still out, and it was a little bit windier again, Jones & Fitzgerald now started to challenge the fleet. They revelled in the conditions of the day to post 2 wins and take the regatta in convincing style, Pattison & Taut posting a 2nd and 3rd, trailing by 2 points in 2nd. Julian Pearson & John Hunter-Hamilton sailing super consistently to take third, with Andy Shaw and Rob Struckett posting a 4th and 2nd on Sunday to pull themselves up the rankings into 4th.

Overall Results: