Knight Frank Dragon Regatta at the Royal Western Yacht Club

The Easter weekend in Plymouth Sound saw the inaugural Open Meeting of the International Dragon Class organised by the Royal Western Yacht Club with the generous support of leading estate agents Knight Frank.

A good turnout saw visitors from Lowestoft and the Solent join boats from the local fleets of Torbay and Falmouth to try out Westcountry conditions prior to this year’s main Dragon events, the Edinburgh Cup in Torbay in June and the Gold Cup in Falmouth Bay in July. There is perceived to be a rekindling of interest in the Dragon Class in the South West, particularly at Plymouth and the Regatta aimed to capitalise on this resurgence.

Seven races were scheduled over the Saturday, Sunday and Monday with windward-leeward courses and all completed, thanks to race officer Mike Pearson’s skilled judgement in mostly light airs and occasional tricky tidal conditions.

The first two races fell to Paul Patenall’s ‘Excalibur’ from the Royal Corinthian Y.C,with Martin Payne, fresh from victory in the Iberian Trophy, and Will Nesbitt in his crew. On Sunday after much socialising on the previous night, Excalibur took the first race,but Gavia Wilkinson-Cox (Royal Torbay Y.C), sailing the late, great Pat Dyas’ last boat, ‘Jerboa III’, took the next two bullets, with Alan Bulmer in ‘Temeraire’ beginning to show form with a brace of seconds and Paul Patenall consolidating with two thirds.

Monday saw ‘Temeraire’ taking the first race with a very comfortable lead with ‘Excalibur’ covering ‘Jerboa’ trailing behind. The final race was sailed with all three boats capable of taking first overall. The last mark saw them in the same order but at the back of the fleet. It was a discard race for both ‘Excalibur’ and ‘Jerboa’, and the first of those had the series in the bag. Bulmer’s ‘Temeraire’, however, crewed by daughter Roz and former Royal Western commodore and Sigma 33 national champion Mark Heseltine, pulled out a further place on the final run to take second overall from Wilkinson-Cox by a single point.

Suprmacy, helmed by Graham Jenkins with John Tilbrook and Fin Houlighan had a much better day and secured two well deserved second places. Tom Mehew in Comanche with Joe Hemmant and Will Fray was rewarded for the journey from the East Coast with a stunning final race victory.

In the “Classics”, Heuschreuke sailed by Sandy Ellis, David Ellis and Jim White battled it with Moonbeam, to win the first “Classic” overall.

David Jephcott, who has sailed his classic Dragon ‘Moonbeam’ in Plymouth Sound for some years, took as consolation prize the knowledge that his initiative had produced some excellent one-design racing and a consensus amongst visitors, sponsor and host club that an expanded event should be organised next year.

Plymouth has excellent road links and is only three and a half hours with a Dragon from Southampton. This event will complement the Easter Regatta in Burnham for those who do not wish to travel to the East Coast.

Overall Results: