Wayfarer Nationals at Parkstone Yacht Club - Day 1

Graham and Robin Barker of Norfolk Broads Yacht Club led the 43 competitors home in the opening race in the Wayfarer 50th Anniversary Championship sailed under the burgee of Parkstone Yacht Club, and sponsored by Navigators and General and Hartley Laminates.

Graham and Robin were pushed all the way by Mike and Mark McKechnie, sailing their Hartley Mark 4 Wayfarer and local legend Colin May, crewed by Sarah Wallis. The race was sailed in a force 2 westerly which veered to the south west and strengthened to a force 4 later in the race.

There was a lot of interest in the dinghy park before the race in Richard and Mark Hartley’s brand new all black Mark 4 Wayfarer, but Richard and Mark retired from the race after sailing the wrong course. Many competitors had problems identifying and finding marks in Poole Harbour, despite the laminated charts provided by the club, and a club rib leading the way around the course. The 43 competitors also to contend with the outgoing and ingoing Condor ferries who arrived in the main harbour channel at the same time as the fleet.

The championships this year were sailed as part of Poole Week and followed a very successful cruising week in Poole Harbour. The two events were connected by a Gala Dinner on Saturday attended by 130 UKWA members and guests from the Danish and Netherlands Wayfarer Associations.

Race 1 Results: (top six)