Dart 18 TT Series at Bognor Regis Yacht Club
by Jeff Morgan 18 Oct 2013 12:49 BST
5-6 October 2013
Dave & Louise Roberts win the Dart 18 TT at Bognor © Mike Betteridge
Cat racing & large crowds, San Francisco has nothing on Bognor
The final event in the Dart 18 traveller series was hosted by Bognor Regis Yacht Club over the weekend of the 5/6 October. The 24 teams who made the effort to attend the south coast resort were rewarded with near balmy conditions as were the many who crowded onto the promenade to enjoy the very late summer and witness some extremely close catamaran racing.
Throughout the fleet racing was so close that inches rather that boat lengths would be the deciding factor, although by the end the final results had only one winner.
The opening race Dave and Louise Roberts of Stokes Bay SC (sailingbooks.co.uk) laid down their challenge winning ahead of the national champion David Lloyd.
Race 2 The Morgan brothers and the Barnes's led the fleet around, however whilst they match raced, gybing often to the finish, Roberts managed to pass them both just 30 metres from the line. Barnes took 2nd by a nose.
Race 3 saw more great sailing from Roberts as he passed boats to lead the way home from Peters & Green who with other low scoring finishes laid equal second with Barnes over night.
Supplying curry and a five piece rock band was the catalyst for the notorious game of trying to drink the club dry in typical Dart party style. Camping in the club grounds meant that most were able to stagger to their beds without forgetting which hotel they were in and having to sleep on the promenade bench. Still the weather was kind, although the sunday morning sunshine did little for the hangovers as the teams waited for the wind to arrive over breakfast and a lazy sunday morning on the club lawn.
The uncharacteristically warm weather eventually provided a sea breeze in excess of the 5 knot minimum racing limit and the teams headed out. The race officer moved the course to inside the notorious Bognor rocks which in the very light SW winds against the tide gave the crews an option of heading out or coming inshore along the beach with the hope of gaining some lifts.
Navigating through the lobster pots and going out furthest paid off for Morgan and Roberts as they led the remainder home for race four.
By race 5 normal service had resumed with Roberts passing Geoff & Jenny Lloyd to take the gun.
Amazingly the wind stayed on and a full series of six races were completed, Roberts again winning making it an impressive 5 in 6 and with it the Bognor GP victory. Behind, Barnes crossed the line 2nd securing second place overall. Morgan finished 3rd though with D Lloyd just one place behind the result was not enough to remove Lloyd from third on the podium.
Chris Goymer and Jenni Donovan from Isle of Sheppey SC didn't need to leave the club bar all weekend as they celebrated their winning of the 2013 Dart 18 Traveller Series.
The one design Dart 18 remains the most popular racing catamaran in the UK with well in excess of 60 boats taking some part in the 2013 six event series.
Overall Results: (top six)
1st 7835, D Roberts & I Roberts, 5pts
2nd 7923, D Barnes & F Barnes, 13pts
3rd 7711, D Lloyd & I Maass, 18pts
4th 7958, S Morgan & J Morgan, 19pts
5th 7347, B Peters & T Green, 22pts
6th 7942, F Manning & J Kilham, 31pts
2014 will be an equally hotly contested Grand Prix with dates in the tour confirmed as:
18/20 April, GP1: Dee Sailing Club
7/8 June, GP2: Royal Yorkshire YC, Bridlington
21/22 June, GP3: Stokes Bay Sailing Club
19/20 July, GP4: Parkstone Yacht Club
2/3 August, GP5: Starcross Sailing Club
13/14 Sept, GP6: Felixtowe Ferry Sailing Club
11/12 Oct, GP7: Whitstable Yacht Club