(West Mersea, England)- The first of the season's five Hutton Construction and HCC Insurance International sponsored Sail-East Regattas took place on the River Blackwater estuary over the weekend of 15th and 16th May.
The event organised by West Mersea's Dabchicks Sailing Club. 26 yachts from around the region took part, with Saturday's first race sailed in a light breeze, before the strong tide and fickle air in the second race made for extremely testing conditions. The wind then increased to a steady force three for Sunday's race, which blew away hangovers from Saturday evening's traditional party and ceiling walking festivities (Michael Jackson "moon-walking" upside down??).
Taking the top position in the J/80 class was home club skipper Nick Glanvill sailing his newly acquired J/80 JALFREZI, which had race placings of second, twelfth and fourth. Typifying the usual closeness of Sail East inshore yacht racing, only two minutes covered the top eight positions in the final race of nearly two hours.
Sail-East now looks forward to the second event of the season, the Felixstowe Regatta on 3rd and 4th July, when two days of sharp racing round windward/leeward courses is promised. For more Sail East regatta and sailing information.