Aldeburgh Fleet Report - 2008

The Aldeburgh fleet has been growing in size. We have been joined by Kestrel (207), sailed by Matt Lingley, a student at Southampton and part-time worker at the Aldeburgh Boatyard and the revitalised Apache, sailed by Tom Gibbon and Peter Cazalet with enthusiastic support from their children who show signs of wanting to push their parents off the boat. A similar situation may be developing aboard Navaho in the Gillingham family and to some extent exists on Basilisk in the Gifford/Hayles fleet. Who knows what this may mean in the Bowman family? All this augurs well for the long term so long as student aspiration can be supported by future net worth. Sadly, however, Pongo is for sale as Dusty Hughes has found that scriptwriting to deadlines and Dragon sailing aren't easily compatible.

The club racing has followed the now-established pattern of set weekends of commitment and otherwise club handicap racing. Basilisk, the stay-at-home boat for Patrick Gifford and Mike Hayles, and Navaho were the most committed participants but both found it difficult to save their time on personal handicap. Presumably either the "coloured" boats are getting better or the leaders are getting slower. Perhaps the answer is a re-spray as undergone by Orion and Apache though both Panther in Jonathan Hunt's experienced hands and Kestrel didn't need one. Rory Bowman's only appearance in club racing was a win in the Margaret Roney trophy, sailed on a course round Havergate Island.

Regatta Week produced some very tight racing. Patrick Gifford sailed Basilisk and Mike Hayles put Nereid in the water, leading to a little bit of intra-partnership rivalry. For once Patrick's starting proved hot and he put together the most consistent week to win by one point from Rory with two firsts and a second to count. In reality he won by the three feet by which Mike held Rory off in the last race after Patrick's lead had disappeared in a windless patch. Otherwise it would have been a tie on points and Rory would have won on countback. The racing was always close and tense as is inevitable in the confined but fascinating space of the Alde estuary. On handicap things were different. The unexposed Apache, running off a handicap from two years earlier, with a new jockey in Tom Gibbon proved unbeatable. More lead in the saddle is needed.

The only boats to venture away from home were Nereid and Basilisk. Nereid in fact has taken to behaving like an English milord of the Somerset Maugham era and spending her winters in the South of France with Mike Hayles in command. A similar campaign is planned this autumn and winter though Patrick also plans to participate with a visit to Cazaux for the oysters and claret as well as the French Championship. In the meantime she also took part in racing in the less balmy waters of Lowestoft, La Baule, Plymouth and Oslo. Basilisk was allowed away from home for La Baule and Plymouth. She proved that old age can't keep a good boat down, finishing eleventh at La Baule and proving very competitive in the hands of Alan Krailing, supported by Michael Gifford's Dragon experience at Plymouth until the mast gave way. She has now been given a newer trailer as a present so that she can do the same next year.

The Aldeburgh fleet remains a haven for amateurs, away from the rat race and expense of increasing professional participation. We can probably provide the cheapest Dragon racing in the country together with very high-quality competition in the fleet. Where else can you race side by side for 15 miles against someone who has won the Edinburgh Cup 6 1/2 times? What is more, unlike some other places, you don't often get water thrown over you which is a Dragon's party trick in the sea. In fact having to jump off and push is a much greater risk for getting wet. We hope to continue to grow and look forward to welcoming both visitors and new members of the fleet.

Patrick Gifford
11th September 2008