One by one each class starts their race with the Optomists being the last ones to go before our hansas get ready for their starting signal. It seems all quiet now, just 7 boats to navigate. Then they are off the line! But in the distance, all those boats that started many minutes before are now coming down wind straight at you. Everyone did a great job trying to stay close hauled, battling each other and dodging bigger boats.

For most of the week the same 3 did battle at the front. After Monday, Owen Boar, Tony Barks and Martin King-Davies each had a score of 4 points. After Wednesday’s races, Owen was in front. In the second race on Wednesday Bev Carter didn’t get to race, her main sheet came loose and the boom got jammed and she had to be towed back alongside Knuckles, but she came back fighting on Friday.

One of our new sailors at Oulton week this year was David Houghton. He got stronger throughout the week, and Friday afternoon he got a very nice 2nd place behind Owen

Both races on Friday were won by Owen making him the winner of the hansa class. It was nice to see the castle bay trophy stay with a local sailor for the first time in several years. Congratulations Owen!

The final race is always the “bloodbath” Owen and Alan Cone raced, and as most of the other sailors feared, the race was won by Alan. Congratulations!

The whole week went really smoothly with excellent support from our volunteers who make everything work so well and their time and efforts throughout the week are greatly appreciated. We look forward to another one in 2027.

Report and sailing photos by Stewart Gaskin
Other photos Jackie Soards.