The Fleet

at GRAFHAM WATER SAILING CLUB

Perry, near Huntingdon, UK - MAP - Aerial View

THE GRAFHAM WAYFARERS
and WANDERERS

are now merged with the

GWSC HANDICAP FLEET
 Fleet Captain: Kim Harris

A GLIMPSE AT THE 2002 SEASON (for 2003: click here)

• Wed 10th April: first Wednesday racing (6:30pm, 7:00pm from 1st May) + club supper
• Sun 14th April: Sunday races (every Sunday at 11:00am and 1:30pm)
• Sun 19th May: Wayfarer TRAINING DAY (10:00am) + afternoon racing (1:30pm)
• Sat 29th June: Wayfarer National OPEN MEETING at Grafham (first race 12:00noon
• Sat 10th August: Invitation weekend with the ALDEBURGH Wayfarer fleet
• Wed 28th August: last Wednesday racing (6:30pm from 14th August) + club supper
• Wed 4th September: Pursuit Race (6:30pm) + club supper

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The Annual Dinner, at the
Wheatsheaf, Perry.

Douglas Butler (standing) starting his new role as
Fleet Captain

(26th Jan 2002)

[Photo by
Alistair Scott]

The 1st Wednesday Series race

All the Wayfarers safely tucked up despite glorious sunny and breezy (if chilly) conditions for the first race...

(10th April 2002)

Race Training Day

led by
Simon Dabson
(19th May 2002)

20 members attended, and 8 boats set sail.

Top: Simon demonstrates Grafham Water SC's unique systems of buckets!

Bottom: 7 of the fleet (the 8th had the camera!) in a practice before lunch in glorious conditions.

After lunch the fleet raced at 1:30, chaperoned by Simon, who tried hard to help them sail the correct course!


Wayfarer Open Meeting
 at Grafham SC
Sat 29th June 2002

A perfect day's sailing - sunny and steady Force 3-4. Simon Dabson organised, and 13 boats took to the water, including visitors from Upper Thames SC and Thames Estuary YC.

The locals were treated to some spectacular sailing skills from the visitors. Pointing, boat speed and even dashing port fliers at the start gave us all plenty to practise!

Click here for Simon's full report

Photos:
During the race, afterwards in the bar (all crews), and prize-giving: 1st prize to Martin Collen with Terry Palmer (UTSC), and Simon gave his own Wife the 3rd prize!

The forecast was awful, but in the event Saturday's race, down the Alde, past Orford and round the Island, was 4 hours of pure pleasure in a light Force 1-2 and unbroken sunshine. Spinnakers were up and the Grafham visitors came a respectable 6th and 7th out of 10 having much to learn about how to handle the local spring tides!!

Our hosts made us extremely welcome, especially at the Saturday evening barbecue.

Sunday's race took us upstream to Iken. A handicap in a brisk Force 4, where every channel marking was a race mark! As the channel got narrower so the shouting started, with some quite large competitors including Dragons fighting for space. We came 15th and 16th out of 25.

We are invited back next year and I hope more of the Grafham fleet will be able to accept.

The Adleburgh Yacht Club Wayfarers Invitation weekend
A spectacular weekend's sailing (10-11 August 2002) - see MAP
The extraordinary geography of Aldeburgh (North Sea on the left, River Alde on the right)


A celebratory drink at sunset: Douglas Butler, Andrew Chapman, Tony Morley (Aldeburgh Wayfarer class captain) and David Bevan. The mountain range in the background is in fact the lousy weather the rest of the UK were suffering!


Packing up to go home.Douglas' crew Nigel Pask (Rutland SC) on the left.
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- Last updated: 01/12/02