Hampton SC Regatta

Mike Baker - Saturday

This year's Hampton SC's regatta was held over the weekend of 12-13 June, which also coincided with the clubs 60th Anniversary celebrations.

On Saturday four AQSC boats went down to Hampton. Maggie Futcher and her crew Pamela took their Enterprise. Richard Cannon and Damien Tubridy took ST368, Bryan Clements took his Graduate and Liz Archer and I took ST369.

We sailed in the handicap fleet along with a Solo, a Heron, Toppers, a Kinsman cruiser, and Comet Versas. Other class races were Merlin's, Lasers, GP14s, Enterprises and Thames Raters.

Five races were to be held over the two days with three to count. The conditions were far from ideal on Saturday. Even Hampton regulars said that the wind was coming from their worst direction and to make matters worse it swung through 180 degrees at the drop of a hat.

The courses were straight forward, two marks, both to port. At the end of Saturday ST368 was standing 3rd with ST369 4th.

Ironically when we got back to Aquarius the breeze was perfect and coming from 'our' ideal direction.

I didn't sail on Sunday but I understand that ST368 went back, this time with Jane Gibson as crew, Bryan Clements went in the Graduate along with Charles Dennis and Pat Halling in their Lasers.

The weather was no better and Richard later reported that at one point he and a Hampton boat, both close hauled and both on starboard tack met from opposite directions' with neither quite sure who had rights over the other in the circumstances.

Richard Cannon - Sunday

Maggie’s crew Pamela was suffering from a vary hard bang on the head by the boom yesterday so they played safe and crewed for Peter Heath in his cruiser.

After a very frustrating first race Richard and Jane decided not to sail in the second race but Richard sailed the last race single handed; coming 2nd gave him 3rd place overall. Charles Dennis did well to come 3rd in the Laser class.

Two Thames Raters were a magnificent sight with their 40’ masts ideal for picking up the slightest wind. The ‘new’ one was 20 years old in fibre glass but the ‘old’ one was 101 years old in wood with their crew dressed in period costume; both had carbon fibre masts and modern high tech sails.

It was fitting that for their 60th anniversary there was a total regatta entry, including 5 visiting clubs, of 60 boats.