Yet again, the Cecil Howard Memorial Race was “blessed” with very light wind conditions but, undaunted, the race officer took the decision to add in a challenging loop, turning at Fleet Dyke (the upstream entrance to Rockland) and then sailing back downriver to the defunct Buckenham Sailing Club clubhouse before turning again to head back to the finish at Coldham Hall.
With a latish tide, the first of the four starts was set off at 10:45, about 15 minutes after low slack, followed by some dicing for the line by the second start in a reasonable breeze. At first, all went well, with the passage through Langley Woods much easier than it has sometimes been in the past; aided no doubt by the winter work parties, which are gradually removing trees and vegetation from the east bank.
Then the wind started dropping out and as the fleet headed into the trees, it became increasing hard to make headway, even for the taller, faster boats in the first start. Eventually, Starlight Lady was able to make her way back downstream, followed shortly afterwards by Sabrina 2 and Wandering Rose in a tacking dual, which the former eventually got the best of.
Glory had a tougher time of it and not far behind her, the second start all bunched at the turn before tacking back in a group, with the third and fourth starts closing the gap behind them. Morning Calm pulled away from the bunch, but then found a dead spot on a bend and there she sat helplessly as half a dozen yachts sailed straight past her.
Many of these, plus Tamara and Alchemy from the third start then successfully sailed down to the lower turning point and back to Coldham Hall. No such luck for Melody and Vixen (both on the same handicap, but in the third and second starts respectively) who found a large tree near the Langley pumping station and settled down for a long rest and a natter.
After 20 or more minutes of this, talk turned to retirement from the race and (on Vixen at least) a deadline of 1 o’clock was set. At 12:56 a slightly stronger puff of wind catapulted both yachts out from behind the tree (OK, more of a faster drift than an actual catapult, but all things are relative) and they both then felt committed to finishing the race.
The bottom turn nearly became another challenge too far, as the yachts came out of the tide shadow on the lee shore and into the full force of the flood just before reaching the clubhouse, but both just squeaked around. It was then plain sailing, if still rather slow, back to the finish. Melody, with her larger rig, pulled well out in front, with Vixen left to enjoy the pleasures of Train Reach in splendid isolation. She was the last boat to finish, with seven boats being forced into retirement by the lack of wind.
Unsurprisingly, the three main trophies were taken by the fastest boats, with Starlight Lady getting the infamous jugs, Sabrina 2 the Dave Valentine Memorial brass curly thing and Wandering Rose the tasteful silver cup for third place. The Ian Spoors trophy for fastest “slow” boat went to Tamara, who seemingly sailed through the trees as though they weren’t there on her own special breeze.
