For the first time in three years the wind forecast was within a reasonable range. 8-12 knots. At 7am – it was lovely – slight wind, sun with a few clouds…. The very slow boats and the wooden dinghies left at 7.45am – six in all. Then at 8.15 and 8.30 the main fleet of E1B class left (Trad Fibreglass dinghies with stock or modified engines). That was a sight to be seen…. A combined total of 23 set off in that class. It is so lovely at that time of the morning…. Fifty-nine was the final number of boats that started the Annual Seagull race, sixteen boats Did Not Finish (DNF) and 2 boats “Natural Mystic” and “Miles to Go” who were determined to do most of the race but due to engine issues or time constraints did not actually complete the course.
First boat to report themselves broken down – was “Pro to Type” – Jonathan Gauguin and his 13 year old daughter Isabella.
“My Dixie Wrecked” gave spectators the funniest start to the race – Sanjai Smith was maneuvering out of the boat club at a medium click and not sure whether he was trying to avoid the white buoy in front of the dock area – but Smith tried to fend off something – but due to his size managed to rock the boat so much so we thought the boat was going to overturn – luckily not but he went overboard – but he was the driver so we now had a “loose” boat on the go… luckily his crew leapt into action and managed to get it under control…. Smith managed to get back into the boat without turning it over – and off they went. Only to be towed back about 20 mins later.
The air at Spanish Point got a little “blue with a lot of thunder clouds” around 12.45pm after the departure of the 12.30 classes which included the Unlimited Class F – containing Old or New Engines completed modified (eg with pipes etc added).
James Anfossi won the F Class Unlimited New engine beating the previous record – new record of 2 hours 16 minutes.
The Undutchables finished 1st in Class B – congratulations. And the 2nd error was Class E1B- in actual fact the Huckleberry Onioneeze was faster than Bustinanut so they came in 3rd officially.
