Royal Artillery Yacht Club (RAYC) Dinghy Regatta
Published 10:29pm on 11 Jul 2022
Sun in the sky, the sound of sails being unfurled and the smell of neoprene in the air. Thursday 23rd June saw the 2022 Royal Artillery Yacht Club (RAYC) Dinghy Regatta get into full swing. While winds were light, it was a beautiful warm and sunny day as Gunners from across the Royal Artillery gathered on the shores of Baker Barracks, Thorney Island ready for the 2022 RAYC Dinghy Regatta.
The Regatta, which is held annually, is open to novice and experienced sailors alike, from across the Royal Regiment. While some sailors attended just for the days racing, for many this week was their first experience of dinghy sailing and they had spent the week learning the basic skills required to sail solo. Thorney Island is home to the Army Inshore Sail Training Centre (AISTC), and it was here that the Gunners had descended en masse one Sunday evening ready to start their Royal Yacht Association (RYA) Start Sailing course, the first qualification of the RYA sailing scheme. As ever winds can be fickle, but the instructors and students worked through both windy and calm conditions as the week progressed. Despite some soldiers spinning round in circles, capsizing, and wondering what an earth was meant by port, starboard, tack, gybe, broad reach and close hauled, by Thursday everyone was ready and eager to enter the Regatta.
Despite light winds on the day of the Regatta all sailors were full of enthusiasm and some good tight racing, set against the marvellous backdrop of Chichester Harbour, was had by all. 16th Regiment Royal Artillery claimed victory as overall Regimental winners, clearly utilising their home advantage to great effect!
In the single handed racing, where sailors raced Fusion 15 and Laser Pico dinghies, the results were as follows:
Dinghy Cup 1st Capt C Jefferson 4 Regt RA
2nd Bdr K Norton 7 Para RHA
3rd Gnr J Goodhand 16 Regt RA
The Pinchard Pot, awarded to the Best RA Junior Officer, went to Capt C Jefferson 4 Regt RA, and the Barron Cup for the Best RA Soldier to Bdr K Norton 7 Para RHA.
The double handed racing, in Laser 2000s, was particularly close and after 5 races (one discarded) the final positions were:
Team Racing 1st LCpl S Williams RE 36 Engr Regt
Gnr L Scales 16 Regt RA
2nd Sgt A Perry 16 Regt RA
Gnr A Morgan 16 Regt RA
3rd Capt B Busby 103 Regt RA
Gnr O Jenkins 16 Regt RA
Congratulations to LCpl S Williams RE and Gnr L Scales for winning the Loseby Trophy. In addition, Best Endeavour was awarded to Gnr D Jones also of 16 Regt RA.
A fantastic days racing, book ended by a terrific week introducing and qualifying many to dinghy sailing. Thanks are due to Col R Alston for awarding the prizes, Gunner Sailing for organising the event, the fantastic AISTC staff for training and facilitating the Regatta, along with all of the competitors for their good spirited competition.
Capt CH Jefferson, 4 Regt RA
Col R Alston awarding the Loseby Trophy to LCpl S Williams RE and Gnr L Scales.
Laser 2000s working hard to maximise speed around the course.
Laser 2000s working hard to maximise speed around the course.
The single handed fleet.
Part of the team from Fighting Fourth (4 Regt RA)