Dainty Diary 2024

Published 13:35 on 30 Oct 2024

The log of a Cruiser / Racer from Bosham

18th September to 5th October 2024

In the great classic Mediterranean regattas of Les Regates Royales, Cannes AND Les Voiles De Saint-Tropez

Dainty Diary 2024 - In Brief

After the customary careful planning, preparation and packing, the trip down ran very smoothly; by ferry from Portsmouth, overnight to Caen and stop offs close to Macon and Montélimar. Kindly launched by members of the YC de Cannes, Dainty then moored stern-to the granite quay of the old port, ready for Les Régates Royales and alongside a gathering of the greatest classic yachts in the world.

Still no sponsor this year, but this somehow this has brought the yachtsmen even closer as they berthed and entertained next to one another and made it the friendliest of events. Even though we decided it was too windy to race on the Tuesday, we picked up good enough results on the Wednesday's first race in perfect conditions of sun and force 4 southerly.

On the Friday towards the end of the Cannes racing week in quite a blow Dainty's boom broke in half. Was this the end of our campaign? Happily, not. On hearing of Dainty's distress fellow Sunbeam sailors Viv and Anna Williams, who have the family firm Sailboat Deliveries Ltd, dropped everything, went round to Haines that Friday evening and the next morning set off to drive 908 miles to Saint-Tropez. This is typical of the wonderful old-fashioned camaraderie in the Sunbeam class at Itchenor.

In Cannes we looked for friends within the classics, and Georgie found Gery, skipper of Viveka, 1929 and 80ft LOA, who obliged and towed Dainty at 5 knots round the coast to Saint-Tropez The sight of the clock tower and the Provençal coloured harbour is magical.

So Dainty was able to race on the first day in St Tropezin fact she had a perfect pin end port tack start, survived a wind hole after an hour and another hour later some 20 knots of wind in a very bumpy sea. We won the race, not only on handicap, but she was the first yacht over the finishing line for her group. What an amazing achievement for Dainty's team with their mix of skills!

For the third time we had the privilege of being invited to join the Gstaad Yacht Club's unique race on the Thursday, only for 100-year-old boats.

There were then just two races for the Les Voiles Invitee class; Dainty went on to win her class on the second, when Ollie Gilchrist showed his Sunbeam helming skills, with Christine trimming and Owain the strong man for the foredeck. On the third day racing was abandoned due to the lack of wind. So, everything to play for on the final Saturday.

Very fortunately for Dainty, the wind headed on the last leg, and up the Golfe de Saint-Tropez towards the finishing line it turned into a beat, where Alfred Westmacott's classic could excel. Dainty finished, with a drenched crew of Owain and Christine, 2nd on handicap for that last race ever of Peter's and secured the trophy for the week.

Over the two French regattas Dainty's crew consisted of: Oliver Gilchrist, Chris Moore, Christine Graves, David Giffard, John Tanner, Georgie Eggleton and Owain Parker.

Dainty completed the trip battered but not bruised and with a brand new boom!

To see 'Dainty Diary' in full, including pictures, please see here - Dainty Diary 2024 A Last Chance.pdf.

Last updated 15:23 on 31 October 2024