Six invited 49er teams took part in three short crash and burn races right in front of the quayside at London’s ExCeL building on the final day of the boat show yesterday. To say the wind was tricky was an understatement. The southerly wind blew across the dock which runs east – west with tall buildings on each side. The 49ers with their huge spinnakers and twin wires proved very entertaining with much oohing and aahing from the shore as the near misses and near capsizes took place in front of the moored gin palaces.

In spite of the fickle winds it was the team of Richard Bone and Chris Rodaway on ‘All Good Fun’ who won all three races. Richard put it down to practicing in the winter on his small local lake. It was certainly a case of holding ones nerve. Often was the case that a good start and a healthy lead could be wiped out by a hole in the wind followed by a gust from behind.

The Dell brothers in ‘Etis’ had a spectacular start in the second race only to watch helplessly as the fleet sailed past them on the down wind leg. In race 3 Jonny Coates and Charlie Muir in ‘Woolscroft’ sailed from last into first at the leeward mark only to be thrown in backwards on the gybe/drop as the wind did a 180.

Results

1st Richard Bone and Chris Rodway (All Good Fun)

2nd Mike Senior and Chris Tattershall (Zhik’s)

3rd Jonney Coates and Charlie Muir ( Woolcroft)

4th John Wilson and James Barker (Snugg)

5th Mark Dell and Paul Dell ( Etis)

6th Fred Shone and Hugh Shone (Goadsby and Harding)