Fandango (First 40.7)


Fandango crew: (back) Graham Jackson, Tim Mills, David Lennard, David Scanlan
(front) Ian Goldsworthy, Roger Cerrato,
Robin Berwick, Jamie Scanlan, Conor Clarke,
Paul Campion


Blues Xtra (X-302)


Quick Brew (Dehler 39)


Dartmouth Royal Regatta 2001

For this year's Dartmouth Royal Regatta I once again joined David Scanlan and his crew aboard the Beneteau First 40.7 Fandango. The format was the usual mix of courses with one race a day from August 30th to September 2nd.

This is always a hotly contested event and this year it seemed even more so. In IRC 1 there were 26 varied entries including many boats that have had an excellent season so far. The fleet included three of the new Ker 11.3s, three First 40.7s, three HOD 35s, two Prima 38s, a pair of Corby one-offs, a Farr 395, a Mills 36, a Dehler 39 and an IMX 40 as well as a few other X-Yachts of various sizes.

After a lengthy delay due to a shifty breeze, the first race, a windward-leeward, got away with only one boat OCS, the IMX 40 Exabyte. Aboard Fandango we showed good speed around the track and finished fifth on the water just behind the Prima 38 Bare Knuckles which rates 13 points higher. We were very pleased to beat the Prima as two of our crew from last year's regatta were aboard and they had also scored a second at the IRC Nationals earlier in the season! On corrected time we scored a second, although the deficit of over two minutes from the Ker 11.3 I-Site showed that retaining our title from 2000 was going to be very difficult.

Race 2 was another windward-leeward. We suffered a bad start and rounded the first windward mark well back down the fleet. This might well have been because of the fantastic crew meal we had the previous night at "Taylor's Of Dartmouth" who were sponsoring us for the Regatta, which unfortunately had also featured over a dozen bottles of red wine! At least one of the crew was asleep before his main course… Although we pulled back up the fleet our eighth position on corrected was definitely looking like one to discard! The race was won by the Farr 395 Great Escape from I-Site followed by the Corby 35 Highland Spirit.

For the third race a coastal course was set. After such a bad result on Friday the crew were well up for this one. Prior to the race we tried a beat with our Checkmate Kevlar Light No.1 in around 8-10 knots true and we very happy with our speed. We had a reasonable start at the committee boat end, tacked off right, hooked into a good shift and arrived at the windward mark just behind I-Site and ahead of the other two Kers and the Farr 395. We then set our Series 2000 1/2oz AP for the first reach. This was quite a tight leg and favoured the asymmetric Farr 395 which arrived at the mark just ahead.

A good rounding and we gradually pulled up to weather and out of the Farr's dirt. At this stage the boat was really flying and as we settled down to a long starboard board we were still gaining on the Farr and even pacing I-Site! At the windward mark we set our Series 2000 1/2oz AP and set off on a long broad reach in around 10-12 knots of breeze. Unfortunately half-way down the leg the breeze cut off and was down to less than five knots for long periods.

We watched with growing frustration as the boats ahead pulled away and the chasing pack got closer. As we approached the mark the other two Ker 11.3s sailed past and we rounded just ahead of Bare Knuckles and the Corby 36 Mustang Sally. Although the boats ahead had dropped their kites we held ours as there was a danger of getting swept above the mark in the strong tide and light air. As the boats behind climbed higher we dropped and hoisted the Light No.1. Closer to the mark and we spotted one of the Kers who had gone too high was now having to kite down to the mark against the tide.

We did a gybe set at the mark and headed offshore in search of more pressure. By now I-Site and Great Escape were well ahead on the water but we knew things would be a lot tighter on handicap! The pressure built all the way down this leg and as the finished the breeze was up to 18 knots which suited the slower boats in the fleet. Time for much calculating and guesswork aboard as we spotted a Sigma 400 and a couple of HODs approach the finish line. When the results were posted at the Royal Dart Yacht Club we were very pleased with our second, with the race again won by Great Escape, this time with the Sigma 4000 Corwynt Cymru in third.

Going in to the last day we were holding two seconds with I-Site having a first and a second and Great Escape with two firsts, so it was all to play for. The committee set a trapezoid course with three laps and a beat to finish. The breeze of around 13-16 knots made it a real boatspeed race and after a good start we arrived at the windward mark ahead of the Farr 395 and close to Bare Knuckles once again. Also in contention was Mustang Sally who later found out she was OCS. With I-Site well out in front Great Escape did their best to slow us down and tacked on us a few times although we did actually overtake her at one stage!

At the finish, ourselves, Bare Knuckles, Great Escape and Mustang Sally all crossed the line within 40 seconds; great boat-for-boat racing. Again the calculator was out but this time it seemed that any of half-a-dozen boats could have won. With the Kers finishing so far in front on the water, however, estimating their finishing times was very difficult. After a tense wait in the Royal Dart the results were produced. A third in the last race for us, beaten by I-Site and her sistership Minnie the Moocher, meant we were also third for the regatta. Congratulations to the crews of I-Site and Great Escape who were first and second respectively.

Thanks to Dave and Tina Scanlan for their hospitality and the rest of the Fandango crew for making the event so much fun both afloat and ashore.

The racing was just as competitive in IRC 2. For the competitors the results had a familiar ring to them as Peter Johnson sailed his X-302 Blues Xtra to another overall victory repeating his feat of last year. For 2001 Peter had added a Series 2000 1/2oz Spinnaker to complement his Checkmate Kevlar Sport Mainsail and AP No.1 from last year.
Hugh Myers, Banks Sails

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