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Re-Tex Dickies Yacht Sales takes Welsh National Sportsboat Championships

Abersoch Keelboat Week incorporating the Welsh National Sportsboat Championship proved to be an eventful and highly enjoyable regatta, run superbly by South Caernarfonshire Yacht Club during August. Seventeen entries ranging from Cork 1720s to Humphries 22s battled it out on mainly Olympic triangle courses in Cardigan Bay.

The Beneteau 25 Re-Tex Dickies Yacht Sales sailed by the Checkmate Sailing Team swept all before them, winning all six races of the week. Racing under the burgee of Budworth Sailing Club, the team sailed a near faultless regatta to continue their highly successful season.

Day one opened with 12 knots from the south with a race around the Tudwal Islands and Cardigan Bay. The race soon developed into a battle between reigning Melges 24 National Champion Mike Budd training for the forthcoming World Championship, and ReTex Dickies Yacht Sales.

Richard Smith, the Principal Race Officer, held two races the following Tuesday, based on an Olympic Triangle around the local racing marks in Cardigan Bay. Re-Tex Dickies won both, working the right-hand side of the windward legs and being able to hold their time on the reaches against the asymmetric Melges.

Wednesday started with a light five-knot breeze and unfortunately no boats finished within the time limit. The race was sensibly abandoned by the race committee.

Thursday morning dawned with little wind and baking sunshine. All crews waited patiently until 2pm when a 15-knot northerly filled in. The race committee held two excellent short windward leeward courses, keeping all crews busy. Re-Tex Dickies made excellent starts to secure both victories, with the pretty little Humphries 22 of Will Partington starting to give an indication of the boat's potential in the freshening breeze.

The final days racing was started in a light five-knot easterly around another Olympic triangle. Re-Tex Dickies split from the fleet on the opening upwind leg to work the left-hand side of the course and take a commanding lead by the windward mark. The building breeze resulted in the little Beneteau being able to surf earlier than the heavier displacement 1720s to extend its lead on the reaching legs.

Having won the final race, Re-Tex Dickies Yacht Sales not only discarded a first to win their class and the Welsh Sportsboat Championship, but was awarded the overall prize of the week against stiff competition from the IRC and PY classes.

Many thanks must go to the numerous local sponsors who supported the week and to Richard Smith the Principal Race Officer, who laid faultless courses and start lines in the difficult conditions that prevailed all week.

Nigel Biggs, onboard Re-Tex Dickies Yacht Sales

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