SAILING
THE traditional Boxing Day race at Brading Haven Yacht Club certainly lived up to its reputation of blowing away the Christmas cobwebs — not to mention the hangovers.
Although the gusty Force Four to Six westerly and lumpy seas restricted sailing to the harbour, four Solos, three Scows and a Wayfarer lined up for a mixed start of fast and slow handicap boats.
In the fast fleet, the Solos managed to hold back Duncan Bates’s Wayfarer for almost half of the three-lap race before Bates’s extra speed and tactics paid off securing him both line and handicap honours.
A fast-finishing Martyn Davies was second, with Richard Coleman sneaking into third.
The Scows fleet tucked in behind the fast boys and sailed two laps of the same course with some very close and tactical sailing so close that at one point all three boats managed to collide in the blustery conditions. However, with no real damage other than that of pride, and with the Christmas spirit still running high, they all took it in good part with Don Guiden eventually getting the better of Mike Bottoms, who in turn left Mike Quinn to bring up the rear.