Eightieth Anniversary

All year it had been our in mind to have a celebration of the BOD eightieth anniversary which as matters developed it also seemed appropriate to have in conjunction with the naming of the first GRP BOD. It was agreed this would happen on the Colne Yacht Club Regatta weekend of the 15th and 16th of September. 
Prior to the event the weather was perfect and the Cruiser Regatta on the 15th although suffering from light winds in the morning revelled in bright sunshine and an excellent sea breeze in the afternoon so every thing was set fair! 
On the morning of the 16th the perfect conditions prevailed but by lunch time the breeze had built to a stiff south westerly. The sun was still shining but the sea was building up. One by one the boats left the moorings until they were completely deserted and the full Brightlingsea fleet of fourteen boats assembled on the Batemans Tower line. 
There was a star studded cast of helmsman, including two Olympic champions and two world champions. As might be expected the start was hotly contested and the major players got away at the head of the fleet but no one was badly left behind. 
At Gazelet the fleet had strung out but right down the fleet every place was being strongly contested. The beat to Cocum sorted the fleet out with the more competitive boats forging ahead. Down wind back to Gazelet some of the boats hoisted Spinnakers but in the fresh conditions all the boats were going flat out and the angle of the waves precluded surfing, even the reefed boats were keeping up! 
The beat back to Cocum strung the fleet out even more. C1 Jean, Malcolm Goodwin and C51 Gretha, Poul Hoe Jensen were well out in front. Some way behind them C8 Egret, helmed by Reg White and C11 Grayling, Alan Hicks were fighting for third place. Back Further still C32 Avocet, Geoff Payne, Gust Helm Ian Cole were having their work cut out to hold off the reefed C6 jumbo Too, Tom Sargeant. 
A little way behind them C14 Aina, Steve Heppell, C18 Gelasma Mike Hempstead,C16 Dulcet, Helm David Saker and C25 White Magic were all in a heap and doing their best to catch up. Right at the back C24 Nan, Nick Readings, Helmed by the CYC Commodore Sue Last, C17 Sea Horse, Frank Tinney, C20 Ruff, Trevor Stone and Jim Bray and C29 Panic, Lance Edwards and Sally Hare, reefed and only two up were still racing hard when they could spare the time from just surviving! 
The wind had now peaked and the fleet had a long broad reach down river to Batemans mark. With the sea just right all the boats were surfing off the tops of the waves and those brave enough to fly Spinnakers could use them to advantage. C1 seemed to have worked out a good lead over C51 and C8 had just got the drop on C11. C32 perhaps stung by having the reefed C6 hanging onto them went for their Spinnaker in a determined effort to brake clear in the places! 
They planed off down wind leaving C6 standing, then a gust caught them and they broached over bringing the centre plate into view! They shipped a lot of water over the side but some how got the boat upright again. Before they could regain full control they broached again and this time there was no way back! Down they went! Fortunately there was a safety boat on hand and they were able to drop the sails, right the boat and blow into the creek under jib where they bailed her out. 
At the start of the short second lap C1 was still holding a reasonable lead over C51 and C8 and C11 were still fighting for third place. Perhaps the wind had eased back a little as C15 was perceptively closing up on C6 with C18, C16 and C25 in close company. 
For a while C6 held C14 in check but then misjudged a tack and let C14 through and the rest close in as well. Out in front C1 set off down river to Batemans but there was a slight fumble with the Spinnaker hoist and C51 pounced! Even then it was not a rollover. C51 had to manoeuvre for the better tactical position and it was not till Mersea Stone that C51 was really able to exploit his advantage and surf through for a narrow lead at Batemans. At the finish their winning margin was only five seconds. 
C8 just held off C11 to take third place, C14 came in fifth, C18 with full sail just had the speed to edge past the reefed C6 who in turn just held off C16 and C25. The last boat to officially finish was C29, quite a feat of seamanship just two up! For various reasons C24, C17 and C20 had retired during the second lap but all things consider they had nothing to regret. 
After the race C1 and C51 were brought ashore and parked outside the CYC dressed overall. All the owners and their many friends assembled to hear the Class Chairman, Brian Walker say a few words and introduce Mrs Jean Thomas, the daughter of the designer, Robbie Stone who eighty years previously had named BOD No1 with her own name. 
Mrs Thomas said she had been very young when she christened Jean the first time back in 1927. She had been very pleased to officiate at the re-launch after restoration by Malcolm back in 2004. It now gave her a good deal of satisfaction to see the class thriving and she was delighted to name the first of the new GRP BODs Gretha which followed a long tradition in the fleet, naming for female relatives! 
Champagne was then liberally splashed over the boat and equally liberally dispensed to all present along with cake provided by Mike and Marilyn Hempstead skilfully crafted as a model BOD? The party carried on for some time till all the cake and drink had gone. Then everyone shifted to the CYC for the regatta prize giving which nicely rounded off a day that will long be remembered by the BOD fleet!