The end of May saw the 2024 Dart 18 Nationals held at Dee Sailing Club. With seven boats travelling from Bridlington, the RYYC had one of, if not the largest, club representations in the 40-strong fleet.
Day 1 Highlights:
- The day saw three races with mixed results. Joe managed a 2nd place finish, and Will Bell, on a borrowed boat, secured a 3rd place in one race. It wasn’t a total loss for the RYYC crew.
- Notably, Ashley managed to beat Joe in one race, adding to the day’s excitement.
- There were some issues, mainly due to a shortened course. Some front runners didn’t realise the change and ended up rounding the wrong side of the gate. This caused quite a bit of frustration at the bar afterwards but left the scoreboard wide open for the next day.
Day 2 Highlights:
- The racing improved with some of the usual back markers breaking into the top 20.
- Matt was back on form, securing a 1st and a 3rd place. However, the start of race 2 was marred by an incident where Duncan was pushed out of the start line by the French, then hit from behind and pushed into the committee boat, causing significant damage. Unfortunately, his boat was declared a total loss by insurance.
Day 3 Highlights:
- The day started with more wind. Remarkably, Duncan managed to find and buy a new boat overnight and was eager to get back on the start line. He succeeded in beating both Joe and Matt in the first race of the day.
- The tide played a significant role, making both races difficult and very tactical, with positions changing drastically based on tactical choices.
Final Results:
- The RYYC crew made their presence known with Matt taking 2nd overall and Joe achieving a very respectable 7th place overall.
Overall, it was a fantastic showing for RYYC, demonstrating their skill and determination amidst challenging conditions. Well done to all our sailors!