What a great afternoon it was for the RCOD’S

We were the joint biggest fleet on the river, and had a guest helm too , the Commodore by kind permission of Martin Makey.

The Commodore arrived at Rubber Ball first although Coralie was a very close shadow in 2^nd.. Interesting the Commodore had two sailed the first  leg  it in a very modern fashion  of reaching without the jib  but with the kite up (was this something the Class was going to have to adopt we all thought )  , so it was all going very well for him , his crew of Dave Shepherd and Paul Drew showed  great dexterity and skill to drop the kite and hoist the jib on the same halyard (the secret was out of the bag then, as that was the real  reason for the modern style of two sail reaching only one halyard!)

A slight overstand at Wallseaness meant that Cormorant sneaked inside with the Commodore then Coralie and Coram chasing hard.

All stayed very much the same until the leg on the way home when Cormorant slowed up, was it a header   or was Cormorant really on the mussel mound to the West of the Redward Flats?   indeed she was, with no functioning echo sounder to hand,   or had she simply decided gracefully  to let the Commodore through in his first race on a RCOD!!!!.

The Commodore took his chance well,   and sailed on pass to a well-deserved 1^st, and much celebrations in the Bar.

Justin Waples

Stock image used.