Lady Penelope leads the fleet! 3 Sep 2006

This year the Squibs were the largest class on the water with 17 boats at the start line over the Bank Holiday Weekend which reduced to about 10 during the rest of the week. It didn’t seem to matter though who turned out because Malcolm Hutchings and Sarah Hastwell, sailing in Lady Penelope (819), won everything going; in fact the only trophies these two did not take home were the runners-up cups (similarly all collected by Robert Coyle and crew) so congratulations to Malcolm and Sarah for an excellent and indisputable outcome to the week.

Onshore the Squibbers took a full part in the week’s activities, culminating with the Class Dinner on Friday evening for which they were joined by a large contingent of 707ers. Over 100 people attended this superb function during which they enjoyed the presentation of some special prizes to those who tried but somehow came to grief – to Andy Knights for leading the sailing on the wrong course (together with most of the fleet), Sarah Simons, who turned up at the right time to find the fleet had been sent racing early, Ian Brand in sinking! after a magnificent demonstration of a broach, collision with a moored boat (it’s not often Robert Coyle gets in a tangle),to Bill Jones waiting forlornly on the mooring for his crew to materialise but the classic faux pas of the week went to Alex Shanahan in Crackers for breaking his mast whilst scrubbing the hull AND being protested for doing so after the race on the opening Saturday of Burnham Week! It appears to have been a pretty good week all round and definitely one to be remembered.