A couple of miles up­stream from the more public activities in the Port of Dart­mouth Royal Regatta, and held at a time to avoid the busiest days and allow the ultra-keen to sail in both the dinghy and yachting events, is the Senior Dinghy four-day racing programme.

This is run from the Sat­urday through to the Tues­day of Regatta week. The ‘Senior’ means roughly over 18 years of age but is more to do with the type of dinghy sailed, more Phan­tom or Laser than Optimist or Topper.

Tired of being sent back to port year after year because conditions at sea were thought to be too rough, about eight years ago it was decided to run the seniors at Dittisham and it’s been held there ever since.

Thus we find 30-odd dinghies in three distinct fleets all champing at the bit at 10am on Saturday morning.

The conditions over the four days generally proved more suited than many of the sailors who had considered the forecast were expecing, so how did it all work out?

Well, the competitors all seemed very happy. They have enjoyed two races a day followed by an excellent lunch in the clubhouse and have mostly been off back to their loved ones by mid-afternoon.

The wind has been kicking about as is usual at Dittisham, making accurate line-setting a bit tricky, but mostly the beats have been beats and the reaches, reaches.

In the amalgamated Laser fleet, Sam Mogridge and Sue Thomas battled it out for the lead, with Sam taking line honours in most races and winning overall, with Martin Thomas taking third.

In the PY fleet James Dodd in his Phantom was narrowly beaten by Chris Rowsell, in a beautifully turned out Enterprise, even though on Monday the latter had a ‘directional malfunction’ and narrowly avoided being flattened by the Dart Explorer.

Jennie Richardson was in contention too at one point and finished up in third place.

In the Solos some stunning sailing and great close-quarter covering battles took place between visitor Stu Hydon and Dittisham’s John Clarke, which kept Jonathan Weeks’ race team entertained.

It was all down to the last race in the pelting rain and treacherous gusts, which Stu won to take the series overall with John Clarke and Roger Bone second and third.

The safety teams, led by Neil Drew, were not called upon until day three, the Monday, when some of the Solos and a learner Phan­tom (no names, no pack-drill) decided to test the temperature of the Dart, but all were up and away quite quickly and all finished each race.

However, the last race on Tuesday tested all the safety resources.

The Lasers were strewn around all over the course, one with a broken boom, and others spent so long in the water that they were lapped.

The PY fleet was quickly reduced to four from eight by two being withdrawn before the start and two retirements. The Laser Stratos of Anna Duckworth and Chris Burdon (the subject of all those dramatic photos in last year’s event) notched up a well-deserved win, but too late to put them on the podium.

In the Solo fleet Mike Webster capsized just before the start and was in danger of getting tangled up with the committee boat but drifted past, clambered back in and within 30 seconds of the start was on his way and passing the back markers for a commendable, nay impressive, third place.

At one point the fury of the gale threatened to blow the committee boat off the start-line and on to the Wadderton shore, but some quick thinking by assistant race officer Frank Seear got her back in line before any of the boats that were due to finish had arrived.

All in all a very exciting finish to another memorable Senior Dinghy Regatta.

Back to the clubhouse for hot showers, tales of heroic battles with the elements and the tiller-extension, another splendid lunch, some wonderful silverware for the winners and off home to sleep it all off.

As in recent years, the race teams have appreciated the courteous and considerate helming of the local steamer skippers, who have paused in their travels to let the dinghies race on in safety.

We must seem to them like a bunch of unpredictable, irritating little boats deliberately aiming to get in their way.

Thanks guys and we’ll see you out there again this coming Sunday.