Please select your home edition
Edition
Maritimo 2023 S600 LEADERBOARD

First Hadron H2 open meeting at Deben Yacht Club

by Keith Callaghan 13 Jul 2021 14:45 UTC 10-11 July 2021
The fleet sails back upriver to Woodbridge after the first ever Hadron H2 open meeting at Deben YC © Keith Callaghan

Situated at Woodbridge at the head of the beautiful River Deben in Suffolk, the Deben Yacht Club is now the premier H2 club on the East Coast. Their first H2 open event was therefore looked forward to with anticipation.

That fewer than expected visitors turned out may have been due to a football match or just the travelling distance; by Saturday evening some absentees may have felt justified, as the day had produced absolutely zero wind and any idea of racing was abandoned. However, the club made up for it socially with great hospitality during the evening.

Sunday was more promising, with the forecast SE 8-10 knot breeze filling in nicely. The boats sailed downriver to the open expanse of water upstream from Waldringfield. With an incoming tide and partly covered banks local knowledge was going to be at a premium but the visitors did not travel there just to follow the local experts around.

In fact it was the person who had travelled furthest who showed the fleet the way round: Roger Millett from Chichester coming home ahead of another visitor, Andrew McGaw (Burghfield), with Robin Parsons of the home club in third place and another visitor - Class Chairman Dave Barker (Draycote) - in fourth.

With four races scheduled there was still much to go for. Robin Parsons now got into top gear but the visitors were just as determined to succeed. Dave Barker is one of the lighter helms in the class and it was noticeable that he was extremely quick off wind but the wind strength was sufficient for him to have to concede distance to the heavier Robin on the beats in spite of his athletic endeavours. Thus Robin was able to fend Dave off with three wins to Dave's 2,3,2.

Roger Millett added a 3,4 to his win to secure third place and Andrew McGaw added the same results to his second place to take fourth overall. Lawrence Baker improved his standing in the DYC pecking order by scoring 6,7,7 to take the second DYC slot in fifth place.

After a glorious day's sailing the fleet ran back upriver against the now ebbing tide, where tea and cakes awaited on the welcoming club verandah. Thanks to all at the club, on and off the water, who made the event a special one. We hope you will invite us back next year.

Overall Results:

PosBoatSail NoHelmClubR1R2R3R4Pts
1stScaramouche135Robin ParsonsDeben YC‑31113
2ndSmoke On The Water113Dave BarkerDraycote Water SC‑42327
3rd 131Roger MillettChichester YC13‑548
4th 146Andrew McGawBurghfield SC2‑6439
5thLaugh Out Loud106Lawrence BakerDeben YC‑542511
6thBlue Bird104Tom AdamsDeben YC‑756617
7thMr Blue Sky112Alan GrantDeben YC6‑77720
8thSilent Annie119Matthew GillinghamDeben YC‑10881026
9th 133Paul NorrisDeben YC(DSQ)910827
10thKaon137Kevin ConnellyDeben YC8‑1111928
11th 128John AdamsDeben YC9109‑1128

Related Articles

Hadron H2 Solent Trophy at Warsash
An exhausted Richard Leftley sailed in knowing he had won the Travellers Trophy as well Over the weekend of 5-6 October, Warsash Sailing Club hosted the popular annual H2 event for the Solent Trophy. The event was added extra spice as, this being the final event of the H2 season, the new Travellers Trophy series was also to be decided. Posted on 7 Oct
Hadron H2 Nationals at Brixham overall
No wind and no racing on the final day after a superb barbecue at the host club After a super barbecue meal at the host club on the Saturday evening, with a round of drinks provided for all competitors by Chris Brown and Hadron Dinghies, the competitors retired with little expectations for sailing on the final day of the event. Posted on 8 Sep
Hadron H2 Nationals at Brixham Day 2
Even damper than day one and with a similar wind strength Day two at Brixham turned out to be even damper than day one and with a similar wind strength (5 knots) we may have expected similar results. But no - a new helm won race 3 and race 4. Posted on 8 Sep
Hadron H2 Nationals at Brixham Day 1
Some sunshine, unlike what was forecast Most of the competitors unpacked their boats in torrential rain on the day before the event - and the forecast was for more of the same. But the forecasters were proved wrong (as they often are) and Friday, September 6th, was dry with some sunshine. Posted on 7 Sep
Chichester Harbour Race Week 2024
60th edition attracs 383 entries across 20 different fleets As Chichester Harbour Race Week 2024 reached its last-day climax, there was still all to sail for in many of the 20 different fleets competing. Posted on 2 Sep
Hadron H2 Nationals at Brixham Preview
A record number of H2s will be attending in the warm waters of Torbay Next weekend a record number of H2s will be attending the 8th Hadron H2 National Championship. 30% of the entire UK fleet will be competing for three days in the warm waters of Torbay. Posted on 31 Aug
Hadron H2 Open at Chichester
Nine veteran sailors do battle, fresh from (watching) the Olympics As dawn broke on a sunny Chichester mud pond, nine veteran sailors, fresh from (watching) the Olympics, arrived with their trusty Hadron H2 weapons which as we know is "the thinking man's single-hander", ready to do battle in the tidal creek. Posted on 6 Aug
Hadron H2 Open at Deben Yacht Club
An eventful open including a spectacular rain squall Deben Yacht Club held an eventful open meeting for Hadron H2 dinghies on Sunday, 7th July. The weather forecast was 'exciting' to say the least, with anything from sunshine to thunderstorms possible. Posted on 8 Jul
Hadron H2 Inlands at Queen Mary
Not a great day for the heavyweights! 22 Hadron H2's, representing 18 different clubs from the length and breadth of England, arrived at a glassy smooth Queen Mary reservoir for Round 2 of the H2 Travellers Trophy. Posted on 21 May
Hadron H2 Solent Trophy at Warsash
Final event of the H2 season at one of the favourite venues of the class Warsash Sailing Club is one of the favourite venues for the Hadron H2s. The Hamble club hosted the first H2 Nationals in 2017 when every H2 then built attended and we have been back nearly every year since. Posted on 8 Oct 2023
Maritimo 2023 M600 FOOTERSavvy Navvy 2024