Thanks Annie,
Brixham Heritage Sailing Regatta May 27th and 28th 2017
After an excellent fish supper laid on by the Brixham yacht club and the spectacular and noisy Brixfest fireworks on Saturday, more than 30 heritage boats sailed (Corinthian Rules) around the 5 mile triangular course off Brixham on the Sunday, including the sailing trawlers Vigilance and Pilgrim, luggers, gaff rigs, Bermudan (Marconi) rigs older than 30 years and the two junk rigs, James and Sally Thomas’ and Clive Warren’s Ivory Gull and Ted and Fiona Stone’s Fly. Hui Mar, Dennis and Dawn Shepherd’s Atlanta 28 Junk and Belladean, Mike and Hazel Bartell’s Atlanta 28 Pointy who had also entered but were held back in Axmouth harbour by fog and onshore wind unfortunately arrived too late to start.
The wind was about 3 to 4 at the start but during the second lap it died away and the event was shortened from three to two laps. Fly had finished and was back near her mooring when a “Mayday” VHF call was heard from Ivory Gull who was still sailing out in the Bay. The bowsprit of the small gaff rigger Moya had crashed through Ivory Gull’s wooden toe rail, and through the upper cabin side, very seriously injuring the leg of James Thomas who had been standing on the deck. Luckily Clive Warren is a trained First Aider and was able to give vital first aid. Both of Torbay’s RNLI boats attended and after further treatment from paramedics ashore James was airlifted by the Devon Air Ambulance to Derriford Hospital in Plymouth.
Pictures and results of the regatta will be published on http://www.brixhamheritagesailing.org.uk/ in due course