– Recollections from Ron Davies
Last week Don Warner pointed out that our 150th Anniversary Book pays tribute to RBYC’s Centenary Regatta held exactly 50 years ago on 6 & 7 February 1975. At the February First Friday lunch on 6 February five club members recalled being part of that regatta, Peter Austin, Mary-Alice Tedstone, Patrick Purcell, Clarissa Flockhardt and Ron Davies. Below are some recollections from Ron about the regatta.
The main sailing event of the 1975 Centenary Year celebrations was the race started in accordance with the method used in the early years, referred to as the 1875 Race.
In the early days the race was started with all yachts entered anchored on the laid start line, in the position allocated by ballot drawn during the week before and notified to yacht skippers prior to the race day. Yachts were rigged with main hoisted but not setting and the jib connected but lowered to the foredeck ready for hoisting. Upon firing of the start gun the yachts hoisted the jib, raised the anchor and started their yacht race amid the chaos of all the boats setting sails and getting under way.
In 1975 all yacht crews were asked to dress in the style of the era, many various dress styles emerged including one skipper in Admiral’s uniform. The yacht selected as being the best dressed appropriate to the times was my newly launched Adams half tonner Independence of Brighton crew were in blue and white striped tee shirts, white jeans, rolled up, boater hats, skipper dressed in collar and tie, blazer grey pants and sailing cap.