Dell Quay sailors don't let lockdown stop them getting their racing fix

With dinghy racing as we know it on hold for several weeks, competitive sailors at Dell Quay Sailing club switched codes and took up eSailing in order to get their racing fix.
eSailing requires skills similar in some ways to sailing itselfeSailing requires skills similar in some ways to sailing itself
eSailing requires skills similar in some ways to sailing itself

The format takes a bit of getting used to but once acclimatised it becomes apparent that it shares much with the real thing.

DQSC’s chosen platform, Virtual Regatta Inshore, cleverly replicates wind shifts, wind shadows, wave action and lee-bow among a host of other realistic features.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Virtual Regatta also enforces yacht racing rules, though sometimes with questionable decisions which, if anything, encourages more gentlemanly behaviour.

The sport of eSailing has proved popular among Dell Quay membersThe sport of eSailing has proved popular among Dell Quay members
The sport of eSailing has proved popular among Dell Quay members

DQSC hosted two events, with 17 competitors in total racing over two series, each of two races. The age of helms in the fleet has ranged from ten to 70 and experience from 50-plus years to complete beginner.

The first three races of series one were raced in the two-sail star which makes for tactical upwind racing and close downwind legs where wind-shadows become key.

Races four to six were sailed in 49ers, bringing in a whole new skillset with downwind angles and laylines making the difference.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The final three races were run in the J70, combining elements from both the Star and the 49er.

The first series was won by Will Parrett, with Mark Garder in second and Steve Holcroft third, just ahead of Mike Dicker. Jon Rutter, new to sailing this season, clocked an impressive fifth despite crashing out of two races because of slow bandwidth!

Series results: 1st Will Parrett (6 pts); 2nd Mark Gardner (11 pts); 3rd Steve Holcroft (18 pts); First Junior - Ethan Sparkes; First over 60 – Mark Harper (or DQSC Nobby as he is now known)

Series one had been a great start for eSailing at DQSC and series two was even better attended, with many having clearly practiced between series.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Following the same Star, 49er, J70 format, Racing was close with nine different sailors featuring in the top three over the series. There were some impressive individual efforts, not least from Tim Boon who left the rest of the fleet for dead in race six to win by eight seconds.

The series was won overall by Will Parrett, with Mark Gardner in second and Shaun Pollard in third. Pollard just pipped Holcroft who came in fourth, followed by Tim Boon and Jon Rutter in fifth and sixth.

Series results: 1st Will Parrett (9 pts); 2nd Mark Gardner (13 pts); 3rd Shaun Pollard (18 pts); First Junior - Ethan Sparkes; First over 60 – Andrew Horne.

The ‘sport’ of eSailing has proved a positive addition for DQSC sailors and they plan to host more events.