Whos an April Fool?

Published 20:27 on 2 Apr 2023

Our Chief Jester, sorry Race Officer, James Stevenson set a fiendish course for our April Fools Day race. Just 4 marks which could be taken in any order chosen by the helm and 2 gate marks laid just off the clubhouse. This provided excellent spectating as you had to gybe each every time you entered the gate.

And so it was that six intrepid fools set off, four choosing to go for mark 1 first and two to mark 2. On returning to the gate you then had to sail to the opposite mark, thus two of us went to mark 1 and the other for to mark 2. Upon returning to the gate each helm could then decide whether to go to marks 3 or 4 before starting the whole process over again. Once youd done this three times it was time for the final lap sailing the perimeter of the whole course.

With a wind that started in the west and then tracked steadily right through north-west, NNW, N and even NNE. Unsurprisingly only two of us managed to get our heads around this and even then it was dubious as to whether youd gone to each and every mark correctly. Just as well that our chief jester had a team of eagle eyed spotters to monitor and record the mark roundings.

Maybe unsurprisingly it was the Commodore, Mike Commander and ex rear Commodore, Peter Hearne, who know these waters better than most and were the only two to complete the course correctly. And there was me thinking senility was setting in but no Im still compos mentis!

James seemed to take great pride in pointing out that Mike would be King of the April Fools until 2028 which is when April 1st next falls on a Saturday. What an honour!

Huge thanks to James for his imagination and resourcefulness in setting up such an imaginative event, to those that were course spotters and to Frances for the luscious cakes that the spectators and competitors tucked into

Mike Commander

Commodore and King April Fool

Photos courtesy of Garnett Showell and Mike Commander

Last updated 17:31 on 12 May 2025