The Annual Deauville Race, jointly organised by the Royal London Yacht Club
and the Royal Southern Yacht Club and the Junior Offshore Group (JOG), took
place this year over the Spring Bank Holiday Weekend of Friday 22 to Monday
25 May. The previous evening, on Thursday 21 May, an excellent Dinner was
held at the Club to welcome Monsieur Bernard Gorgeu, The President of the
Deauville Yacht Club (DYC), and many other DYC Members who had arrived in
Cowes to participate in the race.
RLYC participants in the Deauville Race this year included Patrick Green
and his crew in Swan Galiana, Huw Alban Davies and his crew in Scot Free,
Andrew Jackson and his crew in Fandango, John and Margaret Young and their
crew in Crackertoo, and Peter Collins and his crew in Mahi. Other regular
Club racers were prevented from joining in this year because of a clash of
timing with a RORC Fasnet Race qualifying race held over the same weekend.
Nevertheless it was very encouraging to see so many Club boats undertaking
this event for the first time. The racing yachts were ably supported in
Deauville by other Club Motor Yachts, notably Richard and Sonia Carver in
Marie-Claire, and Vicki Wyatt in Quayline II. A large number of other Club
Members joined in the fun, either by hitching a lift in one of the boats,
or by making their own way across to Deauville. In the event, a mixture of
very fresh Easterly winds and choppy seas from the outset, followed by
absolute flat calm and no wind for much of Friday night made for
frustrating sailing conditions, and many participants used their engines in
the interests of ensuring that they could enjoy the “Run Ashore” in
Deauville.
The established programme of events once again provided excellent
entertainment. A very well attended reception was held at the Deauville
Yacht Club (DYC) at lunchtime on Saturday, jointly hosted by the Club, the
Royal Southern Yacht Club and JOG. This was followed, on Saturday evening,
by the much anticipated Annual RLYC Dinner at the Lucienne Barriere Hotel
in Deauville. 31 Club Members, led by our Commodore Philip Shears and
Sarah, and 3 Official Guests, enjoyed pre-dinner champagne in a splendid
private room, followed by a sumptious dinner with a superb seafood buffet
and excellent supporting dishes. It was a splendid event.
At prizegiving the following day, unfortunately the RLYC did not collect
any silverware, but the highlight was undoubtedly The Commodore’s
excellent speech of thanks delivered in immaculate French to a large number
of very impressed DYC yachtsmen. (The rest of us unfortunately couldn’t
understand him!). Vicki Wyatt then tested the alongside capacity of her
lovely boat, Quayline II, by once again inviting all comers on board for a
drink or two and a bite to eat. Some 50 worthies made their way onboard
during the course of the afternoon and loyalty prevents me from saying who
the last Chairman of Sailing to leave was! A very good time was had by all
in brilliant sunshine.
All in all, Deauville lived well up to its billing as an excellent port of
call, and many participants took advantage of the opportunities over the
weekend to visit the open air markets in Deauville and Trouville, and to
feast themselves at one or more of the superb range of seafood restaurants
all around the town.
Neil Robertson, Club Rally Co-ordinator
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