Cat Cup 2026 – Race Report

With light winds forecast and a falling tide, alongside 3 races to complete for the illustrious Cat Cup- it was agreed by all that it was essential for an efficient rig up, course layout and start.

The first excitement of the day was noted when Jason took the cover off Martin’s Dart. In consultation with his crew it had been agreed that as it was the Cat cup it was best for all boats to be Cats as no monohull were racing. 4 boats down on the beach pronto- Pete and Sam on the new to Pete Pringle 15, the Pink Delight, and the Hemsley Dart followed by the White dart. All boats rigged including the White dart. Some comparison between rigging with regards to darts took place and then the decision to get into the neoprene. All helms and crews back on the beach and waiting for the rescue boat to appear. And appear… and appear. Eventually a request to SB to move her car and use it for a jump start. SB duly obliged. Tractor dead. Eventually and spark was seen after deploying the hammer approach and the solenoid cable was identified as the issue as it had fractured. After some wiggling and tape it was botched for today’s use. Excellent.

Tractor 🚜 and rescue boat on beach and rescue boat launched. And then nothing- just floating off over the groins. After much head scratching it was agreed by all that a rescue boat with no power was not much of a Rescue boat. Rescue boat recovered- and taken up. Little Grey prepped. Little Grey launched. 2 buoys laid. Little Grey stopped. Only to then run intermittently. Buoys recovered to the bemusement of all the boats on the water.

Eventually all boats came ashore as little Grey was pulled up the beach. As everyone wanted to do something it was agreed to do a Le Mans start. With the crews sprinting from the prom to the boats in the water and then a launch. The race would go down to Lavender and back. All 3 races would be the same and run back to back. Yvette and Sam were able to spring away like gazelles over the shingle- followed at a distance by SB who found the going hard and hobbled and wobbled down the beach in the antithesis of the elegance presented by the other two. However finally the race sequence was launched.

The races themselves were good, but straightforward- two reaches really although the downwind on the way back was more of a fetch. Results are to follow but Pete is very very keen for EVERYONE to know that he won the first race. Whilst we are pending the results it would be remiss not to offer huge thanks to James and Gervase who never gave up trying to find solutions to all the technical issues of the day.