When the skippers and crews arrived on the beach for last Monday’s lugger racing, they were met with a fresh south west wind and a very lumpy sea. Not a place for the faint-hearted or a delicate stomach.

Seven luggers launched for the race.

Three boats crossed the starting line together - the Enterprise, Percy Mitchell and Scrumpy, all sailing hard in a westerly direction towards the windward mark.

The Mary and Twilight came in shorewards on a different tack from the rest. This lost them a bit of ground.

The Enterprise just held the lead from the Percy Mitchell and, making the windward mark first, carried on in that position for the first round of the race.

During the second round, the Percy Mitchell came inshore, tacking, while the Enterprise stayed outside.

Coming to the windward mark again, both luggers were in contention as to who would arrive first. With the Percy Mitchell on starboard tack, this gave them the right of way.

The Enterprise, which was on port tack, thought they were going to squeeze through. There was a collision, so the Enterprise had to do a penalty turn which cost four positions and a broken tiller.

As the weather and sea conditions deteriorated, it was decided to shorten the length of the race. This left the Percy Mitchell, with a broken outrigger, well in front to cross the finishing line first, followed by Scrumpy and Moondance.

Result of the Race:

1, Percy Mitchell, sailed by A Green; 2, Scrumpy, sailed by G Lockyer; 3, Moondance, sailed by G Pook; 4, Twilight, sailed by P Bagwell; 5, Mary, sailed by D Boalch; 6, Enterprise, sailed by J Adkin; 7, Puffin, sailed by R Driver.

Result by handicap: winner, Scrumpy.