In the week before Dieppe Dash 2024, the WhatsApp group messages had  included several posts focusing on the evolving weather forecasts for the day of the event. The forecasts seemed to be changing every few hours. Was the promised band of stronger wind passing through during or before the event? And how quickly and how much would the wind die down?

By the time of the safety briefing on Thursday evening it seemed likely the conditions would be good enough for most boats to attempt to Dash. The race started at 7am on Friday morning in a choppy sea with a westerly wind giving fast boat speeds. The wind gradually lessened through the day and several spinnakers were hoisted towards the end of the trip, though many of the rally boats opted to motor the last part to ensure adequate drinking time in Dieppe.

Of 35 boats who entered, 25 arrived safely in Dieppe by evening with two more coming the following day.  Most boats finished in sunshine, though a few arriving just before sunset were greeted with a dark rain cloud and a glorious double rainbow.

The IRC race was won again by Redeye, with Kokomo coming second as well as getting line honours, having finished in just over 8 hours and 2 minutes.  In third place was Baradal with all boats finishing within 15 minutes of each other.

Unfortunately the wind died too much for the last two boats in the NHC fleet to be able to cope with increasing tidal stream and they retired less that a kilometre from the finish line!  But the first two boats finished with Foule Sentimentale winning first place, beating Silver Fox by only 5 seconds on corrected time. 

The Saturday was sunny and calm, an ideal rest day in Dieppe.  Yet again our French stakeholders were very supportive and welcoming, ensuring the continuing success of the event. Overall, this was the most successful running of Dieppe Dash since Brexit and COVID.

See you next year.

 

In the days leading up to the 11th Dieppe Dash, there was some anxiety among the organisers about whether the wind would be too strong, according to some forecasts. However by the night before, the forecast had settled to a predicted force 5 from the west.

31 boats had entered but inevitably some dropped out. In the end, 22 boats – 11 racing and 11 rally boats – succesfully made their way across the Channel, all arriving at a very respectable time, the last boat coming in to harbour around 7 pm BST.

Many of the racing boats had managed to have a spinnaker up some of the time. The first to arrive was Redeye, who came first in the IRC race, with Temptress coming second and Kokomo third.

The NHC race was dominated by French boats with Bigaro II coming first, and Foule Sentimentale coming second. Summation came in third.

The wind died overnight and Saturday was a pleasant day with intermittent sunshine and plenty of opportunity to explore Dieppe. Les Douanes, customs and border control came to the yacht club on Saturday morning to admit everyone to the Schengen area. They were very helpful and agreed to meet crew from those boats that were leaving on Sunday morning at 7am near the top ofthe ramp from the pontoons.

We were made very welcome in the yacht club and the organisers received lots of very positive feedback from happy sailors. Boats returning home on Sunday and Monday had rather less wind then when they arrived, with most using the engine at some stage.

After a gap of three years for a pandemic, the 10th Dieppe Dash felt like an exploration for the organisers. What were events such as Dieppe Dash going to be like in a post-Brexit post-COVID world? What were the new rules and how would they be implemented? There was still uncertainty about things like immigration and customs by the time we started.

About 20 boats entered the event and 18 set off from Brighton on a morning that promised plenty of wind for the sailors, coming from the north east. Good conditions for a fast sail and a challenging lee-shore finish for the racers. And before the sunset, all boats were accounted for, excellent news for the people on the harbour arm.

All the rally boats arrived safely, although Green Wellys, the only motor cruiser did it in two steps, via an overnight in Dover. Most of the racing boats managed to have a spinnaker up for part of the journey, which was all on the same tack. So the real skill was in keeping going as fast as possible and judging when to have a spinnaker and when not to.

The first boat to arrive was Assuage. In the IRC fleet, 1st place went to Redeye. Kokomo came second and Baradal were third.

In the NHC fleet, the single-handed Emocean was first, with Blue Bird second and Ascent third.

Our concerns about difficulties arriving in France were unfounded. We were met with the same warm welcome as usual. And the weather was glorious. We have already set the date for next year. See you in Dieppe then!

Dear Dieppe Dash supporters

In response to the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, the Dieppe Dash organisers have reviewed the present UK Government rules and guidance with the proposed timline for coming out of lockdown as well as current trends in infection in UK and in France. Although yacht racing will be possible, it is unlikely that foreign travel will be sufficiently safe or permitted in time to make arrangements for the planned date of the Dieppe Dash 2021 event – 30th April.

Therefore the organisers have decided that the event will not take place on that date.

However, please register Friday, 29^th April 2022 in your diaries when we hope to run the 2022 Dieppe Dash.