Laser sailors heat up North Sound

Jane Moon

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Dinghy racing is back and flourishing at Cayman Islands Sailing Club. An enthusiastic group of Laser sailors enjoyed the finest conditions that North Sound could offer recently with Robert Jackson emerging victorious at the end of three races for the Bacardi trophy. Dinghy racing is held the first Sunday of each month. Dinghy fleets at CISC, which disappeared in Hurricane Ivan, are now being replaced in both the racing and sail training programmes at CISC. Firstly, the club is resurrecting the Byte fleet. The boats survived Ivan with the hulls intact although all sails, foils and spars stored at the club were lost. The club has just placed an order for new centre and dagger boards and CII Byte rigs (www.ps2000.ca/boats/byte/byte.htm). This latest rig from Byte now dominates the class, just missed selection for the single handed women’s dinghy for the Olympics (from 2008), is easy to depower and is being used all over the world. This programme is being sponsored by Butterfield Bank, Stuarts Walker Hersant, Digicel and Conyers Dill & Pearman. Secondly, the club is about to order a fleet of RS Feva (www.rssailing.com) two man dinghies.

Sponsors are being sought for the boats to be bought for club use – anyone wishing to sponsor one should contact Commodore Andrew Moon (andrew@moon.ky or 916 3554) as soon as possible. So far, five individuals have confirmed they wish to purchase an RS Feva for their own or family use so and with four being sought for club use there will be an active fleet of this new exciting boat. The Club is also looking to add a few Laser Picos (the current learn to sail dinghy for both youth and adult programmes at CISC) to this order and is also researching the possibility of bringing in to Cayman a small fleet of used Laser dinghies.

Anyone interested in more information on these boats or sailing lessons and race programmes at Cayman Islands Sailing Club should contact either Heather Bradley or Mike Weber on 947 7913.