The Melik,afloat.
Gone With The Wind
Article reproduced from SUDANOW 1979
The Blue Nile Sailing Club’s racing programme was badly hit recently by lack of wind. Sailing conditions are generally much lighter than elsewhere in the world, but the unseasonably hot weather between mid-December and the middle of last month led to not only poor, but also erratic winds. In the course of a race the wind might vary from due East to due west, making sailing either interesting or extremely exasperating.
A moonlight race organised just before the Christmas holidays was abandoned due to the almost total lack of wind. Instead , the competitors motored or towed their boats to Tuti Island for a barbeque supper and carol singing.
The Blue Nile Regatta, scheduled for 22nd December was similarly affected, and the majority of the programme was postponed for a week. Only the eliminating heats of the Tracy Plate were completed. The final of the Plate was attempted, but the competitors ran out of time, with Stevens (32) having a commanding lead.
A moderate wind on the 27th enabled the final of the Tracy Plate to be held. Stevens was unlucky. At a crucial point his rudder became disconnected, leaving him floundering in the middle of the river. Casson (36) was first, followed by Koutsoudis (50) and Robertson (3). The rest of the Regatta programme included the final’s of the Commodore’s Cup, the Cadet race for competitors under 18, and the Vanian Cup. Koutsoudis came first in the Commodore’ Cup, followed by Stevens and Ellis (43). Stevens won the Vanian Cup, with Casson second and Le Poldevin (27) coming third.
The trophies were presented by Mrs Carden, wife of the Ambassador. The Ambassador, himself, competed in the final race coming 6th.
The annual long-distance race from Umm Dom Island – for the Watson Trophy – was held on 5th of last month. Unfortunately, the low water level of the Blue Nile made it unsafe to race around the island. Amid a great deal of confusion concerning the starting time of the race, 13 boats set off from the “MELIK”. They raced to the Northern end of Umm Dom and back, with the return journey being particularly difficult. A blustery wind caused moderate waves , and most of the boats had shipped several litres of water by the time the race ended.
Those boats carrying extra weight, in the form of additional crew, were most successful. Again Stevens was unlucky, losing his rudder, and with it a comfortable lead, with only a quarter of the distance remaining. The final result was a win for Koutsoudis. A close fight for second place followed in which Casson beat Wilson (35) by only half a metre or so.
However, due to the confusion at the start of the race, a protest was lodged and a decision made to re-run it a later date.
Despite the difficult weather conditions three race series were completed last month. The One-Design Trophy was won by Casson with 82 points. Kpoutsoudis was second with 79 points and Ellis third with 72 points. The’A’ and Novice class trophies for the series also went to Ellis.
In the Cadet Cup for under 18’s, Neil Casson was first with 65 points, and the Robertson brothers second and third. The Tuti Island series was won by Koutsoudis, with Stevens and Rollason taking second and third places respectively.
A second moonlight race was held on 9th. A fleet of nine boats completed a short race under a bright full moon. This sort of race is particularly appreciated by foreign members of the Club, who seldom get the opportunity to sail under such conditions. After the race, the boats sailed to Tuti, and, in spite of what seemed to be the coldest night of the winter, everyone enjoyed the barbeque and campfire which completed the evening
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