Category: Latest News

Marine Cover Maker – Immediate start – Harwich, Essex

Dolphins’ Cover Department has had substantial uninterrupted growth for the past 12 years, we now have a fabulous opportunity for a marine cover maker – The position is available immediately. We are looking for applications from either experienced marine cover makers or candidates with a sailing / boating background who have a true desire to produce the highest quality covers. The successful candidate will be responsible for designing and creating covers that Dolphin have become synonymous with. Each item is a unique product and great care and attention is given to every one.

 

What is required:

Prepared to confidently communicate with customers via telephone, email / post and during direct meetings.

Be attentive to the customers requirements and ensure that excellent records are maintained at all times.

Attention to detail is maintained for every customer.

The ability to demonstrate and explain the benefits of fabrics, hardware and design details.

Flexible to travel through out the UK and Europe – predominantly East Anglia, Southampton and the Mediterranean.

Clean driving licence with the right to drive in the United Kingdom and the European Union.

Knowledge of design software packages would be an advantage.

This opportunity offers a wonderful career path to work in a growing team that has established itself as a market leader.

Covering letters and curriculum vitaes can be submitted to Paul Gray:

sails@dolphin-sails.com or Paul Gray, 400 Main Road, Harwich, Essex, C012 4DN

01255 243366

Dolphin Sails Roadshow at Titchmarsh Marina – Saturday 9th November

Come along for a chat and see what we are up to. We have had a busy season promoting some fantastic new products including our uniquely designed Tensile Awnings and a new woven polyester sail fabric from Dimension Polyant that is ideal for radial designed sails. Another great idea is the Karver Top Down Furler, this is very popular for boats that are short handed as a safe and easy method to launch their cruising chutes.

Members of Dolphin’s sail and cover teams will be on hand to answer any questions about sail servicing, new sails, sail settings and marine covers. If you have a specific enquiry or would like a member of the team to meet you on board please contact the Loft.

When and where??

Saturday 9th November – 10am until 4pm – Near to the Titchmarsh Marina Office – look out for the display trailer.

Need your sails or covers washed and serviced this winter, don’t forget Dolphin have a drop off point at Titchmarsh Marina.

Call the Loft for further details 01255 243366

Oyster’s CEO, David Tydeman, welcomed the 26 yachts, representing 11 nations to the 9th Palma Regatta. As usual there was a very friendly mix of family crews who had never raced before and the crews who had notched up several Regattas.

With such a wide spectrum of boats, it was decided the fleet should be split in to 3 classes and that Superyacht rules be introduced to ensure safe and fun sailing.

The forecast was for the winds to lighten as the Regatta progressed and so it was decided to get racing underway as quickly as possible and complete the series whilst the breeze held. With great race management and the wind gods looking favourably on the fleet the 4 fleet races and the pursuit race enjoyed excellent conditions.

With close racing guaranteed across all 3 fleets, it was going to be a fantastic Regatta.
Whilst each class had a clear winner there were many individual battles to keep everyone on their toes.

The two 885’s topped Class One with Karibu coming out ahead of Clare. Spirit of Phantom sailed consistently to claim 3rd overall and she was always very keen to fly her personalised asymmetric.

In the mid fleet class the Russian entry, Guardian Angel stormed to victory in the first 3 races leaving Rocas and Lady Mariposa to sail for the other podium places. The Brazilian entry, Rocas, claimed the ‘silver medal’ with a neat score of four seconds, but Lady Mariposa proved a point by winning the last race. It was easy to spot this 625 on the race course as she flew her beautifully ornate asymmetric with the butterfly image when ever she could!

Class 3 had the largest number of entries, with the majority of yachts being either a 56 or 575, racing was always going to be very tight. The 575 Zaybo sailed wonderfully to take three first and a second, she probably would have had a perfect score if they had not touched the top mark in race 2. Filling the other podium spots were the still very competitive 56’s of Cat B and Rock Oyster. Dolphin Sails boats filled the to 5 positions.

The now traditional Regatta finale, the Pursuit Race, adds to the Race Officers pressure to ensure start times are spot on and boats are all closely bunched when the two hour time limit expires. One of the early starters, Helen (575) slipped away and sailed very well to claim the coveted prize, but she was closely followed by a group of boats including On Liberty (winners in Grenada!), Acheron and Dama de Noche. Helen had been sailed from the East Coast of the UK just for the Regatta.

The weather and courses were perfect for each boat to set downwind sails for each race. Whilst the snuffer is still the most common form of setting the sail, as we have reported from previous Regattas, the trend for yachts to have either ‘top down’ furlers or coded sail furlers is still growing. Most suppliers have something that is suitable for the whole Oyster range, however the Karver system is the most popular within the fleet. Dolphin have been supplying the Karver systems and specialist torsion cables to many of the boats from the 46 up to the 72 – but they can be used on the Oyster 27 up to the 125! Nearly half of the 575’s afloat have the Karver Top Down furler on board.

The Top Down furler system is easier and safer to set than the snuffer system. The furler allows for a quicker deployment and furl of the sail – this can all be done from the cockpit with the help of a primary winch. It was noticeable that those boats using furlers had their sail set quicker and for longer than those with snuffers.

Despite the Regatta taking place in October the weather was still very good, with plenty of sunshine. After each days racing the crew of Oyster Reach were able to quickly and simply erect their bespoke tensile awning. Having had the awning since June they have used it so much that they can put it up in under 5 minutes. At over 8m long and with mesh side panels it gives brilliant protection from sun (and the one rain shower!). The 885, Clare, enjoyed using her simple but very effective awning that when sailing is stowed in the boom

With boats packed up and crews changed everyone headed off to the prize giving in the beautiful grounds of Cap Rocat.

This was another fabulous Oyster Regatta that proved to be a great success all round. Those who were new to racing certainly got bitten by the bug and plan to be back as often as possible.

Oyster Regattas are supported by Dolphin Sails, Lewmar, Pantaenius Yacht Insurance, Pelagos Yachts, Raymarine and Formula Marine.

Next Regatta – Antigua April 2014.

Blue Beeste wins again

Congratulation to Martin, Charlie and the team on the X332 Blue Beetse for a stunning set of results in the 2013 Haven Series. Ten races were sailed and Beeste performed brilliantly to score 6 wins and a second to convincingly take the top spot. 

 

 

Not long to go before the next two big IRC / local handicap racing events on the East Coast – have you got your entry in yet?

Medway Yacht Club Regatta (Sponsored by Dolphin Sails) starts on Thursday 11th July and runs until the 14th – this is open to IRC rated yachts and local handicap. Lots of great, close racing to be had on the Medway and undoubtedly Neil and his team will have the bar operating at full capacity. 

http://www.medwayyachtclub.com/

 

SailEast 2013 (Sponsored by Dolphin Sails) The second round of racing takes place as part of the Felixstowe Regatta over the weekend of 13th / 14th July. There will be 4 races with the best three counting towards SailEast. The X35 ‘Kiss’ one the first event but could you do better!

The overall winner of SailEast 2013 will receive a £1000 vouchure to use against a new Dolphin race sail. 

http://saileast.org/events/

 

Congratulations to Lady Mariposa and Vamos for their great results in the round the island race

 

1st Overall – ISC Rating Div 4A – Lady Mariposa

6th Overall – ISC Rating Div 4A – Vamos

 

Dreamer of Hamblewins the 31st Regatta.

20 Oysters arrived in the beautiful setting of Grenada for the 31st Regatta. This is a popular destination for Oysters with its great facilities and truly wonderful sailing conditions.

The flags of 5 nations proudly flew from the sterns as crews got to work with the chamois and polish for the Concours d’Elegance. With boats shinning brightly, owners and skippers headed to the briefing to hear about th eplans for the week.

Tuesday – Race One – Sponsored by Dolphin Sails
Start – Port Louis; Finish – Le Phare Bleu

The Dolphin Sails sponsored Race One started on time and in perfect conditions. The boats were treated to sunshine and 20kts. Class Two were first away and it was the two 575’s (Sophistikate and Dreamer of Hamble

) that went around the first mark together. Sophistikate just had the edge and both crews had to work hard on the reach down to Point Salines. Dreamertried various moves but couldnt do enough to pass the leading boat. From Point Salines it was a beat to the finish, Dreamer edged passed her rival and sailing a more offshore course Sarabi gained on both 575’s to win the class by just under a minute. All three boats are powered by Dolphin DYS Dyneema laminate sails.

It was even closer in Class One between the big boats. Matawai (655) sneaked through to win by just 3 seconds from Starry Night. In a very credible 3rd place was the husband and wife team on board Bill & Me

Wednesday – Race Two – Sponsored by Pelagos Yachts
Start – Le Phare Blue; Finish Port Louis

The course for Race Two was the reverse of the previous day. It started with a 2 mile beat, followed by a run down to Point Salines before a reach up to the finish. A number of boats opted to take the extra rating and fly their asymmetrics. It was a lovely sight as an array of colour, enhanced with some boats having logos on the sails.

In Class One Starry Night romped home winning by over 14 minutes on corrected time. Part of her success was down to the fact that she was able to fly the assy of the spinnaker pole allowing for a deeper sailing angle and therfore a shorter distance to Point Salines. Again, more than matching the race teams on board other boats was Bill & Me, she took 2nd place ahead of the 82 Rivendell

Class Two – Dreamer of Hamble got away to a flier and never looked back, she sailed the 2 mile beat perfectly and then poled out the headsail to ensure she made the corner in one at Point Salines finishing the race to record a very comfortable win. Sarabi also opted to go ‘white sails’ only – sailing the shorter distance allowed her to nip in front of a number of boats before th ereach up to the last mark. On the reach each boat worked hard to the sound of creaking sheets and whirling winches. Sarabi held of the 575 Sophistikate, 56 Stardust of Burnham and the Scottish crew on Jigsaw

Friday – Race Three – Sponsored by Lewmar

Start / Finish – Port Louis

The fleet was set a challenging course just outside the harbour, the gusty and shifty conditions kept the crews working hard

In Class Two it was not a case of how you started but how you finished. Chris Glossop time dthe start wrongly leaving Dreamer to be the last to cross the start line but with the boat speed he has shown in the previous two races he climbed through the fleet to take line honours and the win on handicap. The fight for second was intense, the 575 Sophistikate just edged ahead of Sarabi by 23 seconds.

Iw was so close in Class One that Matawai and Starry Night could not be separated on corrected time. Rivendell who had been one of the few boats to opt for downwind sails finished 3rd.

Saturday – Race Four – Sponsored by Raymarine
Start / Finish – Port Louis

With a perfect 20kt breeze a short course was set which would allow enough time in the afternoon for the fun pursuit race.

Yet again Class Two got away to a great start. Most boats opted for the Committe Boat end but it was the team on Dreamer who went for the pin and poled out the headsail. Sarabi and Sophistikate battled hard for the remaining podium place. By just 12 seconds Sophistikate took 2nd from the very consistent Sarabi. In fact Harvey, Sue ans Alice were never placed outside the top 3.

In Class One the three 82’s had a great tussle, Rivendell sailed a wonderful race to take the gun, but on corrected time Starry Night just pipped her and Ravenous II was only 13 seconds behind to claim 3rd.

Saturday – Pusuit Race – Prizes by Sailkote Plus

With the Class trophies all decided there was one more chance for boats to do battle and claim the chance for a free Sailkote Plus treament for a sail. Chief Race Officer, David Tydeman, set each boat off at their carefully calculated alloted time with the intention of a two hour race. On Liberty sailed perfectly to over take the early starters and hold off the challenge of the big boats.

Overall it was a magnificent Regatta, superbly organised and set in the beautiful location of Camper & Nicholsons Port Louis Marine. Many congratulations go to the expertly sailed Dreamer of Hamble, helmed by owner Chris Glossop and crewed by the young team from Ireland.