Ray Hutchings at the Classic Moth Midwinter Regatta.
SAILINGRAY Hutchings flew the flag for the Island when he came second in his class at the Classic Moth Midwinter Regatta, held on Florida’s Gulf Coast.
Ray, who won Cowes Dinghy Week twice in the 1970s travelled to the USA for his first competitive dinghy race in more than 30 years and came up trumps in the Generation 1 class.
And he kept the link with the Island strong by competing in Florida-based Islander Len Parker's sought-after McCutcheon Shelley Moth, sail number 2721, which was built in Wootton Bridge, by Bill McCutcheon, of New Road, and exported to the USA in 1965.
Another McCutcheon-built Moth, built in 1964, was also sailed at the competition, which was hosted by Gulfport Yacht Club and organised by the Classic Moth Boat Association.
Almost 20 Moth sailors took part in the competition.
The first day of competition was suspended because of tornado warnings in the Tampa Bay area but Ray, the only international competitor taking part, was in action on the second day, by which time the wind speed had dropped to between ten and 20 knots.
Ray said he was extremely proud of his achievement, particularly as it was the first time he had sailed the McCutcheon Shelley, and due to the weather he had no time to train prior to the regatta.
He said : "A great boat, a great regatta and a great result."