We are not starting and racing with you guys I know but there with be a smattering of Spitfires coming to the Grafham Open this year.
Five from eastbourne certainly maybe 2 or 3 dart16s too(yes some do race!)Dont like the really really sticky stickers we have to put on the hulls to identify ourselves as Spitfires though!
Despite the fact they are yucky green (and really really sticky)we have a 2foot spitfire logo on all the hulls near the bow anyway!


We always enjoy Grafham, even last year with no wind!
Here is some advice about no wind opens
Last year we hired bikes on Sat and rode round the reservoir and Sun we invaded Cambridge and went Punting!
This proved to be highly entertaining as we made rubbish progress down the river.
I lost my stick, and it turned into a race.
In the seniors punt we had been leading the race obviously making good use of our pole and paddle, until some Chinese boat people rammed us and headed us off towards the bank. Desperate measures were called for as Ricky in the youngsters boat punted past us.
We were wedged against some fallen branches and the race looked lost. Then we saw it, floating just under the surface, a dead squirrel. Mark quickly dragged it with the pole over and onto my paddle, ammunition we giggled. One deft flick of the wrist it would fly through the air and knock Ricky off the punt, brilliant. We just had to win the race
The pressure was on, I knew Lynn was rather taken by my punting but I owed it to Mark who was keen to impress Claire and further his chances of some nudie-prod. This would shake off the gay label given to him at last years dinner by a gaggle of ladies whose advances he spurned. We looked at the two ladies reclining in the front of the punt they looked so gorgeous and happy enjoying a romantic river cruise.
The boat was steadied and we took careful aim, a mighty heave and the projectile was sent on its mission.
Alas we had not allowed for the fact that the grey squirrel Scurus carolinensis has a large and very bushy tail ideal at soaking up water. With the added weight of water the trajectory was not quite as intended, the squirrel flew straight up in the air about 12 feet spraying water as it went. It crashed through the leaves of the tree and disappeared
Time seemed to freeze as I looked at Mark and we both grimaced there was a crack a loud rustle and just after about a gallon of water fell on the front of our punt and over the girls
Scurus carolinensis reappeared, by now I would imagine it had reached its terminal velocity as it and its tail struck both ladies on the head and fell into the punt.
I thought about telling them how sexy their ‘just out of the shower look was’ but I was unable to get any words out for laughing and I fear Mark had already pissed himself such was the shaking of the punt
A passing punt of Italians as one cried out oooohhhh poor thing, what happened?
Lynn turned to them wiped the water from her face and said "perhaps it choked on a nut"

Will it be as much fun this year?

Gary and Team Eastbourne