High winds of almost 50mph caused the abandonment of Chester Sailing Club's Spring Series 7 and Berry Barrel races on the River Dee on Sunday.
Gusts of 47mph made for treacherous racing conditions for the seven boats that braved the elements, with six vessels capsized early on, wiping out virtually the entire fleet of competitors.
Officer of the day Phil Proctor abandoned racing at Sandy Lane, Chester, with racing conditions deemed unsafe for the crews on the water as they struggled to contend with the adverse elements thrown at them.
The Chester Sailing Club duo of Mark Nield and Daniel Nield were left entangled in the willows on the meadows bank due to the severe gusts and had to be recovered to shore, suffering a broken centerboard a missing their mast as a sign of their toils on the water.
The Berry Barrel race will now be rescheduled for the coming weeks.
Next up for sailors from the club is races nine and 10 of the Spring Series on Sunday at Sandy Lane, where the officer on the day will be Peter Hadfield. Racing begins at 10.30am.
Anyone wanting to find out more information on Chester Sailing Club and how to get involved can visit www.chestersailingclub.com.
