The Final Two Days of the 1935 Season at Dartmouth

This classic Dews composition, Breezy Start- The Final Two Days of the 1935 Season at Darmouth,  is one of two highly unusual works by the artist. It is showing the same moment in the same race but painted from different viewpoints. The scene was Dartmouth in 1935 when, after comparatively light winds throughout the West Country Regatta, the last two days of August finally promised some boisterous weather to challenge the Big Class boats, all of which were anxious to end the season with some really good sport.

On the morning of 30th August, the American yacht Yankee, especially keen to race despite the strong south-westerly blowing, eventually cajoled her five fellow competitors out onto the start-line only for the race to be abruptly stopped by officials who considered the conditions too dangerous to proceed. The next day, the 31st, dawned a little quieter but although the race committee allowed racing to go ahead, Astra and Candida remained at their moorings in the Dart believing conditions were no better than the previous day. Thus, with only four yachts left to compete in the final match of the year, Dews depicts Shamrock on a port tack dipping behind Endeavour, with Yankee nimbly away first over the start-line but only fractionally ahead of Velsheda. Straight after gybing around the first mark however, disaster struck; a sudden squall cannoned into Yankee, toppled her mast and flung two crew members into the sea. Although both men were quickly recovered, the accident completely disabled Yankee whereupon the other yachts immediately abandoned the race and were put back into port.

Each print is hand numbered and accompanied by a certificate signed by the artist. The certificate is numbered to match the print.