Dinghy racing in Hamilton Harbour yesterday in gusty 12-14 knot winds. Sandys Boat Club's Echo , with Peter Bromby back at the helm, managed to keep afloat in both races, making great strides in overall Coronation Cup standings.

Bromby led his crew to victory in the first race, landing the A.S. Cooper Cup.

He managed a close second place in the race for the White's Island Cup, having failed to catch up to St. George's Dinghy and Sports Club's Victory .

Port Royal , the newest addition to the fleet, got that sinking feeling in both races.

Sailing out of RHADC with Paul White at the helm, she sank at the start boat in the first race due to backstay problems.

The White family was plunged into water again a third of the way into the second race after encountering spinnaker trouble.

The RBYC's Contest suffered some setbacks as well. She was third in overall standings.

Bloodhound , skippered by Billy McNiven, launched a protest against her and Echo for apparently having contact at the start of the first race.

And she was forced to withdraw from the second race after her sails brushed Challenger's on the third leg downwind.

Echo maintained her lead throughout the first race, which got under way at 2 p.m.

Shortly after Port Royal sank at the start boat, Victory , skippered by Michael Oatley, went under on a windward jive.

And Elizabeth , with William White at the helm, foundered after becoming overpowered halfway through the nine-leg race.

The White's Island Cup race got off to a dramatic start as the race committee called back the seven dinghies after Port Royal was unable to bear off fast enough from the start boat and collided with Elizabeth , smashing in half her spinnaker pole at the bow sprit.

The race was restarted several minutes later and saw heavy calling between the dinghies as they approached the windward mark with Elizabeth in the lead.

Sporting a smaller rig than usual, Elizabeth kept ahead until the fourth leg when Victory caught her up and sprinted past.

Oatley and his St. George's crew maintained a good lead for the rest of the race, followed closely by a sizeable fleet of boaters -- including a number of yachts that took part in the Marion-Bermuda race. Hundreds of spectators watched from Albuoy's Point and the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club.

Echo managed to move into second place with Elizabeth falling into third with Challenger a close fourth.

The next races are set for July 11 in St. George's Harbour.