GJW Direct SailFest15 to include D-Zero National Championships

by Brenda Hoult on 10 Feb 2015 GJW Direct SailFest15 - Launched at the Suzuki RYA dinghy show in March 2014, the Devoti D-Zero has gained great momentum in less than a year. Evolved from Dan Holman's 'Punk', the Holman/Devoti designed D-Zero is a lightweight single-hander with a choice of 2 rigs: the standard 8.1m rig for 70kg+ helms and the smaller D-Zero Blue suiting helms from 55kgs.

20 boats attended the first training day held for the fleet back in November, with 17 helms then competing in the first opening meeting the following day. With 25 entrants over the Suntouched D-Zero Winter Series the class are expecting at least 30 boats at the Nationals at GJW Direct SailFest, Calshot over the late May Bank Holiday weekend - 23rd to 25th May 2015.

One of a handful of fleets with 20+ entries across the events of the GJW Direct SailJuice Winter Series, the Suntouched Devoti D-Zero Winter Series sees the results extrapolated for fleet racing within the huge handicap fleets these events attract. The D-Zeros are set for a showdown at the final event of the winter, the rescheduled Grafham Grand Prix, with 14 helms already entered (many from the strong home fleet), including the current top 3 from the leaderboard: Russ Hopkins; David Summerville and Dave Woods. Dan Holman has come out for 2 events and given a demonstration of the D-Zero's talents but new-baby responsibilities are restricting his qualification for the series.

The D-Zeros will be joined at Calshot by big-brother class the Devoti D-One, with the Rooster 4000 and ISO classes also having SailFest marked in their open meeting calendar. Big courses in the Solent for experienced sailors will be complemented at SailFest by an in-shore course for newly experienced and less confident sailors, making it an event all the family can enjoy. Afternoon tides also give the benefit of water in Calshot Creek where kayaks and windsurfers can enjoy sheltered fun. More details coming very soon.