RS400 End of Season Championship at Rutland Sailing Club

by Russ Clark on 10 Nov 2016 By the time the early entry closed for the RS400 End of Season Championships, 36 teams had signed up for a weekend of racing at Rutland Water. The forecast of single figure temperatures, fresh to frightening winds and squally showers may have put off a few teams, but many hardy and committed (or slightly mad) RS400 sailors arrived on Saturday to blustery and “fresh” conditions.

After an encouraging brief from the PRO, reassuring us that it was only the odd gust topping out at 30 knots, the fleet set sail to the Northern half of the lake. The race team did a splendid job of managing three races in 3 ½ hrs on a windward-leeward course with four fleets all having independent starts.

As the largest fleet on this course area, the start line was designed to accommodate the RS400s and we achieved a clean start at the first attempt. With gusts ripping into the fleet, requiring mainsails to flog and jibs to be eased, it wasn’t long before the pain of cold hands and numb feet was replaced by burning thighs and aching arms. Dodging the RS200s and RS500s flying down the run the RS400s arrived at the top mark comfortably spread out. Rounding in second, we hoisted and set off after the leaders and awaited the first big puff to roll of the shore. We were not disappointed. Spotting the layline was made easier by gybing before a few RS200s who appeared to be inspecting their foils for weed and a drag race to the leeward gate commenced. This cycle was repeated two more times. Positions changed both upwind and down as the gusts and shifts made boat handling challenging to stay in the groove, be on the right tack and position against the boats nearby. Winners of race one were Stewart and Sarah Robinson (1319) who made light work of the tough conditions.

The wind cranked up a notch for races two and three. Again, a clean start in race two saw the fleet commence battle upwind. Keeping the boat flat was the priority and at times the main was left hanging to leeward as we sailed off the jib in the gusts. As the newbies to the RS400 class, we were delighted to lead the fleet around the course to take the race two win but the current national champions Paul and Mark Oakey (1441) pushed us hard.

Race three got away cleanly but this time it was the new pairing of son Ben Robertson sailing with father Stewart in 1319. Ben (1161) had retired in race one with a broken boom and bumped into his parents ashore who had retired from race three. Hopping into the boat, the father/son duo shot back out to the start line (how Ben summoned the courage to get back into his wet wetsuit again I have no idea) and led the fleet around the track. This time we were the chasers but to no avail.

After Saturday night’s debrief with Team Volvo’s John Pink, excellent dinner and dancing (for the true RS sailors) the fleet awoke on Sunday to polar conditions. With an air temperature of 4 degrees with rain forecast later, a raw wind brought the wind chill literally to freezing.

The most polite way to describe the pursuit race start for the RS400s is a kerfuffle; able to lay the first mark on port, the majority of the fleet settled on a port tack approach, however, a few committed RS400s decided to close the door on starboard, needless to say, in the ensuing melee the fleet was early, very early. We gybed round for what we thought was an individual recall and circled the pin to re-start only to be met by the whole fleet tacking in response to a general recall. Round we went again, and on our third crossing of the start line, we were off. Second to the first mark we set off in hot pursuit of the earlier starters. I felt for the leader (1380 I think) who succumbed to a massive gust on the first reach and was blown flat, very impressive but not quick!

The course took us on 20 minute laps of Rutland Water with only a short leg where we could fly the kite. The RS400s were not going to win the pursuit race but the race for class honours was on. After an hour of fending off second and third place, both Stewart and Sarah (1319) and Paul and Mark (1441) flashed past us in a huge gust on the third run. The gust was so big that two of the front three leaders wore round rather than gybe! A lap later, Jon Heissig and Nicky Griffin (1454) took advantage of my over confidence at the gybe mark and sailed past us whilst I stood on the centreboard. The RS400s finished 1319, 1441, 1454, and then 1074 hotly pursued by John MacKenzie and Andy Box in 1455.

Overall, this was a great weekend’s racing and congratulations go to the deserving winners, Stewart and Sarah (and Ben) Robertson. Finally, a massive thank you must go to the rescue boat crews who must have been so much colder than us.

As newcomers to the RS400 what did we learn from the weekend?
The fleet is very friendly and the sailing standard is high.
The racing is close, mistakes are punished and hard work is rewarded.
Ratchet blocks on the jib are essential– finding out before the pursuit race was a blow to crew morale!
Our boat leaks …… a lot

See you all at the 2016/17 GJW Direct Sail Juice Winter Series.

RS End of Season Championship 2016 results

RS Aero Fleet

Rank	Class	Sail No	Helm	Crew	Club	PY	Race 1 05 11 2016	Race 2 05 11 2016	Race 3	Pursuit	Total	Nett
1st	RS Aero 7	1888	Chris Larr		Northampton SC	1066	1	1	(2)	2	6	4
2nd	RS Aero 7	1676	Anthony York		Northampton SC	1066	2	(4)	3	4	13	9
3rd	RS Aero 7	1534	Jasper Barnham		Snettisham Beach SC	1066	(5)	2	1	8	16	11
4th	RS Aero 7	1533	Finlay Barnham		Snettisham Beach SC	1066	3	3	(4)	10	20	16
5th	RS Aero 7	2093	Liam Willis		Lymington Town SC	1066	4	(7)	5	12	28	21
6th	RS Aero 7	1298	Richard Watsham		Starcross Yacht Club	1066	(9)	6	6	14	35	26
7th	RS Aero 7	2148	Gareth Griffiths		Island Barn Res SC	1066	(16)	9	7	16	48	32
8th	RS Aero 5	1312	Andrew Frost		Sutton Bingham SC	1107	7	8	(39 DNC)	18	72	33
9th	RS Aero 5	1566	Tim Hire		Royal Lymington YC	1107	(12)	10	8	20	50	38
10th	RS Aero 5	1927	Jack Hardie		Frensham Pond SC	1107	(13)	11	12	22	58	45
11th	RS Aero 7	1817	Chris Jones		Sutton Bingham SC	1066	6	(19)	14	28	67	48
12th	RS Aero 5	1	Andrew Wilde		Burghfield SC	1107	(17)	12	15	24	68	51
13th	RS Aero 7	2	Ben Rolfe		RS Sailing/Burghfield	1066	8	(39 DNC)	39 DNC	6	92	53
14th	RS Aero 5	1264	Nick Craven		Ripon SC	1107	11	(13)	11	32	67	54
15th	RS Aero 7	1509	Peter Craggs		York RI Sailing Club	1066	18	(20)	16	34	88	68
16th	RS Aero 5	1582	Mark Rolfe		Upton Warren SC	1107	26	17	(39 DNC)	38	120	81
17th	RS Aero 7	2001	Keith Willis		Lymington Town SC	1066	14	(39 DNC)	39 DNC	30	122	83
18th	RS Aero 5	2074	Matt Evans		Great Moor SC	1107	23	(39 DNC)	39 DNC	26	127	88
19th	RS Aero 7	1551	Nigel Rolfe		Burghfield SC	1066	(15)	5	9	78 DNC	107	92
20th	RS Aero 5	1694	Nick Neve		Rutland SC	1107	22	(39 DNC)	39 DNC	36	136	97
21st	RS Aero 7	1071	Peter Chaplin		Burghfield SC	1066	(21)	14	10	78 DNC	123	102
22nd	RS Aero 5	1854	Emily Watson		Bowmoor SC	1107	11	(15)	13	78 DNC	117	102
23rd	RS Aero 7	1792	Andy Hill		Hayling Island SC	1066	(19)	16	19	78 DNC	132	113
24th	RS Aero 5	1594	Julie Archer		Ullswater YC	1107	(20)	18	18	78 DNC	134	114
25th	RS Aero 5	2100	Julie Willis		Lymington Town SC	1107	(24)	21	17	78 DNC	140	116
26th	RS Aero 7	1076	Martin Hewitt		Nottingham sailing club	1066	(39 DNF)	22	39 DNC	78 DNC	178	139
27th	RS Aero 5	1214	Harry Binns		Bassenthwaite SC	1107	25	(39 DNC)	39 DNC	78 DNC	181	142
28th	RS Aero 7	2135	Neil Hardie		Frensham Pond SC	1066	(39 DNC)	39 DNC	39 DNC	78 DNC	195	156
28th	RS Aero 7	2060	David Bradbury		Rickmansworth SC	1066	(39 DNC)	39 DNC	39 DNC	78 DNC	195	156
28th	RS Aero 7	2113	Christopher Smith		Island Barn SC	1066	(39 DNC)	39 DNC	39 DNC	78 DNC	195	156
28th	RS Aero 7	1159	Martin Barrett		Ripon SC	1066	(39 DNC)	39 DNC	39 DNC	78 DNC	195	156
28th	RS Aero 7	1207	Mark Tissiman		Chelmarsh/Saundersfoot	1066	(39 DNC)	39 DNC	39 DNC	78 DNC	195	156
28th	RS Aero 7	1583	Anthony Evill		Rutland SC	1066	(39 DNC)	39 DNC	39 DNC	78 DNC	195	156
28th	RS Aero 5	1141	Jonathan Rickels		Grafham Water SC	1107	(39 RET)	39 DNC	39 DNC	78 DNC	195	156
28th	RS Aero 7	1589	Chris Harrup		Burghfield SC	1066	(39 DNC)	39 DNC	39 DNC	78 DNC	195	156
28th	RS Aero 5	2061	Claire Maclean		Rickmansworth SC	1107	(39 DNC)	39 DNC	39 DNC	78 DNC	195	156
28th	RS Aero 5	2134	Alice Lucy		Rutland SC	1107	(39 DNC)	39 DNC	39 DNC	78 DNC	195	156
28th	RS Aero 7	1020	Malcolm Mellor		Hickling Broad SC	1066	(39 DNC)	39 DNC	39 DNC	78 DNC	195	156

RS200 Fleet

Rank	Class	Sail No	Helm	Crew	Club	PY	Race 1 05 Nov 2016	Race 2 05 11 2016	Race 3	Pursuit	Total	Nett
1st	RS200	385	Robert Gullan	Rob Henderson	Itchenor SC		2	(4)	1	4	11	7
2nd	RS200	1628	Ben Palmer	Joanna Wright	HISC		1	7	(10)	2	20	10
3rd	RS200	17	Ian Martin	Lucy Preston	Burghfield SC		(8)	3	2	8	21	13
4th	RS200	1631	James Penty	George Stainforth	Beaver SC		6	2	(8)	6	22	14
5th	RS200	1639	Jack Holden	Amy Yeoman	Arun YC		3	(11)	4	10	28	17
6th	RS200	1579	Josh Metcalfe	Millie Alcock	Y Felinmeli		(9)	5	3	14	31	22
7th	RS200	1347	David Jessop	Claire Walsh	Grafham Water SC		4	1	(5)	18	28	23
8th	RS200	1332	Eddie Grayson	Emma Grayson	Beaver SC		(11)	10	6	16	43	32
9th	RS200	1538	Martin Penty	Tom Penty	Beaver SC		10	(12)	12	12	46	34
10th	RS200	1546	John McKelvie	Charlotte Cotter	Strangford Lough YC		(14)	8	9	20	51	37
11th	RS200	13	Oliver Groves	Esther Parkhurst	Beaver SC		7	9	(11)	22	49	38
12th	RS200	655	Andrew Barnett	Jo Lloyd	Island Barn RSC		13	(14)	13	24	64	50
13th	RS200	1549	Tim Saxton	Holly Scott	Burghfield SC		5	6	(7)	44 DNC	62	55
14th	RS200	1600	Rheanna Pavey	Holly Pavey	Stour SC		15	15	(17)	26	73	56
15th	RS200	985	Chay Taylor	Niamh Davies	Burnham SC		12	13	(14)	32	71	57
16th	RS200	1333	Stephen Smith	Ellie Tubman	Beaver SC		(16)	16	15	28	75	59
17th	RS200	244	Charlie Sansom	Zoe Bazen	Bowmoor SC		18	(22 DNC)	16	30	86	64
18th	RS200	994	James George	Harry George	QMSC		17	(22 DNC)	22 DNC	44 DNC	105	83
19th	RS200	1486	Nigel Sheppard	Debbie Thompson-Brown	Northampton SC		(22 DNC)	22 DNC	22 DNC	44 DNC	110	88
19th	RS200	1071	Sam Waller	Tim Waller	Beaver SC		(22 DNC)	22 DNC	22 DNC	44 DNC	110	88
19th	RS200	1009	Simon Shillaker	Dan Shillaker	Hill Head Sc		(22 RET)	22 DNC	22 DNC	44 DNC	110	88

RS300 Fleet

Rank	Class	Sail No	Helm	Crew	Club	PY	Race 1 05 Nov 2016	Race 2 05 11 2016	Race 3	Pursuit	Total	Nett
1st	RS300	480	Rob Jones		Warsash SC		1	(3)	1	2	7	4
2nd	RS300	337	Paul Watson		Bowmoor SC		3	(4)	3	4	14	10
3rd	RS300	523	Harry McVicar		Draycote Water SC		4	2	(5 DNC)	6	17	12
4th	RS300	328	Tim Keen		Sheffield Viking SC & Nefyn SC		(2)	1	2	10 DNC	15	13

RS400 Fleet

Rank	Class	Sail No	Helm	Crew	Club	PY	Race 1 05 Nov 2016	Race 2 05 11 2016	Race 3	Pursuit	Total	Nett
1st	RS400	1319	Stewart Robertson	Sarah Robertson	Royal Forth YC		1	(37 DNC)	1	4	43	6
2nd	RS400	1441	Paul Oakey	Mark Oakey	Portchester SC		2	2	(4)	6	14	10
3rd	RS400	1074	Russ Clark	Penny Clark	RNSA/Stokes Bay SC		(4)	1	2	10	17	13
4th	RS400	1202	Sam Pickering	Adam Whitehouse	Chase SC		3	9	(37 DNC)	2	51	14
5th	RS400	1454	Jon Heissig	Nicky Griffin	Llangorse SC		5	(7)	5	8	25	18
6th	RS400	1432	Keith Bedborough	Jules Thorne	Dalgety Bay SC		(6)	3	6	16	31	25
7th	RS400	847	Ian Martin	Liam Alcock	South Shields SC		(8)	4	3	22	37	29
8th	RS400	1455	John MacKenzie	Andy Box	Dalgety Bay SC		(37 DNC)	6	16	12	71	34
9th	RS400	904	Grant Blake	Jessica Barker	Oxford SC		10	(11)	10	20	51	40
10th	RS400	1390	Andy Hatch	Dan Hawkins	QMSC		14	(15)	12	14	55	40
11th	RS400	564	Jacob Ainsworth	Kayleigh Roberts	South Shields SC		(15)	10	7	26	58	43
12th	RS400	1414	Caroline Whitehouse	Jason McDonnell	Bartley SC		7	5	(15)	32	59	44
13th	RS400	1380	Jon Willars	Ricky Bramaz	Welton SC		13	(17)	9	24	63	46
14th	RS400	1435	Matthew Sheahan	Maria Stanley	Netley SC		9	8	(11)	30	58	47
15th	RS400	1192	Jack Munnelly	Liam Vass	Arun YC		11	(13)	13	28	65	52
16th	RS400	1450	Nick Eaves	Greg Pace	Bartley SC		(16)	14	8	42	80	64
17th	RS400	536	John Cunningham	Nicola Cokayne	Carsington SC		19	(37 DNC)	37 DNC	34	127	90
18th	RS400	1265	Colin Davies	Naomi Moran	Aberdeen & Stonehaven YC		18	(37 DNC)	37 DNC	36	128	91
19th	RS400	1452	Howard Eeles	Gareth Blakemore	Bartley SC		(37 DNC)	37 DNC	37 DNC	18	129	92
20th	RS400	932	Jonathan Lye	Amelia Hughes	Notts County SC		12	12	(14)	74 DNC	112	98
21st	RS400	612	Brendan Lynch	Ross Malloy	Port Edgar YC		(37 DNC)	37 DNC	37 DNC	38	149	112
22nd	RS400	527	Andy Powell	Jon Costin	Warsash SC		(37 DNF)	37 DNF	37 DNC	40	151	114
23rd	RS400	550	Murray Leiper	Ceri Knapgate	Carsington SC		(37 DNC)	37 DNC	37 DNC	44	155	118
24th	RS400	768	Angus Marshall	Imogen Barnett	Dalgety Bay SC		(37 DNF)	16	37 DNC	74 DNC	164	127
25th	RS400	1251	Howard Fairbrother	Louise Fairbrother	QMSC		17	(37 DNC)	37 DNC	74 DNC	165	128
26th	RS400	1228	Andrew Johnson	Simon Plant	Grafham Water SC		20	(37 DNC)	37 DNC	74 DNC	168	131
27th	RS400	1289	Jack Thomas-Hunt	Oliver Edwards	Carsington SC		(37 RET)	37 DNC	37 DNC	74 DNC	185	148
27th	RS400	866	Paul Reynolds	Cathy Reynolds	Notts County SC		(37 DNC)	37 DNC	37 DNC	74 DNC	185	148
27th	RS400	971	Tom Haslam	Karen Baldwin	Notts County SC		(37 DNC)	37 DNC	37 DNC	74 DNC	185	148
27th	RS400	1161	Ben Robertson	Jenny Douglas	QMSC		(37 DNC)	37 DNC	37 DNC	74 DNC	185	148
27th	RS400	1383	Phil Robinson	Dave Pears	Carsington SC		(37 DNF)	37 DNF	37 DNC	74 DNC	185	148
27th	RS400	1342	Max Tosetti	Anna Wallin	QMSC		(37 DNC)	37 DNC	37 DNC	74 DNC	185	148
27th	RS400	1131	Ben Williamson	Kenny Keagan	Welton SC		(37 DNC)	37 DNC	37 DNC	74 DNC	185	148
27th	RS400	693	Tim Cresswell	Paul Hickman	Carsington SC		(37 DNC)	37 DNC	37 DNC	74 DNC	185	148
27th	RS400	1287	Sean Cleary	Annalise Nixon	Oxford SC		(37 DNC)	37 DNC	37 DNC	74 DNC	185	148
27th	RS400	339	Francisco Lobato	Teresa Lobato	QMSC		(37 DNC)	37 DNC	37 DNC	74 DNC	185	148

RS500 Fleet

Rank	Class	Sail No	Helm	Crew	Club	PY	Race 1 05 Nov 2016	Race 2 05 11 2016	Race 3	Pursuit	Total	Nett
1st	RS500	659	Peter Curtis	Keith Sykes	Island Barn RSC		(2)	1		2	5	3
2nd	RS500	565	Jamie Freeman	Will Pook	G Y G S C		1	(3 RET)		6 DNC	10	7

RS800 Fleet

Rank	Class	Sail No	Helm	Crew	Club	PY	Race 1 05 Nov 2016	Race 2 05 11 2016	Race 3	Pursuit	Total	Nett
1st	RS800	1220	Luke McEwen	Emma McEwen	Royal Lymington YC		1	1	(13 DNC)	2	17	4
2nd	RS800	1219	Peter Barton	Chris Feibusch	Lymington Town SC		2	(4)	1	4	11	7
3rd	RS800	1166	Ralph Singleton	Sophie Singleton	Datchet Water SC		(4)	3	2	6	15	11
4th	RS800	1043	Christopher Dodd	Bryony Meakins	Rutland Water SC		(13 DNF)	6	6	12	37	24
5th	RS800	1200	Matt Jackson	John Newbold	Carsington SC		6	(13 DNC)	13 DNC	10	42	29
6th	RS800	1212	Andy Jeffries	Allyson Jeffries	ESSC		3	2	(5)	26 DNC	36	31
7th	RS800	1144	Daniel Goodman	Debbie Clark	Datchet Water SC		7	(13 DNC)	13 DNC	14	47	34
8th	RS800	1146	Martin Orton	Ian Brooks	Chicheter YC & Trearddur Bay		(13 DNC)	13 DNC	13 DNC	8	47	34
9th	RS800	1073	David Conlon	Ed Gibbons	Brightlingsea SC		(5)	5	4	26 DNC	40	35
10th	RS800	1216	Ella Morland	James Morland	Warsash SC		8	(13 DNC)	3	26 DNC	50	37
11th	RS800	1132	Laurie Fitzjohn-Sykes	Ann Babtie	Datchet Water SC		(13 DNC)	13 DNC	13 DNC	26 DNC	65	52
11th	RS800	1202	Andrew Blundell	Maddie Fenner	Warsash SC		(13 DNC)	13 DNC	13 DNC	26 DNC	65	52