Searle and Bell win B14 Nationals

by Mark Barnes on 30 Aug 2006
The final two days of the B14 Nationals at Lee-on-the-Solent started with a building southwesterly sea breeze. Race 6 got off at the second attempt in a force 4 and overcast.

The fleet split to either side of the course. Chris Bines and Dave Gibbons, CSC, led Matt Searle and Andy Ramus, Gutted Hedgehog, from the left followed by Dan Willets and Stu Phillips. Throughout the race Bines and Gibbons held off Searle and Ramus with Mark Watts and Tim Rogers climbing into third by the finish.

Race 7: with a building westerly breeze force 4 - 5, with several boats returning to restart, including Mark Barnes and Tom Pygall, Readycrest, the bulk of the fleet headed left. At the windward mark it was Searle and Ramus from Don Forster and Kate Forster, Performance Rigging and Willets and Phillips. During the race Bines and Gibbons pulled through to second and the Forsters just holding onto third.

Race 8 started with steep seas and force 5, the fleet went middle left blasting upwind. At the windward mark it was Bines and Gibbons, Searle and Ramus, the Forsters, Barnes and Pygall and Watts and Rogers rounding overlapped. The run was fast and furious with nothing between these five.

Down the last run Searle and Ramus capsized on the hoist but recovered to 6th and later redress. The remaining four were sailing on the edge with boats at full tilt trying to avoid pitch poling. With a bit of luck and skill all five held on to finish, having experienced a manic race without gear failure or tripping up.

Monday dawned and the wind was up. The fleet was held ashore due to 28 plus knot winds. After 1.5 hours delay half the fleet launched into 20 knot plus winds. The remainder staying ashore to watch proceedings.

Race 9 got underway at the first attempt. The first beat was fast and furious with lots of white water. Searle and Ramus, Bines and Gibbons, Barnes and Pygall, and Watts and Rogers engaged in battle with nothing between them.

At the end of the beat at full pace, all four were overlapped with the rest of the fleet 200m astern. Onto the run into the building seas, Searle and Ramus led out to the right while Bines and Gibbons headed for the shore and flatter water whilst the offshore boats went airbourne.

Over the rest of the race Searle and Ramus held off Bines and Gibbons to take the win and become National Champions with Watts and Rogers coming in third.
With first and second secured, Barnes and Pygall and Watts and Rogers stayed afloat to do battle in the final race with winner takes all.

However, conditions overtook the spectacle with wind against tide, steep building seas and winds up to 28 plus knots, the Race Officer therefore had no choice and sent the fleet ashore to be greeted by a welcome recovery team.
A great time was had by the fleet on and off the water, with Sunday’s social no doubt being talked about for a long time. LOSSC ran a well organized and memorable event.

Next meeting is the Tide Ride at Hayling Island SC and going by this weekend’s performances, it will be very closely fought.

Final leading positions:
1 Gutted Hedgehog Matt Searle Rich Bell HISC 8.3
2 CSC Chris Bines Dave Gibbons Brightlingsea SC 13
3 Readycrest Mark Barnes Tom Pygall WYC 20
4 Mark Watts Tim Rogers Mayflower SC 21
5 Performance Rigging Don Forster Kate Forster Weston SC 35