Hyde Sails Scottish and Northern Skiff National Championships at Dalgety Bay Sailing Club

Start line during the Hyde Sails Scottish and Northern Skiff National Championships at Dalgety Bay © Glenn Halstead

A fitting climax to the Northern and Scottish Skiff series took place at Dalgety Bay Sailing Club on 25/26th September, which was also the final event to conclude the Musto Skiff UK Hyde Sails Series.

Skiff sailing in Scotland is in 'rude health' with 20+ boats regularly at events, including this one. The stakes were high - there were 3 major titles and trophies to be won and a good number of the big guns were in town. Up for grabs was:

1. The UK Hyde Sails Series title - an overall prize and the winning title for the first placed Musto Skiff across 6 national events (including the UK National Championships). Going into the event, Andy Tarboton had a narrow lead from Jono Shelley, and a large chasing pack led by Jamie Hilton.

2. The Scottish and Northern Skiff Nationals trophy - a standalone trophy for the first placed mixed skiff in this nominated event (on handicap). Anyone in the fleet could win this, and whilst dominated by Musto Skiffs, a number of 29er's and a Cherub were up for spoiling the party.

3. The Scottish and Northern Skiff series title - for the best placed skiff in 4 out of 6 2021 events. Jono Shelley led heading in, from Jamie Hilton, and Ben Schooling.

Andy Tarbton leading during the Hyde Sails Scottish and Northern Skiff National Championships at Dalgety Bay - photo © Glenn Halstead

Race Day 1

Day 1 provided an incredibly close 4 races into the late afternoon in 7-14 knots, strong tide, and shifts that gave many place changes. Jamie Hilton proved he was once again 'the thinking man's sailor' in the tricky conditions, commanding a slim lead with a discard overnight with a 1,2,(6),2 over Andy Tarboton, with 2,1,2,(3).

Hyde Sails Scottish and Northern Skiff National Championships at Dalgety Bay - photo © Glenn Halstead

Jono and Ben Schooling picked up the other bullets to just about hang in there overnight. Others in the chocolates included Euan Hurter, Rob Richardson, Brian Greensmith, and the consistent Cherub of Phil and Carol Anderson.

The night was a big one, and the social was strong, involving an excellent all-comers curry followed by a Robbie Wilson fire pit over a flat calm and illuminated Forth - a thing of legends.

Hyde Sails Scottish and Northern Skiff National Championships at Dalgety Bay - photo © John Mac

Race Day 2

At the dawn of Day 2 the breeze was up, gusty, and shifty, but the water was flat and the sun was shining. It was a 'full flat wiring and in the foot loop' kind of day. The show-down was on.

Hyde Sails Scottish and Northern Skiff National Championships at Dalgety Bay - photo © John Mac

First blood went to Jono who rounded first and gybe-set into a gust to maintain a good gap from the pack to win race 5. Tarboton hit back and comfortably took race 6 after a number of lead changes in the opening laps. In the final race, the breeze notched up further and pretty much everyone swam trying to nurse the boats around the course, but out of the spray came who else but Ian Turnbull, who is clearly brave and nuts in equal measure. He fully sent it downwind where others didn't dare and came out with a much-deserved bullet in race 7. It was time for home.

Hyde Sails Scottish and Northern Skiff National Championships at Dalgety Bay - photo © Glenn Halstead

Final Results

Overall scores on the doors put Tarboton a deserving first. He did very little wrong across the weekend with slick boat handling and was always fast. He took home the UK Hyde Sails Series title, including a sponsored kite kindly provided by Hyde Sails, and the prestigious Scottish and Northern Skiff Nationals Trophy.

Jamie Hilton took second overall, but Jono in third had done enough to win the Scottish and Northern Skiff Series. Phil and Carol were the first non-Musto, and Morven Wood and Ollie Bull the first 29er.

Podium (l-r) Andy Tarboton, Jono Shelley & Jamie Hilton in the Hyde Sails Scottish and Northern Skiff National Championships at Dalgety Bay - photo © Peter Taylor

Hyde Sails also awarded all three podium places a bottle of champagne as part of the sponsored series - a perfect prize to celebrate the end of a great weekend of sailing at Dalgety Bay SC.

With one more event still to go in the Northern and Scottish Skiff series, there is no better time to come and join in.

Competitors at the Hyde Sails Scottish and Northern Skiff National Championships at Dalgety Bay - photo © Peter Taylor

Dalgety Bay Results:

Overall Hyde Sails Series results can be found here...