Please select your home edition
Edition
Rooster 2025

Rooster West Country Boat Repairs RS400 Southern Tour at Lee-on-the-Solent Sailing Club

by Kevin Podger 24 May 2022 05:12 AEST 21-22 May 2022
Rooster West Country Boat Repairs RS400 Southern Tour © Jenny Taw

Attracted by the forecast of sunshine and moderate southerly breezes and in preparation for the Carnac Eurocup in 10 days time, no fewer than 25 boats gathered at Lee on Solent Sailing Club on 21/22 May, one of the oldest and most iconic south coast clubs which many, like me, hadn't revisited for years.

After two years of disruption, their desire to renew old friendships in good competition at a well-run local venue was met in spades.

The fifth placed competitor is invited to report on each event presumably because they will have been 'in the mix' while still in touch with the leading boats. I can only say that even when we got away from the start line in good shape we had a consistent view of Ben McGrane and James Stewart's fast receding transom, followed by that of Steve and Sarah Cockerill.

Despite wind fluctuations between 8 and 15 knots, some periods of shifts and bends, not to mention some mystifying tidal stream effects and depth variations to catch out the visitor, the 'Ben Steve 1 2' was the plot line of five of the six races, while Sam and Ben Pickering and Jack Munnely and Sarah Mitchel from Chichester SC did a great job of fending off the 'old guard' of Podger/Chipperfield and Mick and Sarah Whitmore.

Although it's possible to feel that your straight line speed is comparable to the top boats, the steady accumulation of shifts not spotted and small mistakes made is such that Ben was patiently waiting for several minutes for the rest of us to finish after a 40 minute race - must do better!

My old Navy sparring partner Rick Hanslip, helping Race Officer Kathryn Clark set excellent lines and courses on the start boat, said that he finds 3 races back-to-back a bit of a challenge. After capsizing twice between the final windward mark of the event and the finish, prompting a stream of inevitable 'if onlys', and nursing some aches and pains this morning, we can certainly see where he's coming from!

We all echo Ben's thanks after the prize-giving in the gorgeous new LOSSC clubhouse to the many staff and volunteers who helped to make it the superbly run 'feelgood early summer reunion event' we were hoping for.

Kevin Podger and Heather Chipperfield
125 years in the boat!

Overall Results:

PosSail NoHelmCrewClubR1R2R3R4R5R6Pts
1st1309Ben MCGRANEJames STEWARTNetley SC1‑311115
2nd1515Stephen COCKERILLSarah COCKERILLStokes Bay SC‑2122229
3rd1235Sam PICKERINGBen PICKERINGChichester SC357‑135424
4th1192Jack MUNNELYSarah MITCHELLChichester SC8‑14843528
5th1439Kevin PODGERHeather CHIPPERFIELDLymington Town Sailing Club611354‑1929
6th1479Mick WHITMORESarah WHITMOREEastbourne Sovereign‑92668931
7th1377Neil BEVINGTONAlan SKEENSLOSSC76‑939631
8th1489David SWIFTRob BURGESSWarsash Sailing Club54510‑141135
9th1502Jon HEISSIGNicky GRIFFINLlangorse SC4910‑1210336
10th1444Nick MARTINClaire DARCHLOSSC11‑1511861046
11th568Rob JONESPaul CAIGER‑WATSONWarsash Sailing Club137‑141411752
12th1263Dave STOCKTONSophie STOCKTONWimble SC14‑1915971257
13th1493Geoff HOLDENBernice HOLDENLocks SC15‑1817712859
14th1422Bruce MILLSAndrea JARMANWarsash Sailing Club1212‑1611131462
15th1481Howard FARBROTHERLou HOSKINLymington Town Sailing Club1084(DNC)DNCDNC74
16th1521Andy POWELLRobert BAILEYWarsash Sailing Club‑22162116161584
17th1384Trevor NEWLEYMartin WILSONEmsworth Sailing Club18‑221819171385
18th788Alex CORYEllen CORYLOSSC1720121820‑2187
19th1435Matt SHEAHANEllie SHEAHANWarsash Sailing Club19‑212017151687
20th1199Stephen PORTERNick ALLENLOSSC‑23172215181789
21st1519Steven BROOMFIELDJeni LEWISLymington Town Sailing Club161013(DNC)DNCDNC91
22nd1213Paul ATKINSONRoger COLESLOSSC2123‑24211918102
23rd1487Andrew BRAYSarah KINGSTONLOSSC201319(DNC)DNCDNC104
24th1231Tommy RUSSELLEthan WHITINGLOSSC‑252423202120108
25th976Annabel D'ARCHTom HANSLIPLOSSC24(DNF)25DNCDNCDNC127

Related Articles

RS400s at Tynemouth
Scottish Tour and Northern Tour The forecast and the locals promised wall-to-wall sunshine and a pristine Force 3-4 for Saturday, with a touch more on Sunday. Little did the fleet know quite what weather they would actually get... Posted on 27 Jun
RS400 Southern Championship at Warsash
The principal race officer's briefing brought mixed reactions For anyone in the 27 boat fleet who had looked at the weather forecast ahead of the RS400 Summer Championship hosted by Warsash Sailing Club, the principal race officer's briefing brought mixed reactions. Posted on 23 Jun
RS400 Trident UK Northern Tour at Carsington
A delightful report in the form of a poem! The first day brought an inconstant breeze— It whispered, vanished, teased the seas. Shifty winds played cat and mouse, each helm alert from stern to house. Posted on 12 Jun
RS400 Eurocup early bird entry closes soon
Enter before 20th June 5pm to save The Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club, in association with Mercedes-Benz Belfast, is reminding all RS400 sailors that early bird entry for the RS400 Eurocup and UK & Irish National Championships closes in just ten days! Posted on 10 Jun
RS Sailing Store partners with RS Nationals
Official chandlery partner for the noughty and RS Vareo class Nationals 2025 The RS Class Association is thrilled to announce that RS Sailing Store will be the official chandlery partner for the noughty and RS Vareo class National Championships 2025. Posted on 5 Jun
Sailing Chandlery RS400 Southern Tour at Parkstone
10-20 knot South Westerly breezes and sunshine greeted the sailors A super forecast of a 10-20 knot South Westerly breezes and sunshine greeted the sailors for the combined RS400 Southern Tour sponsored by Sailing Chandlery and the South West Ugly Tour RS200 Open Meeting. Posted on 4 Jun
RS400s at Harken RS Sprints Regatta
Starting with very light shifty winds and a lot of eager racers The 2025 Rutland Harken RS Sprints kicked off with very light shifty winds and a lot of eager racers. All the races were very competitive with not much distance between the boats. Posted on 29 May
Poole Week Revitalised For 2025
New race teams and new courses for the summer's big event How do you make a great sailing week even better, without losing the elements that have always made it a great sailing week? Posted on 24 May
RS Northern Championships at Strangford Lough
Tight racing across the RS Aero, RS200 and RS400 classes The RS Northern Championships came to Strangford Lough Yacht Club in County Down, producing some tight racing across the RS Aero, RS200 and RS400 classes. Posted on 19 May
15% Off New Sails with Early Bird Entry
For RS sailors who going to any UK National Championships RS Sailing Store is proud to support the UK RS Class Associations and their events in 2025. RS Sailors gearing up for their 2025 UK season can take advantage of an exclusive offer to help them hit the start line with fresh sails. Posted on 17 May
Rooster 2025