Please select your home edition
Edition
Doyle Sails 2020 - Pure Brilliance 728x90 TOP

RS400 Rope4Boats Southern Tour at Queen Mary Sailing Club

by Chris Eames 16 Mar 05:21 PDT 11-12 March 2023

The casual observer could easily have mistaken the Rope4Boats RS400 Southern Tour event at Queen Mary for an RS400 Champion of Champions event. Among the entrants were: Ben & Roz McGrane; Sam Knight & Chris Bownes; Tom Halhead & Paul Hilliar; and James Stewart & Roger Gilbert. The "great and the good" as one competitor put it.

The weekend started on Saturday with training hosted by Chris Eames and Rachel Tilley. The day began with some boat set up to ensure everyone was on the right page. We then went afloat to work on boat speed, tacks, and gybes. It was great to see the rapid progression of those at the training and many were seen putting their newfound skills into practice on race day.

Sunday dawned warm with a perfect breeze and the first race did not disappoint. After a 40-minute game of snakes and ladders it was Ben & Roz who pipped Tom & Paul, with James & Roger completing the podium. You could have thrown a sheet over the top 6 boats such was the closeness of the racing. By this stage the wind had dropped right off to what felt like 5 knots. Given the forecast was for a brisk 10-20 knots was forecast this was a surprise to say the least.

The lighter winds and left shift resulted in a pile up at the pin end and a general recall at the start of race 2. True to his word, the race officer duly sent the rowdy 400 fleet to the back allowing the 200s to start first. At the second time of trying the 400s got away to begin chasing down the 200s and just as the 10-20 knots arrived, we managed it. The result was exactly what you would expect. Ben & Roz took the victory again followed by Tom & Paul with Sam & Chris finishing third.

By the start of race 3 the wind was really up, and the upwind slogs were rewarded with "full send" conditions downwind. Memorable moments included jeering from the crowd (Tom Halhead) when James & Roger approached the windward mark on port. Ben McGrane probably could have handled the situation on his own but I'm sure the emotional support was appreciated. By the time we got to the leeward gate, the key tactical consideration was judging your way through the 200 fleet.

By the start of the 4th race most people were exhausted and ready for a quick 3 lapper before home. The race officer, however, had other ideas and decided an extra lap was required. Sam & Chris had found their form and romped home to victory. They were followed by Tom & Paul with Ben & Roz taking third, just enough to clinch overall victory.

A huge thanks to our sponsors, Rope4Boats for providing the prizes, and everyone at Queen Mary for producing such a memorable event. If the first event is anything to go by it is going to be an epic season. The next event on the Southern Tour is Salcombe on the first May Bank Holiday with the Southern Championships taking place at Hayling Island on 24/25 June. The road to Mounts Bay has well and truly begun!

Overall Results:

PosSail NoHelmCrewClubR1R2R3R4Pts
1st1309Ben McGraneRoz McGraneNetley SC11(UFD)35
2nd1535Tom HalheadPaul HilliarLlandegfedd SC‑22125
3rd1376Sam KnightChris BownesBartley SC‑53317
4th1528Christopher EamesRachel TilleyQueen Mary Sailing Club‑442410
5th1400James StewartRoger GilbertNetley Sailing Club354‑612
6th1235Sam PickeringEmily HeathChichester Yacht Club‑665516
7th1539Steven BroomfieldCharlie BellLymington Town Sailing Club‑1176720
8th880Tim Le CouilliardJames Le CouilliardKGSC8‑107823
9th1061Martin WoodSarah SkinnerNew Quay Yacht Club9(RET)8926
10th1447David RyderMichelle RyderIsland Barn RSC79(DNC)DNC30
11th1521Andy PowellChris RolfeWarsash108(UFD)DNC32
12th765Andy NicollGuy HalfordOxford SC12(RET)RETDNC40
13th1470Ian PeaceMike BarrettIsland Barn RSC(DNC)DNCDNCDNC42

Related Articles

RS400 TridentUK Northern Tour at Filey
Blue sky, sunshine and a zephyr of wind Round 3 of the TridentUK Northern Tour moved to Costa Del Filey over the weekend of 20th-21st May. The fleet were greeted with blue sky and sunshine and a zephyr of wind. Posted on 30 May
Harken One Design Regatta at Largs
The event attracted nearly 60 boats from all over Scotland and the North of England On the weekend of 20th & 21st of May Largs Sailing Club hosted their fifth One Design Regatta for D-Zeros, Musto Skiffs, RS200s, RS400s, ILCA6's and 7s which was yet again sponsored by HARKEN. Posted on 28 May
RS400 & RS200 Northerns at Strangford
28 boats in Northern Ireland, perhaps drawn by the included bacon sandwiches On the weekend of 6/7th May, a total of 28 RS400s and RS200s gathered at Strangford SC in Co. Down for the RS Northern Championships, the second event of the year on the calendar with furthest travelled from Killaloe in Co. Clare. Posted on 19 May
RS400 TridentUK Northern Tour at Carsington
The weather's friendly welcome dies away just as 16 boats reach the start line Carsington SC gave a friendly welcome to 16 boats with sunshine and gentle f2-3 NE. Unfortunately, by the time the race team had set the course and all the competitors had made it to the start line, the breeze had died to a just moveable 4-5 knots. Posted on 18 May
RS400s at Lee-on-the-Solent
20 boats arrived on Coronation Day for a Royal Showdown in the rain In a sign of the strength of the RS400 fleet, 20 boats arrived on Coronation Day for a Royal Showdown at a very wet Lee-On-the-Solent Sailing Club, the third venue on the Rope4Boats Southern Tour. Posted on 15 May
Try an RS400
The RS Class Association have two demo RS400s, one in England and one in Scotland Are you thinking of joining the RS400 class? If so, come and find out why this class remains so popular, over 25 years after it was launched, with a proactive Class Committee and a super-friendly and welcoming fleet. Posted on 8 May
Rope4Boats RS400 Southern Tour at Salcombe
Some welcome warmer weather and even some sunshine Over the early May bank holiday Salcombe YC hosted the RS400 fleet Southern tour event sponsored by Rope4Boats for three days of racing in varied conditions, two days of light airs and a final day of a reasonable breeze from the north. Posted on 3 May
RS400s at the Harken RS Sprints
Plenty of boat yard banter and old friends to catch up with The Harken RS Sprints came to Rutland over the weekend April 22-23 April 2023 and the RS400s brought 18 boats to the party. With it being a multi-class RS event, there was plenty of boat yard banter and old friends to catch up with. Posted on 1 May
Ullswater YC Daffodil Regatta preview
Wordsworth's favourite flower means the first open meeting of the season Ullswater YC launches into the 2023 racing season with its first Open, the Daffodil Regatta, on April 22 and 23. There'll be daffodils galore at the prize-giving as UYC joins in Ullswater's spring celebrations in praise of Wordsworth's favourite flower. Posted on 1 Apr
RS400 Winter Championships
Rooster National Tour and Trident UK Northern Tour kick off in some style Both the Rooster National Tour and the Trident UK Northern Tour kicked off in some style this weekend, in a combined event, with winds to test the fittest competitors. 16 boats braved a big wind forecast to take to the water. Posted on 30 Mar
Zhik 2023 May SW FOOTERDoyle Sails 2020 - Built for Adventure 728x90 BOTTOMJ Composites 2022 - J99 FOOTER