Stewart Brewing Squib UK National Championships 2024 at Royal Forth Yacht Club - Day 1

Stewart Brewing Squib UK Nationals at Royal Forth Yacht Club Day 1 © John Robertson

Stewart Brewing Squib UK Nationals at Royal Forth Yacht Club Day 1 © Anthony Money

When the weather forecasters talk about light winds, the heavyweights of the Squib fleet groan. And today, in The Royal Forth Yacht Club, there was quite a lot of groaning, until the Squibs got afloat.

In the practice race, PRO Howard Steavenson was given a hard time by the fleet. We never know whether the Practice Race is a practice for the Race Committee or for the competitors. Today, in about 6 knots of wind from the west, the Squibs were too hasty, and there were four attempts to start the practice race. Each time a bunch (helped by a flooding tide) near the 'unmanned' pin mark broke the line some 20 seconds before the gun, so the PRO had no option to pull the fleet back.

For the first race of the series, the wind had dropped to about 5 knots with the remains of a chop which made for challenging sailing. Dick Batt and Pete Richards in the oldest boat of the fleet 'Squib' starting near the pin mark started in clean air sailing about five degrees lower than most of the fleet. This enabled him to pull clear of the fleet along with Mike Hughes and Gary Caterall in 'Alexa' and one or two others who headed out to the middle of the Firth. The wind held firm for most of the first beat, and 'Alexa' rounded first followed by Tom Jeffcoate and Mark Hogan and 'Squib'.

Stewart Brewing Squib UK Nationals at Royal Forth Yacht Club Day 1 - photo © John Robertson

On the second beat the wind pressure collapsed, and the boats sailing nearest the shore avoided the worst of the tide and held a 3 knot breeze. Unfortunately for the 'Alexa' crew from South Caernarvonshire Y.C. they repeated teir tactics which had favoured them in the first race, but they fell victim of the change of tide and failed to cover the Squibs behind.

For another lap and a half of the windward-leeward course, 'RicO'Shea' held the lead from sailmaker Batt in 'Squib'. These two pulled away from the rest of the twenty-nine boat fleet.

Following the racing all the discussion was about the tide which was flooding for the practice race and was ebbing for the first championship race which was held in bright sunshine. Racing continues until Friday.

Results after Day 1: