Allen OK class UK Southern Championship at Stokes Bay Sailing Club

The weekend of the 28/29th September saw the OK Southerns at Stokes Bay. With two very different days on the forecast 16 keen sailors gathered.

Saturdays forecast was light and shifty and boy was that correct. A North Westerly breeze with anything from 2-8kts flicking with some big shifts made for trick racing. The old adage when sailing in the Solent 'if you don't like the wind, wait 5 minutes and it will change' was only wrong because the time period was much shorter!

Wind with tide meant that if in doubt, hit the shore. The sailmakers of the fleet got this right. Charlie Cumbley of North Sails rounded the windward mark first (after occupying every position in the fleet) and managed to wriggle away was chased by HD's Andy 'Taxi' Davis and P&B's Tom Lonsdale. Ian Hopwood sailed a great race to take fourth.

The second and last race of the day was much of the same, except a tighter battle between Cumbley and Davis, with Cumbley ghosting past Taxi on the final leg. P&B's lads swapped, with Oli Davenport taking third.

After day 1 it was Cumbley first, Taxi second and Lonsdale third.

Allen OK class UK Southern Championship at Stokes Bay - photo © Jennie Clark

Sunday's forecast was a fruity one, SW 15kts building all day. The PRO made his stand clear, we need to get going on time and all will be good.

The increase in wind conditions made for a slight change in fortunes. Andrew Mills was pumped up by the 15-20kts of the first race and led from start to finish, sailing excellently in the stronger winds. Behind, it was tight...!

At the bottom of the run for the trapezoid it was five wide. Taxi on the inside of Paul Childs, Richard Burton, Davenport and Cumbley. All was ok and everyone made it round.

Taxi Held on to second and Cumbley worked his way to third downwind, with Childs taking fourth after Burt went for a dip on the final gybe.

Race 4 built more, with some extra fruit in the gusts and it was another cracker.

Childs led at the windward and surprisingly held for a whole lap, but then messed up the second beat. Forgetting we were sailing on the Solent and ignoring the tide. Taxi, Davenport and Mills hit the shore and Taxi sailed off, Mills second and Davenport third.

Cumbley was surprisingly lower down the order after being the meat in a Childs/Mills sandwich off the start line and taking a swim.

Allen OK class UK Southern Championship at Stokes Bay - photo © Jennie Clark

Slight confusion came through for the last race. AP over A was flown for the RS300s, but the OKs headed in having not seen the RS300 flag... When ashore they were told of this but had zero regrets.

After two different days the second reshuffled the table. Cumbley held first, beating Taxi on countback with Mills Jumping to third. Davenport was fourth with his first taste of OK sailing on the sea.

The fleet were very thankful to Stokes Bay SC. The PRO, Shore crew, safety boats and helpers catching and retrieving boats on landing did a fantastic job in very tough conditions.

Allen Brothers's continued support of the class is very much appreciated, with spot prizes handed out. One reason for this, bust be the quality of the fleet, with a complete mix of weights, sail manufacturers, hull designs making it an interesting fleet to sail.

The top five had three different sail manufacturers - North Sails, HD Sails and P&B Sails, three different hull builders - Ovington Boats, Idol Composites and JJ Boats, and a weight range of 108kgs to 85kgs.

Next up is the Ovington Multiclass Open at WPNSA - another great opportunity to get some hours in before the Autumn Cup in Bandol and Europeans in Palma at the end of October with free on the water coaching being provided.

Enter at www.wpnsa.org.uk/events/ovington-multiclass-championship-2024

Allen OK class UK Southern Championship at Stokes Bay - photo © Jennie Clark

Overall Results: