Wanderer National Championship at Whitstable Yacht Club
by Adam Wickenden 1 Jul 03:47 PDT
28-29 June 2025
There has been a feeling amongst the Wanderer fleet that someone in the near past has done something to upset the weather gods. We seem to have been experiencing two day events where at least one of the days featured either no wind or far too much wind. The forecast for the weekend 28th and 29th June was indeed causing worries amongst the fleet. The Saturday looked pretty good, the Sunday however was promising light winds across the whole country.
This problem was on the minds of the 10 boats that turned up at Whitstable YC to contest our 2025 National Championships.
As it turned out Whitstable returned perfect conditions on both days. Plus of course that classic Whitstable chop. Had we got lucky? Was it the presence of the Wayfarer fleet contesting their open? Was it class president Philip Meadowcroft performing some sacrifice to the gods on Mill Bay at Salcombe? We may never know, but long may it continue.
Starts on both days were late in the day, two races each day, first scheduled start 14:00. This ensured we raced over the top of the tide, with the current as minimal as possible.
Race 1 started in 10-15kts west by northwest wind. Pretty much perfect, but just enough to have Fef Griffin in 890 reefed. We shared the start with the Wayfarers and started 3 minutes before the club fleet. (Whitstable use 6-3-go as their start sequence). This was enough to keep the fleets mostly apart, except for one marauding Tornado catamaran, that managed to arrive at the first mark just as our fleet did. We also had the wonderful sight of a vintage Flying Dutchman on the Sunday.
The day's race officer Richard Laven set a trapezium course, with reaches close enough to cause tactical quandaries as to fly or not to fly the spinnaker. This I believe was the intention when the trapezium was used as the Olympic course for the 470 fleet. Start/finish line was placed about ¼ way up the beat. The line was set well, with a very slight port bias. Richard Maltby in 1561 elected to hunt for clear air and started ¾ way down the line. Mark Skipper and Amanda Tickner in 1282 and Ian Simpson and David Bardwell in 1004 were closer to the committee boat, which did mean they had more Wayfarers to contend with.
By the first mark it was Mark in 1282 that rounded first, followed by 1561 and the Ian in 1004. The bulk of the Wayfarer fleet reached the mark just before us. This was very useful, as the judgment to fly spinnaker could be based on how much success they were having. A couple tried, a few did not, and so the Wanderer fleet decided not to. Poles were clipped on to guys and masts however, ready to hoist as we bore off onto the run.
Both the run and the second reach were spinnaker legs. I mentioned the Whitstable chop, there was also some weed. Apparently this is Herne Bay weed that migrates along the coast on sunny days. The weed decided to take a fancy to Mark Skipper. He did not notice however, even when Richard Maltby in 1561 had passed him at the start of the second beat. Tactics on second beat appeared to be go left and tack on the port lay line. What little tide there was had by now dropped to nothing.
All three lead boats were able to fly spinnakers on the first reach this time, though from what I remember, one boat (Ian Simpson) hoisted, so the rest of us decided to go for it as well.
By now Mark had spotted his weed, but not before Ian Simpson had passed him. The race ended with Richard Maltby 1561 first, Ian Simpson 1004 second and Mark Skipper in 1282 third.
There were other close battles down the fleet. Richard Elliott in 4004 just pipped Jonathan Loynes in 1626 by tacking on a windshift right at the line.
Race 2. The trapezium course again, and another 2 lap race as that gave us a nice 45 minute sail. The wind had dropped a little and had backed, causing the RO to shift the windward mark to port.
At the start Mark Skipper in 1282 and Richard Maltby in 1561 went left for the port lay line, while Ian Simson in 1004 was forced to tack off and go right to clear his wind from the Wayfarer fleet. This did not seem too much of a handicap for him as her arrived at the first mark in third, with the order the same as in race 1 - Mark Skipper in 1282 leading and Richard Maltby in 1561 second. As before, avoid getting speared by the Tornado, and assess what the Wayfarers were doing with their spinnaker. This time the consensus was to hoist, se we did.
Marks bad luck from race 1 continued into race 2. This time it was spinnaker issues, with it wrapped around the bow on the drop. This allowed Richard Maltby and Ian Simpson to pass him.
With the wind backing the second beat provided some interesting tactical questions. The start finish line was placed ¼ way up the beat. Standard form was to round the leeward mark and carry on on port, and then tack for the committee boat, which the lead 3 Wanderers did. One Wayfarer (10878) made massive gains by tacking off early. However fortunately for Richard Maltby neither Ian Simpson nor Mark Skipper decided to tack off and split the fleet, so staying ahead was made relatively easy.
The second lap reaches and runs were as for the first lap, spinnakers on all three legs. Mark kept his spinnaker dry this time. The lead three boats arrived at the mark fairly close together. This time Ian Simpson decided to follow the tactic suggested by the Wayfarer on the previous lap. It paid, enough to give Richard Maltby a few nervous moments, but not enough to get Ian Simpson the lead. Overall positions were as the first race - Richard Maltby 1561 first, Ian Simson 1004 second and Mark Skipper 1282 third.
Saturday evening saw the fleet treated to fish and chips along with sea shanties from Richard Elliott.
The fleet had been checking and re-checking the wind forecast. It was due to die mid-morning and then fill in from a new direction by about 13:00, just in time for the 14:00 start - but would it?
To everyone's relief the breeze was building as boats were prepared and launched. By the time of the start we had the same 10-15kts as the day before, just from the east this time. A quick straw poll the evening before revealed everyone was happy with the trapezium course, so that was what race officer Rick Perkins set for races 3 and 4.
Race 3 saw Mark Skipper once again lead around the first mark. Richard Maltby second and Ian Simpson third. Mark and Ian hoisted their spinnakers, which was the cue for Richard Maltby to fly his. However Mark in 1282 had problems hoisting which allowed Richard Maltby to pass him.
The Wayfarer fleet went high of the rumb line on the run, but the lead Wanderers decided to gybe early and stay clear of them. Again, the Wayfarers showed us that spinnakers on the second reach did not work, and again the Wanderers dropped theirs at the third mark.
The lead three boats separated at the start of the second lap. Ian Simpson tacked off early, Mark Skipper went all the way for the lay line to the committee boat and Richard Maltby took the middle course. The three boats crossed as the sailed across the start/finish line and carried on their ways to the windward mark with no seeming change of position. It appeared that it didn't matter which way you went up the beat. This was not to work on the next and final beat however...
As before spinnakers were flown on the first but not second reach, all 3 lead boats arriving relatively close at the leeward mark, with Richard Maltby in first. Once again Ian Simpson tacked early. This presented Maltby with a tactical quandary - who to cover. The decision, tack half way to the committee boat lay line and cover the options, didn't work. Mark Skipper in 1282 carried on on port and tacked having gone as far right as possible. This allowed him to cross the finish in first place, right by the committee boat, and about half a boat length in front of Richard Maltby in 1561. Worse still, 1004 had made big gains and ducked 1561's stern just as they crossed the finish line, missing on second. The three boats were effectively only separated by about two boat lengths at the finish.
Race 4. The Wanderer is probably not the best boat to hover on the start line and accelerate away as the gun goes. 1561 tried this and was promptly swamped by a gaggle of Wayfarers. They had to tack off early to clear their wind. Ian Simpson in 1004 had also been 'Wayfarered', and was forced to tack off not far to windward of them. Mark Skipper was able to carry on on starboard to the left side of the course, which had been everyone's plan. When the fleet converged at the windward mark it turned out things had not worked out that bad for anyone. Ian Simpson had tacked a little too early for the lay line and was forced to tack back just to windward of Mark Skipper. Ian Simpson tacked and led round the first mark. Mark Skipper overstood the mark, allowing Richard Maltby who had got the lay line correct to slip through inside him.
Spinnakers went up on a by now much broader first reach. The wind was backing as predicted. This meant the spinnakers were dropped at the end of the run as the second reach was way too tight. Again, the lead three boats were very close at the start of the second beat. Everyone was going right as the wind was looking like it was veering. The three lead boats crossed the start/finish line and headed for the starboard lay line. Ian Simpson was ahead and to leeward of Richard Maltby with Skipper just behind them. Judging the lay line was key. Maltby tacked first and got it right. Ian Simpson overstood by only a few boat lengths but that was enough to gain 1561 the lead.
As the fleet sailed down the run it was apparent that the breeze was both veering and softening. The second reach was now nearly a beat. There were now no tactical options. Everyone had to tack at the leeward mark and fetch to the finish line. Maltby in 1561 was first, Simpson in 1004 second and Mark Skipper in 1282 third.
Thus Richard Maltby and Adam Wickenden in 1561 won both the Wanderer nationals and also the Gavin Barr trophy. This is the Whitstable open trophy and is a lovely stainless steel model pf Wanderer 1282 as sailed by class stalwart Gavin Barr and crewed by Mark Skipper, and now helmed by Mark Skipper.
Another notable trophy is the 'Start as you mean to go on trophy' (a model canon actually) awarded to father and son Andy and Seth King.
Overall Results:
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| Pos | Sail No | Helm | Crew | Club | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | Pts |
|---|
| 1 | 1561 | Richard Maltby | Adam Wickenden | Whitstable YC | 1 | 1 | ‑2 | 1 | 3 |
| 2 | 1004 | Ian Simpson | David Bardwell | Tudor SC | 2 | 2 | ‑3 | 2 | 6 |
| 3 | 1282 | Mark Skipper | Amanda Tickner | Chipstead SC | ‑3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 7 |
| 4 | 1099 | Paul Cross | Jeff Leyshon | Whitstable YC | 4 | ‑7 | 4 | 4 | 12 |
| 5 | 1751 | Andy King | Seth King | Whitstable YC | 5 | 4 | 5 | ‑6 | 14 |
| 6 | 1626 | Jonathan Loynes | Theresa Page | Whitstable YC | ‑8 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 18 |
| 7 | 4004 | Richard Elliott | Dave Marsh | Littlehampton YC | ‑7 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 18 |
| 8 | 1047 | Jo Wyles | Andy Hockey | Whitstable YC | 6 | 8 | 9 | (DNC) | 23 |
| 9 | 890 | Fef Griffin | Jason Rutt | Whitstable YC | ‑9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 25 |
| 10 | 477 | Nigel Lamb | Maria Lamb | Chipstead SC | (DNC) | DNC | 10 | DNC | 32 |