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RS300 Nationals - Day 1

RS300 National Championship Day One 16 August 2018

Day one.  It was a wet start with rain and a light wind, but the fleet got out in to the harbour ready for some close racing.  The first race started under the U flag in a very shifty wind. Steve Bolland did well despite the shifts to claim the win with Jon Emmett gaining a honourable mention for a 3rd in his first RS300 race.  Race two saw more predictable breeze and Mark Cooper another apprentice showed the whole fleet his transom for the first lap.  However the jammy so and so Steve Bolland managed to reel him in over the next lap with superior downwind kinetics and hold a picket fence (1,1) after the first day.   Thanks to Arky for his excellent race management.

The fleet are writing this from the bar, surrounded by empty tables as the rest of the RS classes have called it an early night.  Undeterred the fleet have been making the most of happy hour before tonight’s traditional first night curry.

In a surprising twist the black flag had been adopted at the curry house and those cautious late starters were awarded with curries first, while those pushing hard where rewarded with OCS (overdue curry service).

Tomorrow the fleet head out into Weymouth Bay looking forward to some wave sailing to sort the brave from the scared!

Written by everyone in the pub and curry house Cove. Xxx

Day two

RS300 Nationals Day Two

Wind – 10-18knts

3 long, gruelling but fun races

Beautiful conditions in Weymouth bay were enjoyed by all today.  The breeze had upped the anti today, increasing up to 18knts at times which made for some action packed and sometimes hairy downwinds.  Steve Bolland (the jammy so and so) started how he finished yesterday with a win in the first race, followed by the ever consistent Dave Acres and James Phare in 3^rd.

The second race was most varied with big changes in pressure and some large shifts.  Paul Watson from Bowmoor showed a master-class taking an easy win followed by Steve using his downwind kinetics to max effect to try and catch up and Dave Acres who finished in 3^rd.  The sea breeze kicked in for the last race breezing up to 18knts.  Steve got his act together scoring an impressive first with Paul Watson close on his tail, using his impressive low and fast upwind mode to devastating effect to make for a close finish.  Again Dave Acres finished 3^rd.

A tiring but good day enjoyed by all.  Four races tomorrow and all to play for.  Steve is clear ahead, with Dave comfortably in 2^nd and in 3^rd Paul Watson is joint on points with Greg Bartlett.

Report by Greg Bartlett

Day three

RS300 National Championship Day Three Report

Day three started with the race officer telling us it was only 15 knots out at sea, we were in the harbour so surely it would be easy for us?  It wasn't.  Possibly the anemometer on the committee boat had been attacked by spiders overnight.

The first race started with a moderate breeze.

The last race of the day started with the fleet wondering what the sadistic race officer could throw at us next.  Hopefully something less than the body breaking 50 minute races that had been the order of the day. With the breeze peaking the fleet got underway with Steve Bolland leading the way followed by Dave Acres and James Phare.  Paul Watson hadn't listened to the brief and remembered to hike up the last beat keeping them all honest and pulling a 2nd out the bag.  Race three saw some spectacular downwind moments with slippery Steve showing his kinetics off to fill form but with Richard Le Mare hiking hard now the wind was up enough pushing the leading pack hard up the last beat.  At least Nick Bolland’s boat got in front of his brother’s boat for 1 leg over the championships even though Nick wasn’t sailing.  Race four was an amazing swansong with the same four swapping the lead.  Sadly when pushing the pack back again Rich found the freak wave and lost 5 places to the ensuing pack.  Luckily for him the last race had the extra beat so he passed five boats on the last beat with thigh muscles screaming add loud as the howling wind.

With one or two races remaining Steve Bolland has successfully retained the RS300 national title with the minor places based on who drinks the most whiskey on the final night in memory of the Scottish contingent who have gone home early.

Report by Richard le Mare

Overall event report

RS300 Nationals: The Final Report

With past or present RS300 sailors having picked up three other national titles already this Summer the time had come to sort out the home championship.  Would it be one of the old fleet hands or welcome newcomers or returnees from the International Moth, Laser, Phantom, Laser or Aero fleets who would come out on top?

The first day had started miserably with torrential rain and a decided chill, not at all in keeping with the Summer so far, before clearing up ahead of racing with sunshine and a decent 10-12 knot breeze in the main.

Day two was just bl**dy perfect with sunshine, warmth and 15-18 knots out in Weymouth Bay for three races in sensational waves, despite Race Officer Arky trying to kill us all by wiping us out against the RS100 fleet. (https://www.yachtsandyachting.com/news/208940/RS100-Europeans-at-the-WPNSA-day-2)

What would day three bring?  With a decidedly dodgy forecast for the final day – wind, lots of it – the decision was made to try and run four races to get ahead of schedule.  Rumours were spreading like wildfire that we’d be out in the Bay again in up to 25 knots.  This would be a war of attrition.  In the end we settled for Portland Harbour with the wind in the low 20s.  So the scene was set – Steve Bolland, Dave Acres and Paul Watson (all in the top 4 last year) were in the box seats after the first two days but with half the regatta still to run everything was still up for grabs.

Watson was hoping for more wind and longer beats to bring his athletic frame in to play.  So too Mark Cooper.  Greg Bartlett was hoping the salt wouldn’t mess up his luxurious head of hair.  Acres has never had an athletic frame, nor much hair come to that, and was hoping experience would count for everything.  What we were all hoping for was some close racing and we weren’t to be disappointed.

For the first race of the day Richard Le Mare, outgoing class chairman and boat whiffler extraordinaire, was putting his own athletic frame to good effect in the boisterous conditions to equal his best result of the regatta.  However, it was Bolland, Watson and the wily Acres who took the podium positions.

Race seven and the wind was properly up now.  Watson would have taken the race had he not binned it on the last run.  Le Mare would have taken another 4^th had be not binned it on the last run.  Bolland and Acres, the dogs, took 1^st and 2^nd with Watson recovering to 3^rd after giving himself a stern talking to.

After two physical races we were all taking in energy bars, gels, bananas and drinks, unless you were one of the unlucky ones who lost the lot on the first capsize.  We were all hoping for some respite but Arky was being far too efficient and turning us round far too quickly.

So, on to race eight.  Paul “Go Left” Watson unbelievably went left for the eighth time in a row and was clearly revelling in the conditions.  A few of us were hanging on waiting for a mistake and it was Bolland, that lucky so-and-so, who pounced on the last run to win narrowly from Watson, Acres and Le Mare.  To be honest, anyone of these four could have taken any of the races so far today with places changing constantly upwind and down.

So was that it for Bolland?  He was clearly hanging and thought he’d done enough to sit out the final race.  Le Mare was having none of it though and wouldn’t reveal the minutiae of the SIs.  Bolland stayed out, hoping Le Mare would bin it again.

As it was, Bolland tried to get the race over with before he got even more tired and actually led the fleet at the first mark for once.  No need of kinetics downwind.  What was all that about anyway? (https://www.yachtsandyachting.com/news/208908/RS300-Nationals-at-the-WPNSA-day-1). That’s libellous that is.  As the race progressed, Bolland, Acres and James Phare pulled ahead until Watson pulled a rabbit out the hat by hitting, you guessed it, hard left on the final beat to take another 2^nd.

And that, ladies and gentleman, was that.  As the wind rose on the final day there was a distinct reluctance to go afloat from the old hands.  Only newbie Nick Orman had got changed. He’s clearly never sailed an RS300 in 30 knots or he’d have known better, unless that is standard attire for Phantom sailors.  With a collective sigh of relief racing was binned for the day and Orman trudged back to the changing rooms.

Report by Steve Bolland

RS300 National Championship Prizes

Team Trophy:  Bowmoor SC (Paul Watson and Charlie Sansom)

Endeavour Trophy:  Mark Newton from Thorney Island SC

McLube mid fleet prize (12^th place): Jamie Freeman from Great Yarmouth and Gorleston YC

Day one Clive Everest Cup:  Steve Bolland from Bristol Corinthian YC

Day two Southern Sailboats Salver:  Steve Bolland from Bristol Corinthian YC

Day three Speed Sails Trophy:  Steve Bolland from Bristol Corinthian YC

Fidelis Trophy:  Harry McVicar from Draycote Water SC

Wooden spoon:  Nick Bolland and Matt Sargent                

Apprentice:  Greg Bartett from Starcross YC

1^st Youth:  Lionel Boats Trophy:  Greg Bartett from Starcross YC

1^st Silver : Holt Cup:  James Phare from Queen Mary SC

Master: RMW Marine Cup:  Steve Sallis from Hykeham SC

5^th: Greg Bartett from Starcross YC

4^th:  Richard le Mare from Notts County SC

3^rd:  Dave Acres from Emsworth and Thorney Island SCs

2^nd:  Paul Watson from Bowmoor SC

1^st RS300 National Champion: RS Challenge Trophy:  Steve Bolland from Bristol Corinthian YC