Results / Stokes Bay Open Stokes Bay SC - 28/09/2024

RS300 Rooster National Tour at Stokes Bay SC 28^th and 29^th September 2024

Well what a weekend that was!  Stokes Bay threw everything at the eight RS300 sailors who made the visit to the Solent.  The local throuple of Will Powell, Charlie South and Pete Mackin were bolstered by a splattering of regulars and a New Face on the block: Ed Wilkinson of the Warsash Clan.  If the forecast was true, it was going to be a tricky weekend of light and shifting Northerly Saturday, followed by a nuclear Sunday! 

As we launched Saturday it was looking to follow the forecast, the sun was out, the breeze was on the decline with occasional signs of small peaks in wind and the shifts were colossal!  As for a report on the two races I think everyone had their moment at the front as positions were gained and then thrown away on the shifts – Race one  highlights were Ed controlling the conditions with sound tactical choices and great boat speed and Heavy Wind specialist Charlie at the close of the race sulking and blaming everyone who would listen (so no one) for tacking on him (me included) leaving him last after a commanding lead at one point!  Will took the win with some great consistent sailing.  Race two followed a similar format, this time around Charlie steadied his nerves for a 2^nd whilst Wise Head Acres (Dave Acres), rounded the leeward mark last by 20m behind Pete, banged hard right and finished the next four legs before Pete (and the rest of the fleet, wallowing in no wind).  Dave was hiking hard as he passed Charlie who was exchanging several tacks with the OK fleet whilst not moving!  Will and Luke South bobbed their way to round just behind and so the racing finished for the day as the fleet followed Pete’s directive and headed for the beach!

Sunday dawned true to forecast again: 18 knots and building – By the time the fleet were changed it was already clocking in at 20 knots and the tide was changing to wind against tide!  No one was heading out; not a Europe, OK or RS300 until Charlie hoisted sail and was lifted into the sea by the excellent Stokes Bay Beach Team - a flurry of activity followed as a swarm of OK’s and Europe’s accompanied by South Snr, then Ed, Will and quite a bit later, Matt Banbrook.

It was definitely windy – the sleigh ride to the start was ”Sketchy” with four of us making the start on time, Matt a little later.  The drag race off to the beach on Starboard was the only point anyone challenged Charlie as South Snr just crossed his transom as he disappeared to the horizon for the win.  Luke managed to stay upright all race securing 2^nd whilst the remainder exchanged capsizes on the epic downwind legs in 25 – 29 knots with a big swell running – to say it was challenging was an understatement!  Race four followed a similar format with Charlie disappearing off.  Luke took a few swims alongside Matt, accompanied by multiple hand-brake turns as the bow disappeared down the mine every time you tried to get downwind!  I think everyone pulled off a gybe at some point, though, as the video footage showed, Luke was seen tacking around a couple of times!  By the close of the race the wind was really, really, really building and we didn’t need asking twice as we were sent a shore.  Again the Stokes Bay beach team were excellent lifting us out, making the launch and retrieval the easiest part of the day!

Charlie took the overall win, Will had enough in the tank from Saturday to take 2^nd, and Luke managed to make no improvements on the 3^rd overnight!

Thanks again to Stokes Bay for getting the races in on a challenging weekend and for Rooster’s continued support of the RS300 National Tour!

Report by Luke South