Brass Monkey at Yorkshire Dales Sailing Club

By Keith Escritt on 31 Dec 201127 December 2011

Brass Monkey at Yorkshire Dales

All photos © YDSC

106 entries for the 2011 Brass Monkey event at Yorkshire Dales SC was double the previous record – and with 96 taking to the water, the club must be doing something right! Entries included several current and ex National / World Champions so winning this one was going to be tough.

The forecast conditions had threatened to make things difficult, but a day long lull in the near gale force winds allowed the competitors to enjoy a gentle force 2 for most of the day. Due to the size of the fleet, starts were split into two flights (fast / slow) on a line across half of the lake. By the start of race one, earlier rain had stopped, but it was still a little murky. A mixed course was set with two beats, a run, broad and tight reaches.

The RS800s were leading round the course but it wasn’t windy enough to use big asymmetrics to full effect and so holding their handicap proved difficult. Nick Miller in his Blaze had none of these complications and obviously enjoyed the conditions to win from Tim Holden’s Contender, and Neil / Hannah Marsden in a 420. Dave Woodhead/Jerry Hannabus were the first of two Scorpions in fourth – beating Steve Walker/Andy Service by a few seconds. Jonny McGovern / Sarah Williams were the first RS200 in 6th.

The club galley team led by Pam did an amazing job between the races serving over 150 hot meals with virtually no queuing and pudding / drinks as well – all for a fiver. How do they do that? Definitely the performance of the day.

There was slightly increasing breeze, sunshine and different course with two beats a run and a long reach for race two. That clearly suited Matt Mee / Emma Norris in their RS200 who were keen to make up for their BFD in race 1 and led from the first run. They were chased hard by more 200s in the shape of Chris Pickles / Laura Westell, Keith Escritt / Anne Saul, Jonny McGovern /Sarah Williams and Phil / Naomi Smith but while Mee extended his lead to win the race , the others couldn’t get far enough clear of the Marsden’s 420 who took the second place on corrected time.

The other important handicap battle was going on elsewhere as Holden’s Contender and Miller’s Blaze fought their way to third and fourth places, leaving the 200 group in 5th – 8th places.

All this lead to a fantastically close finish with the top three boats all on 5 points.

Congratulations to Nick Miller in his Blaze whose first race win meant he took the top spot on the podium. Neil & Hannah Marsden’s 420 and Tim Holden’s Contender were also on 5 points and only separated into second and third by their last race result.

Fourth and leading home club boat were Pix and Laura, just a point ahead of Jonny McGovern/Sarah Williams both in RS200s.

Next were the two Scorpions of Steve Walker/Andy Service and Dave Woodhead/Jerry Hannabus - on the same points - quite apt as they'd not been more than a few boat lengths apart all day.

Rounding out the top ten were the consistent Phil and Naomi Smith in their 200 from, Ben Holden’s Contender (chasing his brother) and Dylan Nobles Musto Skiff (narrowly beating his aged uncle!). Commiserations to Matt Mee who would have cracked the top 5 if he hadn't been caught out by the Black Flag rule in R1 – naughty!

Top of the 21 strong Laser contingent was National Champion Jack Wetherell who had often led the slow fleet up the first beats but fell back offwind to finish in 13th overall. He was followed by Chris Duffin (15th) and Ian Escritt (19th). Leading the 11 Toppers was Callum Escritt in 45th, Nick Deveraux (57th) and Luke Cowling (60th). Leading Ladies were Anne and Julz Noble (18th) in a 29er, followed by the 420 of Lucy Yeates / Ellie Devereux in 37th.

All in all, a great event with superb facilities, fantastic food, and most important - great sailing, competition right through the fleet, and one of the closest finishes possible.

The club hopes everyone enjoyed their ‘Day in the Dales’ and will be back to sail with us again soon.

The winter series is open to visitors and starts on 8th January going through to the end of February.

Overall Results:

Pos	Boat Type	Sail No	Helm	Crew	Club	R1	R2	Pts
1st	Blaze	757	Nick Miller		Morecambe & Heysham	1	4	5
2nd	420	52765	Neil Marsden	Hannah	Blackpool & Fleetwood	3	2	5
3rd	Contender	2503	Tim Holden		Halifax	2	3	5
4th	RS200	1296	Chris Pickles	Laura Westell	Yorkshire Dales	7	5	12
5th	RS200	1411	Jonny McGovern	Sarah Williams	Port Dinorwic and HLSC	6	7	13
6th	Scorpion	1931	Steve Walker	Andy Service	Pennine	4	12	16
7th	Scorpion	1947	Dave Woodhead	Jerry Hannabuss	Elton	5	11	16
8th	RS200	1369	Phil Smith	Naomi Smith	Bassenthwaite	10	8	18
9th	Contender	2315	Ben Holden		Halifax	9	10	19
10th	Musto Skiff	448	Dylan Noble		Ullswater	11	13	24
11th	RS200	876	Keith Escritt	Anne Saul	Yorkshire Dales	20	6	26
12th	Contender	2422	Neil Ferguson		Yorkshire Dales	12	19	31
13th	Laser	200889	Jack Wetherell		Beaver	18	15	33
14th	Lark	2473	Tim Vick	Rebecca Marks	Ulley	17	25	42
15th	Laser	177608	Chris Duffin		Beaver	22.5	22	44.5
16th	RSVareo	570	Mark Somerville		Bassenthwaite	32	14	46
17th	RS800	1088	Mike Saul	Josh Moran	YDSC / Ullswater	14	35	49
18th	29er	661	Anne Noble	Julz Noble	Ullswater	37	16	53
19th	Laser	192560	Ian Escritt		Yorkshire Dales	26	27	53
20th	Musto Skiff	216	Jon Modral-Gibbons		Ullswater	8	46.5	54.5
21st	Laser Radial	200888	Henry Wetherell		Beaver	21	33.5	54.5
22nd	Musto Skiff	253	Graham Priestley		Ullswater	19	36	55
23rd	Musto Skiff	334	Jono Shelley		Aberdeen & Stonehaven	24.5	30.5	55
24th	RS800	1059	Jonathan Lister	Ben Lister	Yorkshire Dales	33	24	57
25th	OK	2124	Tony Woods		Glossop	22.5	37	59.5
26th	420	54081	Matt Lulham-Robinson	Ben Lulham-Robinson	Yeadon / YDSC	36	26	62
27th	Laser	179656	Greg Marshall		West Lancs	31	32	63
28th	Fireball	14955	Peter Clayton	Richard Clayton	Scaling Dam	49	17	66
29th	OK	2084	Keith Byers		Morecambe & Heysham	24.5	42	66.5
30th	Laser Vago Xd	358	Dave Baxter		West Riding	44	23	67
31st	Finn	35	Soeren Vonsild		Yorkshire Dales	39	29	68
32nd	Vortex	1117	Mick Collins		Yorkshire Dales	50	21	71
33rd	Streaker	1602	Dan Phillips		Ripon Sailing Club	43	28	71
34th	RS200	824	Andy Tunnicliffe	Michelle Tickle	RWYC	52.5	20	72.5
35th	Laser	166427	Jonathan Swain		Carsington	27	46.5	73.5
36th	Laser	198809	Nigel Robinson		Beaver	42	33.5	75.5
37th	420	52758	Lucy Yeates	Ellie Devereux	Leigh & Lowton	34	44	78
38th	Laser	182623	Adam Simms		Yorkshire Dales	35	43	78
39th	Streaker	1734	Robert Johnston		Blackpool & Fleetwood	40	38	78
40th	Laser	202315	Hector Simpson		Yorkshire Dales	29	53.5	82.5
41st	RS200	574	Phil Benn		Yorkshire Dales	45	39	84
42nd	RS200	1105	Adam Savage	Charley Steel	Elton	16	70	86
43rd	RS Vareo	303	Mike Cowan		Bassenthwaite	46	41	87
44th	Vortex	1041	Andrew Straton		Yorkshire Dales	30	63	93
45th	Topper	25323	Callum Escritt		Yorkshire Dales	28	72	100
46th	RS400	1289	Stuart Halman	Steve Dawson	Leigh & Lowton	48	52	100
47th	RS400	1281	Adrian Brooks	Paul Salmon	Elton	70	30.5	100.5
48th	Laser Radial	190698	Laura Carveth-Marshall		Yorkshire Dales	56	45	101
49th	Laser	133336	Malcolm Marsden		Blackpool & Fleetwood	62	40	102
50th	Laser	197932	John Simms		Yeadon / YDSC	47	55	102
51st	Laser Radial	176814	Meg Backhouse		Beaver	55	50.5	105.5
52nd	Laser	171876	Bill Pickup		Yorkshire Dales	57	49	106
53rd	Laser	174542	Jim Backhouse		Beaver	58.5	48	106.5
54th	RS200	1311	Matt Mee	Emma Norris	Red Wharf Bay	BFD	1	107
55th	Phantom	1260	Paul Reid		Blackpool & Fleetwood	51	56	107
56th	Phantom	1111	Ollie Shaw		Leigh & Lowton	58.5	50.5	109
57th	Topper	40638	Nick Devereux		Budworth	38	75	113
58th	Phantom	1337	Tom Tindall		Plymouth Uni / ydsc	DNC	9	115
59th	Laser	199886	Phil Priestley		Yorkshire Dales	64	53.5	117.5
60th	Topper	46875	Luke Cowling		Yorkshire Dales	41	77	118
61st	Contender	2529	Ian Smith		Yorkshire Dales	13	DNF	119
62nd	GP14	12629	Hugh Devereux	Geoff Edwards	Budworth	15	DNF	121
63rd	Laser	197704	Tim Luke		Killington Lake	63	58	121
64th	Phantom	1161	Ian Smith		Yorkshire Dales	DNC	18	124
65th	Laser	179551	Tim Simpson		Yorkshire Dales	60	65	125
66th	Laser	3	David Johnson		Yorkshire Dales	66.5	64	130.5
67th	Laser	167929	Phil Hartley		Yorkshire Dales	71	60	131
68th	Mirror	70667	April Whiteley	Jamie Whiteley	Ullswater	54	79	133
69th	Kestrel	1612	Nick Whiteley	Jo Whiteley	Ullswater	68	66	134
70th	Topper	43712	Oliver Blackburn		Pennine	52.5	83	135.5
71st	Laser	185701	Pete Slingsby		Yorkshire Dales	66.5	69	135.5
72nd	Mirror	70567	Mark Hide		Yorkshire Dales	61	76	137
73rd	Laser 4000	4095	Jamie Rogers	Alan Rogers	Yorkshire Dales	76	61.5	137.5
74th	Topper	45326	Georgie McKenzie		Yorkshire Dales	65	73	138
75th	RS400	804	Geoff Stones	John Buckley	Jumbles	83	57	140
76th	RS200	620	Ben Lister	Natasha Lister	Royal Thames	77	67	144
77th	RS800	1185	Steven Brown	John Mcafee	Ullswater	85	61.5	146.5
78th	Topper	45708	Ellie Brown		North Lincs	69	78	147
79th	RSVision	656	Graham Stones	Gary Stones	Lymington Town	81	68	149
80th	Laser	134597	Steve Tulley		Yorkshire Dales	82	71	153
81st	Topper	45022	Tom Clayton		Scaling Dam	75	81	156
82nd	Laser Radial	182540	Helen Phillips		Yorkshire Dales	84	74	158
83rd	Topper	41894	James Tulley		Yorkshire Dales	74	84	158
84th	Topper	45765	James McKenzie		Yorkshire Dales	78	82	160
85th	Laser	187497	Andrew Cowling		Yorkshire Dales	80	80	160
86th	RS600	981	Geoff Stubbs		Yorkshire Dales	DNF	59	165
87th	Topper	27100	Sam Grimshaw		Swarkestone SC	79	86	165
88th	RS200	1135	Julia Murrell	Grahame Allan	Yorkshire Dales	88	85	173
89th	Vortex	1145	Peter Sedgewick		Yorkshire Dales	87	87	174
90th	Contender	452	Brendan Briggs		Halifax	72	DNC	178
91st	Topper Xenon	4210	Stuart Keegan	Dan Trotter	Derwent Res	73	DNF	179
92nd	29er	156	Catherine Hide	Ellie Hide	Yorkshire Dales	86	DNC	192
93rd	RS Vareo	155	Wolfi Dyer		Yorkshire Dales	DNC	88	194
94th	Laser Radial	143164	Patsy Charlton		Yorkshire Dales	89	DNC	195
95th	Fireball	12219	Nigel Makin	Evette Allum	Yorkshire Dales	90	DNF	196
96th	Topper	45101	Matthew Escritt		Yorkshire Dales	DNF	DNC	212
96th	Contender	605	Terry Pressdee		Yorkshire Dales	DNF	DNF	212
96th	Laser	162810	Matt Andrews		Yorkshire Dales	DNC	DNC	212
96th	GP14	13849	Alan Roberts	Alex Pilkington	Royal Navy	DNC	DNC	212
96th	RS600	864	Ben Murrell		Yorkshire Dales	DNS	DNC	212
96th	Phantom	1320	Andy Roberts		Ripon Sailing Club	DNC	DNC	212
96th	Solo	5213	Andrew Foxx		Crosby	DNC	DNC	212
96th	Osprey	1349	Mark Weston	Simon Hawkes	West Riding	DNC	DNC	212
96th	RS200	914	Simon Byrne	Rachel Byrne	Yorkshire Dales	DNC	DNC	212
96th	Phantom	1126	Peter Snowdon		Scaling Dam	DNC	DNC	212