National 12 Open at Castle Semple Sailing Club

Overall winner Angus Beyts being presented with his prizes by Castle Semple commodore Arthur Logan at the Castle Semple National 12 open © Douglas Sommerville

Second overall Ed Willett and Ania Basista with Club Commodore Arthur Logan at the Castle Semple National 12 open © Douglas Sommerville

Third overall local sailors Crawford Johnstone and Ross McGlennon with Club Commodore Arthur Logan at the Castle Semple National 12 open © Douglas Sommerville

The third and final of the Scottish N12 Travellers Series for the Lairwell Trophy was held at Castle Semple SC in the beautiful setting of Castle Semple Country Park at Lochwinnoch in Renfrewshire on the 11th and 12th October in predominantly sunny weather with as forecast generally very gentle winds.

A strong show of support from Cramond Boat Club near Edinburgh with three boats and five sailors in attendance was appreciated by the home club N12 sailors.

The first two races on Saturday established the running order in a fluctuating Force 1, occasionally reaching F2. Positions were established on the first beat with Angus Beyts and Piotr Wojtczuk (one of Cramond BC's top helms) in N1833, a 1960 vintage Proctor Mk9 design showing superb boat speed rounding the windward mark in first and then sailing away from the fleet in both races. Ed Willett and Ania Basista in N3274, a Crusader 88 design posted two seconds.

The fleet then came ashore for a superb afternoon tea before commencing the third race which started in a similar but perhaps patchier breeze. It initially seemed as if the same running order would appear at the windward mark, however after a tacking battle with Angus and Piotr, Ed and Ania were left behind leaving Alex Tulloch and Karolina Kolodziejczak in N3223 a Crusader design to chase Angus and Piotr up the first beat. However just as they approached the windward mark having chosen the right hand side of the course, local sailors Crawford Johnstone and Ross McGlennon in N2801, a Paper Dart design appeared from the left hand side of the beat and rounded the windward mark right on the transom of the vintage Mk9 and just ahead of Alex and Karolina. And that proved to be the running order at the finish with Angus and Piotr opening up a large advantage over Crawford and and Ross who were able to successfully defend their second place right to the end, with Alex and Karolina in third.

The Club laid on a ceilidh and barbeque on Saturday night that saw the hardier souls up into the wee small hours!

Sunday dawned with dense mist and complete calm however as the sun rose the loch gradually cleared and a gentle wind arrived. The fourth race started in the gentlest of winds, barely a F1, and completely smooth calm water. Building and maintaining momentum was going to be the key to success in this race. At the start Ed and Ania got away cleanly midway down the line and were able to tack onto port and cross the fleet who had been "jostling" for position at the Committee boat end of the line. In clean air Ed and Ania in the Crusader 88 sailed clear away from everyone else finishing nearly 10 minutes ahead of second place at the finish. The real racing was going on behind with Crawford and Ross in their Paper Dart showing great skill to hold off Angus Beyts in the vintage Mk9 (who was being crewed today by Castle Semple SC cadet Lewis Martin) all the way to the finish where they finished in close company in that order.

The wind looked as if it was going to die away completely but just in time sufficient breeze returned to enable race five to go ahead. This proved one of the most exciting... Ed and Ania looked to have the lead at the windward mark but had slightly understood the lay line and lost boatspeed trying to pinch up for the mark rounding allowing both Angus and Lewis and Crawford and Ross into the game and the three boats rounded in close company. The wind increased slightly and the vintage Mk9 pulled away into what should have been a commanding lead whilst Ed and Ania endeavoured to give chase and simultaneously keep ahead of Crawford and Ross whose Paper Dart design was going very quickly in the conditions. However the wind died away again and in drifting conditions similar to race 4 the Crusader 88 began to steadily haul in the Mk9... however the OOD shortened the course, finishing the two boats at the next mark. With the wind appearing to have died completely race 6 was not sailed and the overall decided on the basis of five races with one discard.

All in all a thoroughly enjoyable weekend of sailing and the National 12 Class gratefully thanks Castle Semple SC and OOD Duncan Elder for a very well run, friendly event with superb catering.

Overall Results:

This event marked the conclusion of the N12 Scottish Travelllers series for the Lairwell Trophy; a trophy originally presented by the sailors of Perth SC in 1972. This years series was competed for at events scheduled at Cramond Boat Club, Solway yacht Club and Castle Semple SC. With Cramond unfortunately being blown off the series concluded with the results of just Solway and Castle Semple.

Lairwell Trophy 2014 Results:

.....Angus Beyts presents Ed Willett with the Lairwell trophy for the winning the Scottish N12 Travellers series in 2014 - photo © Douglas Sommerville