Seavolution B14 Winter Pursuit Series Round 4 at the Tiger Trophy

Rutland Challenge for the John Merricks Tiger Trophy © Tim Olin / www.olinphoto.co.uk

Rutland Challenge for the John Merricks Tiger Trophy © Tim Olin / www.olinphoto.co.uk

Leg four, the last leg of the B14 Winter Pursuit Series. The B14 Flying Circus was to experience the UK winter storms as they kicked in with a vengeance. With many watching the predicted forecast, several teams decided not to make the late entry and keep their trusted steeds safe and powder dry. Others switched to less powerful boats, but Nick Craig switched from his D-one on Saturday back to the B14 on Sunday with guest crew Rich Bell of North Sails an ex-multi B14 champion in the front.

Saturday arrived and the conditions were for a building breeze. Some black lines were seen to be heading down the reservoir from the club. Would they or would they not. R/O Keith Wilkins decided we should give it a go. As the first wave headed off, including Seavolution (Josh Wilce/Will Hall), there were a few capsizes as they came out for the protection of the land and hit the full force. Seavolution in a blink of an eye, had gone from a fully powered up prancing B14 to a boat where the rig imploded as the gust force exceeded the rig's design capabilities. Through the next 2 hours, there were to be more tales of this occurring.

B14 681 Stiletto (Liam Willis/Julie Willis) headed out next on their first trip in such conditions and turned back by the church, returning to shore intact with a story or 2 to tell. They had now seen what a weapon they had to play with. No doubt Liam cannot wait to try and tame the beast.

Next out was Team Gul / North Sails (Mark Barnes/Charlotte Jones). They, with Sten in his Musto Skiff decided to granny it and not carry a kite to the race area. Over the next 1.5 hours, the gusts roared through and gradient breeze built a bit more. The handicap fleet had multiple wipe-outs and the decision was made to call it a day.

On the way home having stayed upright till then, Team Gul / North Sails got hit by a monster squall and was flattened (see the video). They now engaged in some aqua aerobics resulting in 4 x 360 degree rolls as they got flattened again on righting with both being on the windward side. Finally with the remnants of the high-performance fleet, they made it back without any damage.

Retiring to the rugby and finally the Old Coach Inn with the 505s, all had a great evening.

Sunday dawned and the Fat Lady was in hiding having a right old laugh. The format was for 3 races back to back with 2 to count.

Rutland Challenge for the John Merricks Tiger Trophy - photo © Jon Williams

Race 1 and in a force 5+ the protagonists charged upwind. Team Gul / North Sails charged out of the mid-line and Whitstable Marine (Nick Craig/Rich Bell) from the committee boat end avoiding a few slow handicap boats hanging around. With little to choose between them, the lower going for speed and windward one for height. Whitstable Marine, Nick decided to crank on the kicker a bit more with the resultant next big gust breaking the boom (his first) and so ending their day. This released Team Gul / North Sails to play with Sten's MPS and the 505s. Round the windward mark in 4th, the first 3 hit the graveyard off the church. Team Gul / North Sails gybed down the middle and headed off only to be flattened after the next gybe and taking a 360 roll. On recovery, as most of the high powered boats, sailed the rest of the race 2 sail reaching and came home amongst the 505s intact and ready for another.

After a delay waiting for the stragglers, some headed home and many stayed. Off the mid-line again avoiding traffic, Team Gul / North Sails, the last B14 standing, pretty much followed the same routine as race 1 with another plant when gybing for the leeward mark. The breeze built and the temperature dropped. After 2 laps and still intact, but starting to feel that the bodies were losing their zest due to the cold, Team Gul / North Sails headed home at the top mark and called it a day.

Rutland Challenge for the John Merricks Tiger Trophy - photo © Tim Olin

With no other B14s left on the water, it was left to the RS800 of the Singletons to show off the 2-man high-performance asymmetric prowess. However, in race 3 the Fat Lady came out to play midway through, and jumped up and down on a few as a rain squall came through. The RS800 capitulated as her mast broke and some of the 505s rolled to have their bellies tickled.

So it turned out, it was to be a weekend of some stories that will be retold over the coming weeks, and masts and sails to be rebuilt/replaced across the fleets. The Tiger had lived up to its name and had been won by the big wind 420 specialist class in style.

Team Gul / North Sails takes the series win from Whitstable Marine followed by Seavolution.

So over the series 17 B14s entered and 15 B14s came to the start line in mixed conditions from 2 – top 30s knots winds. With less extreme conditions the turnout would have been even larger. The TT season has kicks off with the fleets' first TT back at Rutland in April, with a sprint to the Worlds at Torbole, Garda at the end of June. Question will be, will Europe get the ashes back off the Aussies. With a couple of ready to go TT standard B14s still available on the market, could you be tempted to try and tame one of these beasts and make the start line at Torbole on the Wind Gods race track

Team Gul / North Sails, will be on stand A12 in the main hall next to P&B at the RYA Suzuki Dinghy Show, as sailed at the Tiger Trophy. Watch the videos on VR Sport TV and come a see a truly quick boat at a great show. See you there.

Overall Results: