B14 Nationals at Brightlingsea Sailing Club

Severe weather conditions for the B14 nationals at Brightlingsea © Tania & Sergei Samus / www.photoblink.co.uk

Severe weather conditions for the B14 nationals at Brightlingsea © Tania & Sergei Samus / www.photoblink.co.uk

Despite a horrendous forecast that deterred a number of entrants who had a long distance to travel the B14 Circus still managed a creditable turnout of 27 boats for the 2008 Nationals at Brightlingsea SC over the Bank Holiday Weekend.

Where many fleets having experienced horrendous conditions over the weekend, the B14s were lucky to even get a series in.

Saturday dawned to overcast skies and winds gusting to 20 - 25 knots. Launching into a sheltered shore and offshore winds, the 3 sail reach to the start was full on and will be remembered by some for a while. Unfortunately the wind increased to 30 knots whilst the fleet was afloat and so racing for the day was abandoned with the fleet retiring to the bar and B14 Fleet Social mastermind Leaky’s unique take on indoor volleyball, providing another unique B14 social experience!

After the adrenalin rush of blasting in a near gale on Saturday, the nationals continued with still quite windy and certainly adrenaline rush sailing on Sunday. The forecast was for 20+ knots of wind. However, the race team did a great job of squeezing in 4 races as the breeze built from 13 knots to 18 – 20 knots at the finish of racing. Three of the 4 pre-race favourites set their boats up for the big breeze but alas this was to be their undoing as the wind only kicked in during the last race.

Race 1 started at the first attempt with a square line but some of the favourites had a less than great start to racing. The fleet split left and right but event dark horses the Boulder Brothers (Nick Craig/Toby Lewis) led to the windward mark only to set onto it, resulting in a 360 turn, allowing Ovington Boats (Chris Turner/Phil Eltringham) through to the lead followed by CSC/Hyde Sails (Chris Bines/Dave Gibbons), Ronstan (Mike Bees/Ferret) and The Anthill Mob (Tim Harrison/Jonny Ratcliffe). With nothing between the first 8 boats, it was to be real nip and tuck downwind. At the Leeward mark, it was Ronstan being chased down by a recovering Boulder Brothers.

Over the next round, the lead was to change several times but the Boulder Brothers were to prevail and take the win from Ronstan, Anthill Mob, Simmons&Simmons (Mark Watts/George Morris, MJF/North Sails (Dave Hayes/Rich Bell) and reigning champions Seavolution/Blue Marine (Mark Barnes/Pete Nicholson) recovering remarkably from a traumatic start to 6th place. One of the pre-event favourites CSC/Hyde Sails, who love heavy airs, were very unlucky to suffer wing failure while running nicely in 3rd.

Race 2 and the wind strength remained force 3 but got shiftier. Previous champions MJF/North Sails, hit hard left off the pin for the lee bow and it paid handsomely to led at the windward mark, getting away on a tasty gust to open a large lead, followed by Hyde Sails 2 (Alan Davis/Kathy Sherratt), and 764 (Mark Pollard/Richard Hingston). With the chasing group closing down the leading boat over the next 2 rounds, but failing to catch them, MJF/North Sails won from a compact group led by the Boulder Brothers, Simmons&Simmons, Seavolution/Blue Marine, Ovington Boats and Ronstan.

Race 3 and at last the breeze began to build and with it the raked rigs started to come into play. The Anthill Mob took the pin on port, crossing the fleet and heading out to the right hand side. Seavolution/Blue Marine took the left hand side followed by the Boulder Brothers and Ovington Boats with the left paying. Down the run the leading 2, Seavolution/Blue Marine and the Boulder Brothers were neck and neck but Seavolution/Blue Marine broke loose at the leeward mark. However, on the beat the Boulder Brothers climbed inside to grind out a lead at the windward mark. With another chase downwind, Seavolution/Blue Marine got the better on the drop but this was not to last. On the beat, again the Boulder Brothers climbed inside grinding out a lead, leading down the next run, holding the lead over the final round, building on this to lead to the finish from Seavolution/Blue Marine, Ovington Boats, Acxiom (Mark Emmett/Allan Stuart), MJF/North Sails and Ronstan.

Race 4 and finally a nice steady 16 – 18 knot breeze making for brilliant downwind sailing and a real test for crews as they handled 30 sq.m. of kite in race 4 at the end of a very physical day! Seavolution/Blue Marine led off the pin with the MJF/North Sails having overshot the pin, bailing out, restarting and driving to the right hand side. Up the beat Seavolution/Blue Marine ducked the Boulder Brothers to lead at the windward mark from the chasing pack of 5 boats. Down the run the leader opened out a lead with Acxiom, Ovington Boats and the Boulder Brothers taking up the chase.

Over the next lap Seavolution built on their lead with nothing to choose between Acxiom and the Boulder Brothers. Down the run however, Seavolution/Blue Marine had the wrap from hell and saw a large lead disappear, but super-crew Pistol Pete quickly sorted the problem to put them back in the race, rejoining in 5th. Over the next round the Boulder Brothers broke loose with Seavolution/Blue Marine on a charge through the chasing group. At the finish the Boulder Brothers won from Seavolution/Blue Marine, with a close battle for third, Simmons&Simmons having sailed low and fast from the top mark took the inside line holding Acxiom and Ovington boats out beyond the layline to claim third from Axciom fourth, Ovington boats falling to a capsize on the final gybe just metres from the line. This group were then closely followed by Ronstan and Two Racks of Pork (Piers Lambert/Tim Bees).

The evening saw the fleet at the AGM and a subdued evening with many crews recovering from the intense close racing seen across the fleet during the day and strange memories of the night before!

Sunday dawned with 30 – 40 knots winds and driving rain and no choice but to abandon racing for the day. So it was that the Nationals of 2008 were to close with a single days racing run by a race team led by PRO Chris Hadden that showed slick work and good courses. The shore team also deserve a mention for providing the shore held B14 crews with large amounts of quality food and joining us in the party theme during the weekend.

Congratulations must go to Nick and Toby who since buying their boat, have put in many hours in some extreme conditions, resulting in their winning a closely fought Nationals at their first attempt.

Handicap Champions were Hills Group (Henry Wells/Alex Capon), Buddy Champions Ronstan/Credo (Theo Gayler/Jack Spencer) and Youth Champions Credo.

Notable performances were top youth boat Credo showing the older hands, they’ll need to stay on top of their game by coming in 10th overall and at times being in the front pack. Sailsport (Tony Blackmore/Charlotte Jones) showed that kit isn’t everything by coming in 11th with aluminium spars.

With the next event at Plymouth in two weeks, we can only hope for good conditions, a full event programme and more eveining fun!

Overall Results: