Classic Finn National Championship at Roadford Lake Sailing Club

Classic Finn National championships 2013 © Richard Willows

The Classic Finn National championship was held at Roadford Lake Sailing Club over the weekend of 8/9 June. Classic Finns are defined as those built before 1985 and using an alloy mast and Dacron sail. This provides cheap but very competitive racing, avoiding the cost of modern carbon rigs. The strong local fleet was joined by visitors from Keyhaven, Isle of Wight and Derby and the event was sailed in conjunction with the CVRDA open.

Saturday was beautifully sunny but the wind whistling through the masts of the dinghy park and the white horses on the lake put off many from venturing out. However 5 of the Finns were 'up for it' and headed out for 3 races. In the first race Peter Vinton in his 1963 wooden Fairey Finn led at the first mark and held a narrow lead to the end, although Mark Belshaw (1973 wooden Taylor) got a lift to the finish line in one tack and finished only 1 foot behind Peter. Simon Moss (1978 composite Walker) and John Barnes (1980 glass Vanguard) were very close behind but meanwhile David Harker (1979 wooden Warwick) had broken his toestraps and in the ensuing gymnastics, broken his tiller extension as well.

In the second race John Barnes and Mark led all the way around until the finish when Peter copied Mark's trick and managed to just get his bow in front of Mark at the finish line. As the Finns were having so much fun they all opted for a third race and in this one Simon Moss held the lead with John just behind and Peter in third. In all three races these 4 Finns had all been incredibly close, with little more than 50m separating them throughout.

On Sunday the wind was lighter and quite shifty but still with sunshine making it a glorious day, tempting several more Finns and many more CVRDA boats out. In the first race Peter held a slim lead until the wing mark which he grazed with his sheet, then compounded his 360 with a penalty so the 720 then put him back in third. Mark went on to win with John second.

At the start of the second race the wind swung to the left so that Mark and John from the left hand end of the line could tack onto Port and make the windward mark in one go. Mark held onto the lead with John again second. In the third race Peter managed to play the shifts to hold onto a slim lead which he held all the way round, just holding off John and Mark.

Overall Mark and Peter, with 2 wins each were tied on points with Peter having a better discard, but John Barnes, with one first and a consistent string of second places took the title and the handsome trophy back to the Isle of Wight.

A new Classic Finn fleet is forming at Keyhaven and a website classicfinn.org.uk provides information, advice and history. Interest in forming a fleet is developing in the US and prizes for the first classic are awarded at all UK Finn events.

Results

1st John Barnes East Cowes SC 9 pts
2nd Peter Vinton Staunton Harold SC 11 pts
3rd Mark Belshaw, Royal Cornwall YC 11 pts
4th Simon Moss Keyhaven SC