MYA Scottish District Wooden IOM Championship at Tayside Radio Sailing Club

MYA Scottish District Wooden IOM Championship © Bill Odger & George Whelan

MYA Scottish District Wooden IOM Championship © Bill Odger & George Whelan

On Saturday, 6th May the MYA Scottish District Wooden IOM Championship was hosted by Tayside Radio Sailing Club at their home waters of Forfar Loch. The event is unique to the Scottish District with the criteria being that the boat must comply with the International One Meter rules and the hull must be constructed from wood. This means that all the boats are home built with no commercial supplier manufacturing in wood but it does not result in a cheap alternative to a plastic boat. Unfortunately, the hull is the least expensive component with all the other bits and pieces including rigs, keel, rudder etc. pushing up the overall cost. However, it does result in some beautifully built boats and nine different designs (some by their owners) took to the water as opposed to open IOM events these days with very few designs represented.

When the first of the race team arrived the loch was more like a mill pond with not a breath of wind but Forfar Loch did not disappoint. By the time racing started the forecasted easterly had filled in which along with the clear blue skies presented the fleet with champagne sailing all day. All the competitors stuck with their no.1 rigs for the duration but there were times when this was pushed to the limit leaving some thinking they might change down. As it turned out the breeze never quite sustained its top level for long enough to justify the change.

Race officer Boyd Baird set a long course with an offset at the windward end and a gate at the leeward giving perfect racing for the thirteen competitors. Assistance from Cathy, Bill & Carl from the Buchanness Club ensured that the event ran like clockwork. Murphy and Fern manning the safety boat had the occasional break down to rescue and to make some minor tweaks to the course as the day progressed.

Steve Taylor with the latest version of the Corbie (Mk5) dominated the day with a well deserved win. Steve has shown great speed with this boat in club racing from the first day of launch earlier this season. Whilst the Corbie design has seen much tinkering with the Mk1, 2, 3 & 4, the Mk5 shows many differences and may in the future be the basis for a production plastic IOM. Ian Dundas and local skipper Tich Summers were tied on the same points with Ian taking second place on count back leaving Tich to settle for third. Although Steve and Ian's home club is Aberdeen they are also members of Tayside RSC and regular sailors at the venue. Forfar Loch is a wide open fast stretch of water compared to many boating pond venues and it would appear that experience with the local conditions was put to good use by the top placed skippers.

Thanks must go to Forfar Sailing Club for again opening up their full facilities and provided much appreciated sustenance all day for the competitors and race team. In summary, a unique event held in champagne sailing conditions run by an excellent race team and with superb hospitality. What more could you ask for?

Overall Results: