International Moth Lowrider National Championship at Loch Lomond Sailing Club

International Moth Lowrider Nationals at Loch Lomond © Katie Hughes

Loch Lomond Sailing Club welcomes the International Moths © Paul Hignett

The International Moth Lowrider National Championship Trophy © Paul Hignett

Hungry Tigers on the prowl, but the Magnums take the champagne

The last UK National Championships in the International Moth Class before the advent of foilers was 2003, when an assortment including Magnums, Axemen, Skippys, Prowlers, and Hungry Tigers competed at Saundersfoot. Within a year, many at the front end of the fleet were converting their craft to foilers. It is believed that it was Simon Propper, on these pages, who coined the term "Lowrider" in 2005. Whilst a few stalwarts continued to attend class events, by 2007, travelling Lowriders became rare.

It's interesting to read that Saundersfoot report and note the names Wheeler, Watson, Henry, Hignett, Beasley, Pybus mentioned in dispatches. Their exploits 15 years later seem no less calamitous. It's especially apt that all these characters are in the vanguard of the current Lowrider International Moth revival.

After much chat on the platform of a popular purveyor of social media, and after dry(ish) runs at the CVRDA Nationals last year and Abersoch Dinghy Week this year, a group of nine Lowriders assembled at Loch Lomond Sailing Club as part of the Club's annual Dinghy Open weekend. In addition to from visitors from Scotland, sailors travelled from Kent, Sussex, London, Oxfordshire, the West Midlands and Derbyshire. They competed for the 2018 International Moth Lowriders National Championships, alongside groups of foiling International Moths and Waszps, sharing courses with the other non-foiling classes, but with separate starts.

There has been much interest in hunting out the winning design of the last four World Championships before the foiler revolution, the elusive Hungry Tiger. Four of the five lowriding Tigers in the UK shared the waters, the most ever, there having been only three in Saudersfoot in 2003. Russ Wheeler has owned his from new and was giving his recently refurbished Tiger its first showing in class company. Doug Pybus, who also competed in a Hungry Tiger in 2003, has recently acquired his and he couldn't resist the lure of competing, taking a break from foiling after his recent remarkable homebuild. Paul Hignett cunningly sourced his Tiger in Germany, with Russ being the Tiger catcher and bringing it to the UK last autumn. Despite several years in a Magnum 8 in the early 90's (where is K3942?) John Edwards is new this summer to narrow lowriders and brought the fourth Tiger, recently converted back from a foiler to its original specification. New also was the Saturn Sails version of one of the last popular lowrider sails. Lyndon Beasley and Ian Marshall, well known in CVRDA circles and avid Moth curators (owning, apparently, no fewer than 8 Moths between them) sailed a Magnum 7 and 6 respectively. Matt Ponsford, senior designer of event co-sponsor Atomik-UK, brought his Magnum 8, whilst boss Phil Oligario carefully recorded excuses ashore. Dalgety Bay's Keith Cuthbert sailed his Axeman 7. As his own Magnum 9.9 was poorly in bed back in Loch Tummel, following its recent repatriation from Switzerland, Iain McIntyre sailed Paul's stunningly restored Magnum 8, the legendary K3911.

Lowider and foiling International Moths and Waszps at Loch Lomond Sailing Club - photo © Katie Hughes

Unusually for Moth sailing, the handicaps proposed and tested by Lyndon, Ian and Stuart Mander at CVRDA events were used for the event. The competitors suspected that it would take a decent breeze for the Tigers to growl and, indeed, it was so. After the wind-stifling morning rain had cleared in time for the Saturday lunchtime start, a SSW 5-8 knot breeze settled in. Sharing a course with the non-foiling classes, there was plenty of traffic and short legs to focus minds. True to anticipated form, despite three very close races on the water, the experienced Lyndon and Ian shared the champagne on handicap, with Doug and Paul changing places frequently for line honours. Not passing through the finish line up the first beat in race 1 was nearly the undoing of Doug, who dropped several places on his return through the gate, which it was for John in race 4, who hoped that Tiger stealth would evade the eagle eyes of the race team (it was not to be and he lost two places overall as a result). Matt, meanwhile, performed so well in the first two races that he went ashore, sold his boat and did not race again.

Lyndon Beasley (left) and Ian Marshall (right) - photo © Katie Hughes

On Sunday, the forecasts stated a southerly 5 – 25 knot wind. After a short postponement to allow the wind to settle, the fourth race took place in 10-15+ knots, enough for Doug and Paul to take the first two places, with Keith splitting the Magnum 7 and 6. Before the 5th race, a significant squall unleashed the Tigers. Paul recorded 16.6 knots of boatspeed, the others much the same as they went on the prowl around Milarrochy Bay. One orange-decked but black-hulled Tiger stalked the adjoining foilers, presumably seeking camouflage amongst the dark waters of Loch Lomond by capsizing right in the middle of their finish line. A crouching Tiger, perhaps? Race 5 soon began, with the winds beginning to abate as Lyndon took his fourth win from Doug. The stronger breeze also suited Keith and an improving John, who finished ahead of Russ on the water, unlike in the first three races. The Magnum 8s joined Phil on clipboard duty ashore. Russ and John read the clouds accurately prior to Race 6, correctly predicting that the breeze would shut down completely to drifting conditions, with both returning to land. Indeed, Lyndon and Ian assumed their positions leading at times on the water in Race 6 and confirming their rightful positions overall as National Lowrider Champion and runner-up.

International Moth Lowrider Nationals at Loch Lomond - photo © Katie Hughes

Lyndon becomes the first winner of the stunning new trophy donated by Paul. Planning continues to locate lowriders, including identifying boats hidden in garages and on boat parks, bringing together potential vendors and purchasers and engaging with lowrider sailors in the UK, Europe and beyond. We aim to support and organise certain events in 2019, with, if feasibility is demonstrated, the potential to race as a separate class in the 2020 International Moth World Championships in Weymouth. Those interested are encouraged to join the Group discussions.

Overall Results:

Lyndon Beasley, International Moth Lowrider National Champion - photo © Paul Hignett