Hyde Sails Scottish and Northern Skiff National Championships at Dalgety Bay Sailing Club

by Jono Shelley 1 Oct 2021 12:30 BST 25-26 September 2021

A fitting climax to the Northern and Scottish Skiff series took place at Dalgety Bay Sailing Club on 25/26th September, which was also the final event to conclude the Musto Skiff UK Hyde Sails Series.

Skiff sailing in Scotland is in 'rude health' with 20+ boats regularly at events, including this one. The stakes were high - there were 3 major titles and trophies to be won and a good number of the big guns were in town. Up for grabs was:

1. The UK Hyde Sails Series title - an overall prize and the winning title for the first placed Musto Skiff across 6 national events (including the UK National Championships). Going into the event, Andy Tarboton had a narrow lead from Jono Shelley, and a large chasing pack led by Jamie Hilton.

2. The Scottish and Northern Skiff Nationals trophy - a standalone trophy for the first placed mixed skiff in this nominated event (on handicap). Anyone in the fleet could win this, and whilst dominated by Musto Skiffs, a number of 29er's and a Cherub were up for spoiling the party.

3. The Scottish and Northern Skiff series title - for the best placed skiff in 4 out of 6 2021 events. Jono Shelley led heading in, from Jamie Hilton, and Ben Schooling.

The club and conditions delivered in spades. A massive thanks to Dalgety Bay Sailing Club and all its volunteers who put on the event led by PRO Peter Taylor.

Race Day 1

Day 1 provided an incredibly close 4 races into the late afternoon in 7-14 knots, strong tide, and shifts that gave many place changes. Jamie Hilton proved he was once again 'the thinking man's sailor' in the tricky conditions, commanding a slim lead with a discard overnight with a 1,2,(6),2 over Andy Tarboton, with 2,1,2,(3).

Jono and Ben Schooling picked up the other bullets to just about hang in there overnight. Others in the chocolates included Euan Hurter, Rob Richardson, Brian Greensmith, and the consistent Cherub of Phil and Carol Anderson.

The night was a big one, and the social was strong, involving an excellent all-comers curry followed by a Robbie Wilson fire pit over a flat calm and illuminated Forth - a thing of legends.

Race Day 2

At the dawn of Day 2 the breeze was up, gusty, and shifty, but the water was flat and the sun was shining. It was a 'full flat wiring and in the foot loop' kind of day. The show-down was on.

First blood went to Jono who rounded first and gybe-set into a gust to maintain a good gap from the pack to win race 5. Tarboton hit back and comfortably took race 6 after a number of lead changes in the opening laps. In the final race, the breeze notched up further and pretty much everyone swam trying to nurse the boats around the course, but out of the spray came who else but Ian Turnbull, who is clearly brave and nuts in equal measure. He fully sent it downwind where others didn't dare and came out with a much-deserved bullet in race 7. It was time for home.

Final Results

Overall scores on the doors put Tarboton a deserving first. He did very little wrong across the weekend with slick boat handling and was always fast. He took home the UK Hyde Sails Series title, including a sponsored kite kindly provided by Hyde Sails, and the prestigious Scottish and Northern Skiff Nationals Trophy.

Jamie Hilton took second overall, but Jono in third had done enough to win the Scottish and Northern Skiff Series. Phil and Carol were the first non-Musto, and Morven Wood and Ollie Bull the first 29er.

Hyde Sails also awarded all three podium places a bottle of champagne as part of the sponsored series - a perfect prize to celebrate the end of a great weekend of sailing at Dalgety Bay SC.

With one more event still to go in the Northern and Scottish Skiff series, there is no better time to come and join in.

Dalgety Bay Results:

Pos	Class	Sail No	Helm	CrewName	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	Pts
1st	Musto Skiff	26	Andrew Tarboton		2	1	2	‑3	2	1	2	10
2nd	Musto Skiff	593	Jamie Hilton		1	2	6	2	‑14	2	6	19
3rd	Musto Skiff	566	Jono Shelley		4	5	11	1	1	(OCS)	3	25
4th	Musto Skiff	618	Ben Schooling		5	6	1	‑7	5	7	5	29
5th	Musto Skiff	464	Euan Hurter		‑12	3	5	5	3	8	7	31
6th	Musto Skiff	274	Ian Turnbull		6	‑11	7	4	9.5	4	1	31.5
7th	Cherub	3218	Phil Alderson	Carol Alderson	8	9	4	8.5	‑9.5	5	8	42.5
8th	Musto Skiff	549	Rob Richardson		15	7	3	6	7	6	(DNC)	44
9th	Musto Skiff	629	Brian Greensmith		3	17	9	10	8	(OCS)	4	51
10th	Musto Skiff	128	Chris Morgan		13	13	‑14	13	12	13	10	74
11th	Musto Skiff	605	Robbie Wilson		10	12	(DNC)	DNC	4	3	DNC	75
12th	Musto Skiff	500	Tom Conway		11	10	10	8.5	13	(DNC)	DNC	75.5
13th	Musto Skiff	620	Steve Robson		14	8	15	11	6	(DNC)	DNC	77
14th	29er	1908	Morven Wood	Oliver Bulll	‑20	18	17	12	11	10	9	77
15th	Musto Skiff	598	Ian Escritt		7	4	12	14	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	83
16th	Musto Skiff	334	Rob Trotter		9	15	19	15	17	12	(DNC)	87
17th	29er	2119	Robbie Littlefield	James Griford	19	19	8	19	15	11	(DNC)	91
18th	Musto Skiff	260	Callum Escritt		18	14	13	17	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	108
19th	Musto Skiff	526	Paul Anderson		16	20	18	16	16	(DNF)	DNC	109
20th	Musto Skiff	255	Andrew Scott		17	16	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	DNC	11	113
21st	29er	1157	Fraser Patrick	Jonas Elder	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	DNC	19	9	DNC	120
22nd	Musto skiff	98	Alistair Higgins		(DNC)	DNC	16	18	18	DNC	DNC	121

Overall Hyde Sails Series results can be found here...