Craftinsure Silver Scorpion open meeting at Sidmouth Sailing Club

Craftinsure Silver Scorpion open meeting at Sidmouth © Oliver Salter

This was the first salt water Open Meeting of the 2022 season. The home of twelve Scorpions and also veteran builder Kevin Gosling's home club, Sidmouth is the type of place the Scorpion was designed for. Light enough to get up and down the beach easily and a sparkling performance in a south coast sea breeze.

Many of the fleet arrived early on the Friday to celebrate five decades of Shandy by drinking the beer tent at the local "Seafest" festival dry on the first night, whilst some of the more civilised folk headed to the Fountain Head to sample the local ale!

26 Scorpions awoke to perfect conditions, if you like sunshine, a soft tide and light but sailable breezes were a good test which probably favoured the slightly lighter crews. The course was set and the fleet needed binoculars find the windward mark on the championship-sized triangle-sausage course of which two laps were completed.

Throughout the day the wind increased slightly giving some great downwind sailing with some waves to play with to make those extra gains.

With Sundays forecast due to be lighter the race officer James Francis made the decision to bring a race forwards to complete four races on the Saturday.

Craftinsure Silver Scorpion open meeting at Sidmouth - photo © Oliver Salter

Overnight Tom Gillard & Rachael Gray topped the fleet with new comers Matt Burge & Bob Gardener in second showing great upwind speed in the Pinnell & Bax team boat. It was then tight in the pack with Tom Jeffcote & Alex Hayman (making his return to the fleet between sail GP events), and Nigel Potter & Ferret having good results. Pete Gray & Rich Pepperdine and Sam Watson & Andy Thompson also had strong performances though were both victims of the U flag!

With the sun still shining the fleet returned to shore to a festival feel with music, ice cream, food and beer from "Seafest" keeping us entertained for the evening.

With an 10.30 start on the Sunday some of the fleet were very glad to see the postponement flying as they were trying to move out of their accommodation, find lost keys and clear up the remains of Shandy's birthday celebrations.

The final two races were completed in a light south easterly. Gillard & Gray fought back up the first beat after a very confused crew realised the compass stuck on 170 for the entire day no matter what direction they were pointing in! Gray & Pepperdine took the final bullet of the day meaning they could discard their UFD and take second overall.

The first south coast open of the season was won convincingly by our National Champions Tom Gillard & Rachael Gray in 2013 Bearly Illegal with five wins and a second.

Craftinsure Silver Scorpion open meeting at Sidmouth - photo © Oliver Salter

Other notable performances over the weekend were Dan Henderson & Amy Clay, in Dan's first time in a Scorpion, took a fifth and a third in the last two races having been hindered by borrowed boat problems suggesting that Dan's talents adapted well to Scorpions.

AJ & Chris Eaton were starting a trip down memory lane, having returned to the class in 2021 after not sailing for ten years, with their first outing in 2014 in which AJ had come second in the Championships at Lyme Regis in 2009 sailing with Tim Parsons.

Sidmouth Sailing Club did an excellent job in promoting the merits of their club and their use of professional Race Officer James Francis resulted in perfectly set courses - so great sailing and lots of beer left many happy memories as the fleet dispersed on Sunday evening.

Overall Results:

Craftinsure Silver Scorpion open meeting at Sidmouth - photo © Oliver Salter