Please select your home edition
Edition
GP Watercraft

B14 Invitational and TT round 4 at Weston Sailing Club

by Crispin Taylor & Guy Harrill 17 Aug 2022 19:43 BST 13-14 August 2022

Prior to this event the class association undertook a Facebook survey to better understand the priorities for competitors and association members. Based on some of the feedback we were keen to make this event attractive to sailors coming out of Covid hibernation and to attract less-regular attenders with offers of coaching and boat tuning.

The B14 fleet is exceptionally friendly and boat parks are usually humming with old hands offering practical and technical advice and this one was no exception.

The event saw some teams we have seen for a while return as we hoped and many arrived on Friday 12th August for an afternoon of free sailing and as the club had allowed camping onsite, many stayed for a BBQ on the shoreside in balmy 30c Mediterranean conditions with the impromptu Cocktail bars from Wattsy, Leaky and Amir dishing out drinks until late into the night.

Saturday dawned with little or no wind but as forecast, a steady sea breeze built and the fleet set off for race one in 10 knots SSE. Crispy and Gi in 789 were first to the windward mark and kept the lead with Mark and MJ (797) in second with Russ and Lucy (762) third.

Race two and the wind had picked up to 16+ knots SSE and wind over tide made for awesome downwind legs. Mark and MJ gave the fleet a masterclass and were clear winners followed Russ & Lucy & Kathy and her scratch crew, Nathan (772) in third.

Race three now 20+ knots SSE with a peak of 22 recorded in the race box. Champagne conditions in 30c and warm water. Great upwind and downwind legs from Mark and MJ gave them a clear lead followed by Paul and Will 787 who were comfortably in second using their leverage to good advantage until some impromptu sail washing in the last gybe let 789 through into third.

It later transpired that Paul had been making Will (the owner of the boat and usual helm) do both the tackline and halyard in the kite hoists, exhausting his poor crew, and ultimately causing the capsize.

The crews union failed to comment on this as technically Will is a helm.

The fleet gathered for another great BBQ, more cocktails and some serious boat bimbling entertainment laid on as Tony looked to finally track down and fix his leak, supported by an eclectic mix of tunes from Tony's CD collection

Sunday dawned mirror calm with some people looked a tad fragile, perhaps it was the Mediterranean heat causing mild dehydration?

Thankfully a delayed start due to the lack of early breeze gave time for recovery and all 12 boats made it to the start of race 4.

Race 4. 5-8 knots (patchy) SW veering SSE. Crispy and Gi tacked early to port but overcooked the lay line, Mark and MJ climbing into them to round overlapped. Crispy and Gi pulled out a lead down the first run as the wind shut down, gaining enough distance to pull off their penalty turn (for infringing Mark and MJ at the top mark) a lead which they held to the end.

The battle for second and third was intense with Russ and Lucy taking the win from Mark and MJ as the sea breeze struggled to establish and faded in and out.

Race five. 5-8 knots. Similar direction. Crispin & Gi were ahead at the first mark, but the ever-stealthy Russ & Lucy went inshore & snatched the lead at the leeward mark. A close tacking duel ensued between 762 and 789 with 762 still ahead at the windward mark. At the leeward mark, 789 was infringed causing them to lose their position leaving the win to 762 with Kathy and Nathan (772) in second and Tony & Jamie (764) third. Mark and MJ having a race to forget that included MJ briefly exiting the boat on a gybe.

Race 6 8-10 knots SSE. It was winner-takes-all with the two form boats of Crispy or Mark taking it to the final race to decide the series winner.

Crispy and Gi tacked early and were ahead at the first mark, Mark and MJ getting tag teamed by team Starcross to lose some ground approaching the top mark to round in second. Crispy and Gi gybed inshore as the tide was ebbing and kept loose cover on Mark & MJ. Geri & Leaky (786) were relishing the conditions and kept the pressure on throughout the race on the front two.

On lap two Mark and MJ seemed to have sorted their light wind pace and picked up a nice lift up the inside to close to within a whisker but it was Crispy and Gi who maintained their close cover to cross the line first followed by Mark and MJ with Geri and Leaky taking third.

Racing was close across the fleet with regular place changing in all races. On the final countdown, Crispy & Gi took a well deserved TT win from Mark & MJ.

This was the first open win for team 789 (Crispy and Gi) who, with a combined age of 122 were seen hobbling to the prize-giving.

Special mention to Kathy Sherratt as first lady helm and Starcross Yacht Club's B14 fleet with a 1,3,5.

The fleet thanks Mark, Kathy, Alan Davis and Paul Roberts for their local organisation, and Weston SC for hosting the excellent event. The combination of champagne conditions on Saturday, hospitality, onsite camping and the start line being mere metres from the slipway make Weston as much summer festival as it is open meeting.

The next event is the Europeans/Nationals 1-4th September. It's not too late to enter where you'll be guaranteed a great event and hospitality from Whitstable Yacht Club.

Overall Results:

PosSail NoHelmCrewR1R2R3R4R5R6Pts
1st789Crispin TaylorGi1‑421‑415
2nd797Mark WattsMat Johnson211‑3‑626
3rd762Lucy LoughtonRussell Gibbs32(RET)21(RET)8
4th772Kathy SherrattNathan Steffenoni43(RET)42‑513
5th764Tony BlackmoreJamie Dawson‑8‑7463417
6th787Paul RobertsWill Rand553‑9‑9720
7th795Amir ShamsuddinNick Pye‑10‑9577625
8th798James GardnerAnne Gardner76(DNC)5(DNC)DNS31
9th786Geri FemorLeaky Femor(DNF)(RET)DNC115332
10th756Barry PriceGuy Raines68(RET)108(DNS)32
11th770Simon HadleyCharlie Hadley9(RET)(RET)8RETDNS43
12th694Alistair MoppettThe Freezer(RET)10(DNC)DNCDNCDNC49

Related Articles

The engine room
Without them we are lost. This is about the things aloft both ahead and behind the stick. Without them we are lost. This is not about the tiny little room under the companionway stairs. Rather, it is about the things aloft both ahead and behind the stick.Yes. The rags. Only, they are anything but for wiping up spills. They are supreme tech. Posted on 9 Feb
Sydney Harbour Marathon
Part of the Australian 18 Footers League's 90th Anniversary celebrations The Australian 18 Footers League, as part of its 90th Anniversary celebrations recreated the Sydney Harbour Marathon, last sailed 37 years ago when 18, 16 and 12 footers competed on a similar course. Posted on 1 Feb
B14 - the inclusive skiff
Age, weight and gender do not matter Reporting from Sydney after the 2025 world championships, our reporter 'down-under' has pulled together some stats that shine a light on the inclusivity of this great class. Posted on 21 Jan
B14 Worlds at Sydney, Australia overall
A memorable regatta at Woollahra Sailing Club We weren't sure what sort of weather we would get for the final day of the B14 Worlds in Sydney. Dark clouds to the north, light clouds to the south, some rain, some very little sun. Posted on 11 Jan
B14 Worlds at Sydney, Australia Day 4
Chubby bunnies, a difficult sea state, and biblical rain With two days of lost racing the race officer was determined to get four races in on Thursday. This was made apparent at the last evenings entertainment "Bugger the Bone" - a B14 tradition that perhaps hasn't delivered crews at the top of their game. Posted on 9 Jan
B14 Worlds at Sydney, Australia Day 3
A range of shoreside strategies on a day of relatively low temperatures and driving rain Conditions on Sydney Harbour for day three were much the same as day two. A strong, gusty Southerly breeze brought with it relatively low temperatures and driving rain, leaving some European boats wistfully dreaming of home waters. Posted on 8 Jan
B14 Worlds at Sydney, Australia Day 2
The weather wasn't exactly welcoming on Sydney Harbour today The weather wasn't exactly welcoming on Sydney Harbour for the B14 World Championships today. With the sky heavy and overcast, the drizzle falling steadily, and winds gusting, there was little enthusiasm in the boat park. Posted on 7 Jan
B14 Worlds at Sydney, Australia Day 1
Thirty boats lined up on a glistening harbour Day one of the B14 World Championship kicked off Monday in Sydney, Australia at Woollahra SC. With a medium wind forecast for the day, competitors looked forward to a stiff sea breeze filling in across the bay, just in time for the first start of the day. Posted on 6 Jan
Flying start to 2025
An embarrassment of riches for sailing fans Happy New Year to you all! The beginning of 2025 is an embarrassment of riches for sailing fans, with a cornucopia of events to follow, ranging from offshore yachts around the world to traditional dinghies. Posted on 6 Jan
B14 Pre Worlds 2025 at Woollahra SC, Sydney
Aussie National Titles give Brits and Irish a taste of the Sydney Harbour washing machine! The three days of racing planned were primarily for the Aussie National Titles but it gave the Brits and Irish a chance to get into the Sydney Harbour washing machine and see what happens! Posted on 5 Jan