Osprey Class End of Year Round Up
by Huw Pearce 16 Dec 2022 12:32 GMT
Seldén SailJuice Winter Series Datchet Flyer © Tim Olin /
www.olinphoto.co.uk
Overall winner of the Seldén SailJuice Winter Series several years ago, Peter Gray is having another crack at this winter series, this time in an Osprey, with Geoff Edwards on the trapeze.
Peter and Geoff are sailing the class owned demonstration Osprey, and made an excellent debut at the first event of the 2022/2023 Selden Sailjuice Winter Series, the Draycote Dash, coming second. They followed that up with a 3rd place overall at the Datchet Flyer, to take the lead in the Series after two events.
Peter & Geoff in the six year old demo Osprey are not alone on the leaderboard, with team mates Roger Blake & crews sailing their brand new Osprey into 5th overall position in the series. The Osprey Class stand 3rd after the first two events of the series in the class standings.
2022 National Championship
Looking back now at the summer, the 2022 Osprey National Championship at Porthpean was a windy and wavy affair with only three of the scheduled 8 races being sailed. All three races had different winners, with different second and third places as well, demonstrating the competitiveness of the class. Launching and recovery were challenging! Congratulations to Matt Burge & Vyv Townend on being champions for second year in a row. Can they make it 3 in a row at the 2023 National Championship?
The class again shows that wood and GRP, newer & older boats can all compete equally. Also, it was pleasing to see 5 lady helms competing with the leading lady helm scoring a 2nd & 3rd and finishing 4th overall.
2023 National Championship
The fleet at 2021 Nationals in Tenby, the class look forward photographs like this in 2023.
Looking ahead, Hayling Island SC will host the 2023 Osprey Nationals from 2nd to 5th September, in the 70th Anniversary Year of the class. At the 2022 Championship, the builders of the Osprey, Hartley Boats, laid down a challenge to the class; if the class could get at least 40 'Expressions of Interest' in the 2023 National Championship before 23:59 on last day of October 2022, Hartley Boats would provide 4 excellent prizes for a draw for those booking their places and putting down the entry deposit. By cut-off time & date, the class smashed their target, with 50 places booked. The class look forward to all these and more attending.
70th Anniversary Year
1952, the late Queen's Coronation year, is when the class started, with the very close win in the Round the Island (Isle of Wight) Race held to celebrate the Coronation. So in 2023, another Coronation year, the class will again mark this special occasion with a Round the Island Race.
As part of the 70th Anniversary Year the class is compiling a history of the class, packed with anecdotes from those who sailed (and sail) Ospreys.
A celebratory dinner will be held as part of the 2023 National Championship.
Class Boat
The Osprey Class, in partnership with class builder, Hartley Boats, has an Osprey which can be borrowed. It is being used by Peter Gray & Geoff Edwards for 2022/2023 Selden Sailjuice Winter Series. After the completion of the series the boat will be available for others to try out. More information and link to application form can be found on the home page of the class website, ospreysailing.org.
The aim of the Class Association boat is to bring new sailors into the class, inspire them to buy their own Ospreys and to tell their friends just what a good class it is.
Looking Forward
The latest iteration (Mark VI) of the Osprey, with new cockpit & controls layout, has been released by Hartley Boats for customer sales, after a year of testing in club and circuit races. This updated epoxy Osprey uses techniques developed on other racing boats in the Hartley stable, and incorporates all the class know how which Hartley Boats have gained over the sixteen years they have been building, and sailing, the class. The latest Osprey is the stiffest ever, and its simple layout makes it easy to tune.
The Osprey Class will be at the RYA Dinghy & Watersports Show on 25th & 26th February 2023, when the full schedule of events for 70th Anniversary Year will be released. It is planned that there will be two Ospreys at the show, showing the evolution from the early boats to the latest Mark VI version on the Hartley Boat stand.
2023 season starts with Welsh & Midland Championship at Tata Steel SC on 15th & 16th April.
The Osprey Class looks forward to welcoming new members to a thriving class in 2023.
More information on the class is available at the class website, ospreysailing.org or on Facebook page Osprey Sailing. Sales enquiries to Hartley Boats on 01332 369751.