RS300 Rooster National Tour at RS 30th Anniversary Regatta

RS300 Winners - RS300 Rooster National Tour at RS 30th Anniversary Regatta © Digital Sailing

The forecast was truly GRIM, so grim that Roger Marino, we assume, took one look at it and stayed in bed!

Fortunately the eight RS300s who got through the HISC traffic where treated to two days of exceptional tight racing with the HISC race team extracting the very best of the conditions coupled with the RS Sailing Team's awesome entertainment package!

Saturday was always going to be tricky and having been held ashore, getting three races in was going to be challenging, but the sun was out, no sign of the forecasted rain and there was breeze - not much but enough to race! The RS300ss were last start of three fleets. With 3 to 4 knots shifting around the course, Tango Tom (Tom Moore) on his new Orangutang platform was brimming with deserved confidence and in short, gave the fleet a great view of his transom as he disappeared off in both races securing two bullets on Orangutang's day one début.

The pin end on both races was the Cool Place to be seen, with Tom and Pete Mackin pushing off hard. Pete's Yellow Peril though was obviously feeling dejected with all the attention the Orangutang was receiving and punished him with an unusual sluggish performance. In the light breeze, heavy wind specialist Charlie South demonstrated excellent boat speed pushing Luke South hard up the first beat, both having tacked off early with Ben Heppenstall, Tim le Couilliard, Dave Acres, and Mark Schuerch all within a boat length of each other at the top mark. With the wind dropping off Charlie pulled clear of the chasing back, passing Luke and Dave and leaving them in his wake, not for the last time, down the run. As a majority of the fleet tacked off right, Mystic Meg (Dave) had obviously polished his crystal ball and steamed off hard left followed by Tim. As we came back together Dave was well clear ahead of the pack in 2nd, Tim 3rd, Charlie 4th. Much to Charlie's disgust Luke sailed straight passed him on the reach to secure 4th and Charlie and Pete slugged it out to the finish with Pete settling for 6th.

The second race followed a similar theme, with the chasing pack behind Tom exchanging places uphill and down. Again Charlie gave a master class of on downwind sailing leading the chasing back but just couldn't hold them off on the dropping breeze on the reaches.

After a few logistical challenges moving dogs and cars we all regrouped for the evening's entertainment of a live band and BBQ. All agreed that, despite the light wind, the racing was excellent and fair and with the exception of Tom, the fleet were all incredibly close with the smallest of mistakes punishing you.

Sunday dawned with a few foggy heads and a Northly breeze, so we were held ashore as the wind dropped, increased and dropped again and shifted around. We eventually set off for a long slow run out to the horizon to our course. Mystic Meg obviously had ran out of polish as he joined the RS21s adding a further half to his sail out! Fortunately multiple postponements and a few last min start cancellations for the RS200 gave Meg plenty of time.

The wind eventually did a 180 and a small sea breeze settled and began to build. The RS200s were demoted to 3rd start and on the naughty step so this meant racing could get under way! With the wind settled and toe straps for some beginning to be used, the third race was incredibly tight. We all landed at the windward mark in a tight line having swapped places multiple times, however Dave, Pete and Mark showed the best tactical know-how to pull away. The wind built to a steady 6 to 7 knots for the last two races with race 4 going to Luke, who had sailed over Pete on the reach, while Pete and Charlie battled it out, letting Tom sneak through bellow. The last race was a race to the right lay-line with Luke and Dave engaged in a boat-speed duel, Luke squeezed Mark out forcing him to tack off. Pete threw everything at the left lay-line on the 2nd beat trying to replicate Dave's day one Mystic Meg but to no avail!

The RS300 always turns heads, but this weekend with both Tom and Pete's on display even more so! With our motley crew showing an age span for 41 years and a weight span of 41 kg across the fleet, the racing was incredibly tight demonstrating the wonderful versability of our most excellent boats!

A huge thank you to RS Sailing for a brilliant weekend, to HISC for excellent race management, and to Rooster for their continued support of our RS300 National Tour!

Overall Results: