Exe Sails Hornet National Championship 2024 at Dabchicks Yacht Club - Overall

As the final day dawned, the packing began and the fleet were met with a much more promising breeze in the dinghy park. PJ, our RO, was enthused and we were all expecting 15 knots + out on the racecourse. McNamara needed a seventh or better to win, but the rest was all to play for.

As the fleet headed out down the creek, positions and required results were calculated and the great game of "who do we need to beat?" began.

On arrival at the committee boat, the breeze wasn't quite as expected with an average of 10 knots and a shorter beat than we had been used to with a strong incoming tide.

Race 7 began with what we thought was a general recall but only Jones/Anderson returned to the line and the rest were off.

What proved to be a shifty and difficult beat saw the Starcross teams excel in similar conditions to those they are used to at home. Playing the shifts up the beat, Skudder/Hills rounded first and were very closely followed by Garry/Woolner and Coombe/Francis.

Having missed the annual River Exe Regatta this past weekend, those teams were set on having their own race, and that's exactly what they did. By the leeward mark, they had pulled out on the rest of the fleet and extended this to the finish, while places changed back and forth up the beats. They finished the race in the order they rounded the first mark in.

But where were McNamara & Chatterton?

Michael McNamara and Harry Chatterton win the Hornet Nationals at Dabchicks - photo © Fiona Sparks

Having rounded further down the fleet at the first mark, they needed to pull up through the fleet. Showing their consistent boat speed, they gracefully passed boats up and down wind to join the tussle for the front of the rest of the pack behind the Starcross teams.

Dean and Adam Saxton, who had been having a great regatta in their newly converted 2103 (thanks to "Uncle" Tim Coombe the Hornet's honourable wooden boat master craftsman), so were fighting for fourth alongside McNamara and Curtis, the latter in the hunt for second overall.

Curtis held on to fourth while McNamara/Chatterton pulled into fifth which was all they needed for the championship.

The wind, by this point, was dropping and shifting to the right. The sea breeze was on the horizon but, with no chance of it arriving before the racing was done for the day, PJ moved the course and began the sequence for the final race.

A lot of sailors at this point, having secured the championship, would have headed for home and begun the inevitable pack up but not Michael and Harry! True to their form, McNamara and Chatterton gave the Masterclass in hornet sailing that we are so used to seeing. Up the first beat, they excelled in the front three alongside Skudder/Hills and Garry/Woolner to bang the right corner and lead the fleet around the windward mark.

This then became the procession and with the reaches deep, overtaking downwind was out of the question. Garry played the shifts up the final beat to pull into second and despite the weight difference, Skudder couldn't quite pass him on the final broad reach to the line.

Garry almost took the bullet when McNamara headed off up wind for an additional beat, but after hearing the chat from the boats behind, changed course to take a well-deserved first place. Skudder/Hills secured second overall and Garry/Woolner third.

Last year's champs, Curtis/Poulloin had pulled away from the remainder of the fleet left chasing the front three and took fourth place to secure the overall position from Coombe/Francis.

Hornet Nationals at Dabchicks - photo © Kevin Francis

The results always paint a picture, but this year's racing was tight. This was a championship that took its toll on the brain and this, with a big helping of skill and luck, determined the results across the fleet. The fleet is as competitive as ever and even though the faces at the top of the scoresheet may be familiar, the pressure was surely on!

A new acquisition for the class, 2175, was crewed by local sailors Jack Grogan and Sam Caslin. Youth entry Scarlet Maclennan and Sam Grout, also from Dabchicks SC, sailed the class boat 2168 and spent the four days with grins on their faces.

Congratulations to our 2024 National Champions Michael McNamara and Harry Chatterton! Especially to Michael for his 83rd Championship title!

Scarlett MacLennan and Sam Grout win the Tiger's Skull trophy - Hornet Nationals at Dabchicks - photo © Kevin Francis

Nigel Skudder & Keith Hills for putting together a consistent series and taking two wins away from the champs to comfortably secure Second Place.

Dick Garry & Sam Woolner for pulling third out of the bag.

Class Secretary Tom Guy picked up the early entry raffle prize of a new Exe Sails Genoa!

Tom Guy picked up the early entry raffle prize of a new Exe Sails Genoa - Hornet Nationals at Dabchicks - photo © Kevin Francis

A huge thanks to Dabchicks Sailing Club for hosting such an enjoyable Championships. While the wind may not have played ball, PJ and the race team worked hard to ensure the full series was raced, they even avoided the infamous black flag!

The whole team at the club made the fleet feel incredibly welcome with social events, the quiz and some fantastic food that kept the sailors satisfied.

Thank you to the Hornet Class. Without the passion they bring, none of this would be possible. There's a lot of positive energy radiating out of the fleet and exciting things to come.

Hornet Nationals at Dabchicks - photo © Kevin Francis

Special mention to Vice Chairman Terry Curtis for organising the nationals alongside the club and for driving boats round the country so they could be at the event.

Thank you to our sponsor Exe Sails for supporting the class for donating the prizes, early entry raffle Genoa and supporting the class boats.

Finally, if you are interested in sailing the Hornet, please get in touch with the class. We have class boats available for loan and boats on the market at a range of prices from entry level up to championship ready.

Hornet Nationals at Dabchicks - photo © Kevin Francis

Overall Results:
If you finished in the top ten at the Hornet nationals then enter your Gear Guide information here

Hornet Nationals at Dabchicks - photo © Kevin Francis