2025 MYA Scottish District Wooden Hulled IOM Championship at Tayside Radio Sailing Club
by Brian Summers 28 Apr 06:21 BST
26 April 2025
The weather forecast was not good, very light SSE going south after midday - not the best direction at Forfar Loch which is aligned WSW-ENE. As it turned out at the 11:00 start time, although the breeze was very light, there was enough east in the breeze to set a short conventional windward-leeward course of two laps. The breeze did increase a little as the morning session progressed allowing Race Officer Ralph Knowles to lengthen the course.
Fourteen skippers came to the event - 6 from Tayside RSC, 3 from Aberdeen MYC, 2 from Kinghorn RSC, one each from Levenhall RYC and Buchanness RYC plus a very welcome guest (Malcolm Stewart) all the way from Emsworth RS on the English south coast.
Races 1 and 2 were won by Steve Taylor (Aberdeen MYC) sailing a Corbie 5. Following close behind were Tich Summers (Tayside RSC) sailing his Buzz 6, Ian Dundas (Aberdeen MYC) sailing a Corbie 6, Richard Ennos (Levenhall RYC) sailing his Arial and Bill Odger (Buchanness RYC) sailing a Corbie 5. Tich won Race 3 and Richard won Race 4. These skippers dominated the first four races in the light and fluky conditions. Nevertheless, they did not have it all their own way with Colin McGinnis (Tayside RSC) sailing a Buzz 3c scoring a 3rd place and David Redpath (Kinghorn RSC) sailing a Corbie 6 scoring a 4th place in Race 4.
Lunch provided by Forfar Sailing and Water Sports Club is becoming legendary in the Scottish District. Following tea/coffee and bacon butties upon arrival, skippers were now treated to a choice of homemade soups, a selection of sandwiches plus more tea and coffee. Reluctantly, skippers (and the race team) were called back to race!
Following lunch, the shifty wind slightly increased. In these conditions, Race 5 was won by Ian Dundas with Malcolm Worsley (Tayside RSC) sailing a Buzz 3 in 2nd place followed by Steve Taylor 3rd and Colin McGinnis 4th. Race 6 was won by Ian Dundas closely followed by Steve Taylor and Tich Summers with Bill Odger coming 4th. However, tussles were continuing throughout the fleet.
Unfortunately, the breeze did not last as the direction swung to the south for the last three races requiring the marks to be relocated to a 'zig zag' course, making for tricky sailing and a bit of good fortune needed at times. John Owens (Aberdeen MYC) sailing a Corbie 1 won Race 7 on the new course closely followed by Steve Taylor, Tich Summers and Colin McGinnis.
Afternoon tea provided by Forfar Sailing and Water Sports Club was a wonderful array of cakes washed down by their seemingly never-ending supply of tea and coffee. Carrot cake, ginger and date squares, fruit cake, Empire Biscuits, etc. Anyway, back to racing...
It was now very close with places still to fight for throughout the whole fleet. Ian Dundas won Race 8 followed by Tich Summers, Richard Ennos and Colin McGinnis. In Race 9, the final race of the day, Steve Taylor came first followed by Ian Dundas and John Owens.
The race team did an exceptional job to run nine fair races in such difficult conditions. There had been extremely competitive racing in challenging conditions but all protests were quickly resolved on the water and the event was sailed in a very friendly spirit.
Steve Taylor was declared the 2025 MYA Scottish District Wooden Hulled IOM Champion sailing his home-built Corbie 5. In second place was Tich Summers followed by Ian Dundas. It is noteworthy that fortunes swung back and forth but at the end of the day after nine races Steve came out on top by one point from Tich who in turn was only one point better that Ian.
At the prize-giving Steve received the MYA Scottish District Quaich and thanked the race team for what had been an extremely well-run event and Forfar Sailing and Water Sports Club for again opening up their full facilities and providing exceptional catering throughout the day.
Overall Results:
| Pos | Skipper | Sail No | Boat Design | Club | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | R7 | R8 | R9 | Pts |
|---|
| 1 | Steve Taylor | 43 | Corbie 5 | Aberdeen MYC | 1 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 14 |
| 2 | Brian Summer | 07 | Buzz 6 | Tayside RSC | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 15 |
| 3 | Ian Dundas | 138 | Corbie 6 | Aberdeen MYC | 2 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 16 |
| 4 | Richard Ennos | 84 | Arial | Levenhall RYC | 7 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 34 |
| 5 | Colin McGinnis | 45 | Buzz 3c | Tayside RSC | 12 | 12 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 37 |
| 6 | John Owens | 33 | Corbie 1 | Aberdeen MYC | 5 | 11 | 10 | 8 | 10 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 38 |
| 7 | Bill Odger | 137 | Corbie 5 | Buchanness RYC | 3 | 4 | 3 | 9 | 8 | 4 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 40 |
| 8 | Malcom Worsley | 13 | Buzz 3 | Tayside RSC | 10 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 47 |
| 9 | Bob Wilson | 63 | Buzz 3 | Tayside RSC | 8 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 49 |
| 10 | David Redpath | 40 | Corbie 6 | Kinghorn RSC | 6 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 11 | 11 | 51 |
| 11 | David Stewart | 30 | Corbie 1 | Tayside RSC | 9 | 8 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 12 | 8 | 12 | 67 |
| 12 | Malcolm Stewart | 01 | Buzz 5 | Emsworth RS | 11 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 4 | 72 |
| 13 | James Russell | 88 | Buzz 1 | Tayside RSC | 15 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 15 | 13 | 13 | 94 |
| 14 | Sandy Mackay | 58 | Buzz 2 | Kinghorn RSC | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 94 |