Musto Skiffs at the Loch Lomond Sailing Club Dinghy Open
by Jamie Hilton 14 Sep 2025 06:35 BST
6-7 September 2025
Rob Richardson marches to victory by 'yon bonnie banks' of Loch Lomond
In all my time sailing in Scotland, I've only once, I think, sailed at Loch Lomond, and I'm pretty sure a lively party in the superbly charismatic club bar is the reason for my hazy memoirs. So here, with the opportunity to return under the guise of a Musto Skiff traveller, and just 10 days before our UK Nationals, I'd have the chance to relive some good times and brush up a touch in terms of prep and fitness.
Arriving nice and early on the Saturday, having only had to travel 90 mins (a very welcome change for me), we were greeted by a small army of helpers who coordinated the arrival of 87 boats with military precision.
The fleets readied themselves with bacon rolls, and once rigged and briefed, hit the water for what turned out to be three races, windward-leewards, with a trapezoid for the final lap. This wasn't confusing per se, but rather, after 5 laps, it was a job to remember which lap we were on. And that was before the club bar came into play. Needless to say, with a wide range of boats on the water, broken down somewhat into fleet starts, it was hugely congested and absolutely exhausting, with more tacks, gybes, hoists and drops than I've put in in quite some time; probably ever. I've made a note for next time to have extra bacon rolls and to take my abacus afloat to tot up the laps.
The racing was good, really good in fact. A south-easterly 8-18 kts was blowing over the hills and over the bonnie banks before fanning out into a reasonably stable pattern. Rob Richardson (who we affectionately term RoRi) was in a change of boat, having just sold his weapon (645) before taking custody of 652 (with Bill Maughan taking his sabbatical and pending first steps into fatherhood). It took all of one beat for RoRi to prove 645 was no exception, as he made light work of his opponents and opened up a commanding lead. So much pace. I'm green with envy.
With him out of the way, it left the battleground ripe for a three-way truel (I had to google that - like a duel, but when 3 parties are involved) between Euan Hurter, Dylan Noble, and myself. A nudge further back and there was further battle, tightly contested between Ian Escritt, Alasdair Kerr, Andrew Scott, and Andy Hooton.
With Day 1 racing out of the way, it was back to shore for a DIY BBQ. Can't tell you how much fun that was, but it was a proper giggle fighting for real estate on the grill and, perhaps more so, the battle for utensils. I did well in this regard and enjoyed a superbly executed burger/sausage combo, which of course I washed down with a glass or two of Rioja and a good dose of banter in what I definitely remember now as a brilliant club bar. You'll have to come see it to believe it.
Day 2 was pretty much a carbon copy of the first day, but with the drive at the other end of it. Bacon, sailing, RoRi dominating, but with Euan convincingly doing enough to displace me to second, and Dylan banging in some top 3s.
That left RoRi with 6 bullets to take the win, not just in the Musto Skiffs, but also the overall event, presumably via some algorithm I have no interest in describing. Either way, he looks sharp and fast and continues to raise the bar. But at the end of the day, we all had a great time, and that, in my book, makes us all winners.
Big thumbs up and thank yous to Loch Lomond Sailing Club and all the happy-faced volunteers for a warm, welcoming and hugely fun event.
Onwards now to Hayling for our UK Nationals, before returning north to Dalgety Bay at the end of September for the final instalment of the Sailjuice Summer Challenge.
Overall Results:
| Pos | Helm | Sail No | Club | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | Pts |
|---|
| 1st | Robert Richardson | 2 | Royal Windermere YC | ‑1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| 2nd | Euan Hurter | 642 | Dalgety Bay Sailing Club | ‑3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 11 |
| 3rd | Jamie HILTON | 651 | dalgety bay | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | ‑4 | 4 | 14 |
| 4th | Dylan NOBLE | 608 | Ullswater YC | ‑4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 18 |
| 5th | Andy Hooton | 527 | Holy Loch SC | 7 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | (DNC) | 28 |
| 6th | Alistair KERR | 620 | None | 6 | ‑8 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 31 |
| 7th | Andrew SCOTT | 255 | DBSC | 5 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 8 | (DNC) | 33 |
| 8th | Ian ESCRITT | 598 | Yorkshire Dales Sailing Club | ‑8 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 33 |