D-Zero class at the Aberdeen & Stonehaven Yacht Club Open Regatta

by Peter Taylor 18 Aug 09:55 BST 15-16 August 2026

D-Zero class at the Aberdeen & Stonehaven Yacht Club Open Regatta © Ditta Neumann

A 12-boat D-Zero fleet gathered at Aberdeen & Stonehaven Yacht Club over the weekend of 15-16 August for the club's Open Regatta, with six races completed across two days of close racing, strong tidal conditions, and excellent hospitality ashore.

The fleet sailed three races on Saturday and three on Sunday, giving competitors a full series with one discard. Conditions were cool and changeable in typical north-east fashion, with Saturday bringing partly cloudy skies and winds of 8-12 knots in the area, while Sunday started cooler with overcast conditions and lighter winds before the fleet completed the remaining schedule. On the water, the tide added an extra tactical layer throughout the weekend, but the race team kept the programme moving well and delivered a fair, well-managed series.

D-Zero class at the Aberdeen & Stonehaven Yacht Club Open Regatta - photo © Ditta Neumann

From the outset it was clear that the visiting Dalgety Bay sailors had arrived in determined form. Andrew Homer set the early pace with three straight wins on Saturday, putting himself firmly in control of the event by the end of day one. Behind him, however, the racing was far from settled, with Ian Baillie, Tom Aitchison, Peter Taylor and John MacKenzie all trading places and keeping the front of the fleet tight. John MacKenzie (PRO from D-Zero UK Nationals at Dalgety Bay) started race 2 in a strong position but capsized on the reach before recovering well to finish eighth.

After racing on Saturday, competitors enjoyed a sociable evening ashore, with the host club laying on a barbecue that gave the home sailors and visitors a chance to catch up after a busy day on the water. With the forecast and the tide still keeping everyone honest, there was plenty to discuss ahead of Sunday's racing.

Sunday brought another three races and more close battles throughout the fleet. Ian Baillie opened the second day strongly with a race win, while Andrew Homer responded with another first place in race five to tighten his grip on the overall result. Peter Taylor finished the series in style by taking the final race win, helping him secure fourth overall.

With four race wins from six, Andrew Homer took the overall victory on 6 points, a convincing performance in a competitive fleet. Ian Baillie finished second on 11 points, with Tom Aitchison third on 15 points. Peter Taylor was fourth on 17 points and John MacKenzie fifth on 19 points, completing a clean sweep of the top five for the visiting Dalgety Bay sailors.

The leading Aberdeen & Stonehaven Yacht Club sailor was Robert Anderson, who finished sixth overall on 32 points, narrowly ahead of clubmate Otto Collier Wakefield, also on 32 points. Walter Mouat, Andrew Macpherson, Francis Neill, Berry Berhane and Andy Ferguson completed the 12-boat fleet.

Tight one-design racing and a well-run six-race series made for an excellent weekend for the D-Zero fleet. Thanks go to Aberdeen & Stonehaven Yacht Club, the race team, safety crews, galley and volunteers for a very enjoyable event both afloat and ashore. Thanks also go to Sailingfast Ltd for the generous prizes and to D-Zero fleet sponsor Tunnock's for providing delicious teacakes. The D-Zero fleet looks forward to returning in 2027.

Overall Results:

Pos	Sail No	Helm	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	Pts
1	106	Andrew Homer	1	1	1	2	1	‑3	6
2	336	Ian Baillie	3	‑4	3	1	2	2	11
3	156	Tom Aitchison	2	3	4	3	3	‑5	15
4	206	Peter Taylor	4	2	5	‑6	5	1	17
5	283	John MacKenzie	5	‑8	2	4	4	4	19
6	248	Robert Anderson	‑8	7	7	5	6	7	32
7	250	Otto Collier Wakefield	7	5	6	7	7	‑9	32
8	339	Walter Mouat	9	‑10	10	10	8	6	43
9	201	Andrew Macpherson	10	9	‑12	8	10	8	45
10	325	Francis Neill	6	6	9	(DNC13)	DNC13	DNC13	47
11	212	Berry Berhane	‑12	11	11	9	9	10	50
12	360	Andy Ferguson	11	(DNC13)	8	DNC13	DNC13	DNC13	58