Wanderer National Championship at Whitstable Yacht Club

by Adam Wickenden 18 Aug 15:21 BST 15-16 August 2026

Ten Wanderers contested the class nationals at Whitstable YC over the weekend of 15th and 16th August. Competitors arrived from as far apart as Grafham Water, Littlehampton and Langstone Harbour.

All were hoping for good winds and racing, and in the case of the visitors from inland clubs - for water. The event was to turn out somewhat more 'interesting' than many were expecting. We had everything from Wayfarer start line bunfights, through a rogue Thames Barge, to a sinking!

Racing was scheduled for two back to back races each day, first race starting at 14:00. Whitstable, being on the sea, does have water. However, the water has that annoying tendency to disappear twice a day. Whitstable YC thus schedule races around high tide to make launching and recovery easier.

We were sharing the event, and start line, with the Wayfarers' Southern Championships. We also started just ahead of Whitstable's club fleets, which contain everything from Toppers to Tornados.

The forecast wind was gusting up to 20kts for the afternoon of the Saturday. Not that excessive in a Wanderer, though some of the fleet did reef to be on the safe side. The infamous Whitstable chop however turned a brisk sail into something quite exciting, and caused swims in both the Wanderer and Wayfarer fleets.

Race 1: Windy and lumpy

Race 1 got off after a short delay to allow the RO to finesse the windward mark. The course for all the weekend's races was a trapezium.

Richard Maltby in 1561 led round the first mark from Ian Simpson and Dave Bardwell in 1004. Mark and Jack Skipper in 1282 found their jib was slipping down the luff wire due to a broken lashing at the top, and retired to fix it.

Fef Griffin and Amanda Shakir in 890 were leading Richard Elliott and Dave Marsh in 718 for 5th when the Whitstable chop caused Fef to capsize on the lay line to the first mark. Richard Elliott in 718 had to perform a crash tack to avoid them, resulting in his crew ending up in the bottom of the boat waving his legs in the air.

The waves made it hard for 890's crew to right the boat. The got it up once, but in then turtled and stuck its mast in the mud. Theis require assistance form the rescue boat and a tow home. Fortunately, the mast was undamaged.

The fleet set off on the first reach, with the Wayfarers leading the way. A few of the Wayfarers hoisted their spinnakers, but the Wanderers elected to keep theirs dry throughout the race.

Ian and Dave in 1004 were able to overhaul Richard and Adam in 1561 on the second beat by tacking later for the start/finish line and catching a lift on starboard. They maintained this lead all the way to the leeward mark. Richard in 1561 had managed to close the gap. On the last short beat 1561 tacked early while Ian and Dave in 1004 went for the starboard committee boat lay line. Richard in 1561 seemed to get a better wind by tacking early, and by the finish the two boats were sailing parallel. The lay of the finish line however meant that Ian and Dave in 1004 were able to win from Richard Maltby in 1561 by just half a boat length. Richard Elliott and Dave Marsh in 718 were third while Steve Nott and Alistair Hornsby from Grafham in 1841 were 4th.

The waves and wind were to be the undoing of another boat as well, unfortunately. W116 'Avocet' capsized just upwind of the start line on the second beat. This time the mast did stick in the mud and the club RIB was unable to right it. The crew were transferred to the committee boat and W116 remained an obstruction on the beat for the duration of the first and second races. On righting after racing had finished the mast was bent and the bow tank had been holed at some point. The assistance of a very large pump was required to allow 116 to be towed in. The hole is just big enough to get two fingers in, so is easily repaired. The rest of the boat is fine, bar the mast, boom and mainsail which were lost.

Race 2: Thames Barge 1 - Whitstable Laser fleet 0

The fleet reconvened for race 2. We had lost two boats, though Mark and Jack Skipper in 1282 had returned having fixed their jib. Starting meant dodging some competitive Wayfarers. Richard Elliott in 718 decided he liked their way of doing things and did a lovely job of stuffing Ian and Dave in 1004 on the start (a small reward will be coming his way later!!). It was not the end of Ian's woes on the beat, he stalled on a tack, dropping back even further.

Mark and Jack Skipper in 1282 rounded first followed by Richard and Adam in 1561 and Ian in 1004. None of the Wanderers spinnakered on the first reach. Mark and Jack, having not sailed the first race, were unaware of the consensus and hoisted theirs as they rounded onto the run. "This 'll be good" was the comment from 1561's crew. On gybing half way down the run Mark and Jack were promptly capsized by a wave. Ian and Dave in 1004 also carried theirs, but dropped before gybing for the second reach of the trapezium. Nobody, including the Wayfarers, carried spinnakers on the second reach, it was too tight.

This excitement put Richard Maltby in 1561 up to first place at the start of the second lap. Ian Simpson in 1004 was second, with Richard Elliott in 718 up to third.

The leaders stayed in this position until the end on the second beat and down the first reach. Now, Saturday 15th was also Whitstable Harbour Day, and they had organised some Thames Barges for the crowds on the shore. One of the promptly sailed across the front of the Wanderer and Wayfarer fleet on their run, and straight into the midst of the Whitstable Laser fleet who were on their second beat. It then tacked onto starboard. This resulted in one unfortunate Laser who had gone to the far left of the beat trapped wanting to tack for the port lay line, and cross not only the barge, but also its 20ft long bowsprit! He managed to clear it. The barge carried on heading straight for Richard Ellliott in 718 who was on the first reach of the trapezium course. It then tacked onto port just before him, and headed for a second go at the Laser fleet.

Richard and Adam in 1561 won from Ian and Dave in 1004. Mark and Jack in 1282 just pipped Richard Elliott in 718 for third place.

In true Wanderer fashion the evening was spent on a communal curry, a quiz and raffle. We also had sea shanties from 718's Richard Elliott who is the leader of the 'Sussex-by-the-Sea Shantymen'

Race 3: Pleasant Wind

Sunday dawned a different prospect from Saturday. There was pretty much no wind in the morning. It was due to fill in but different forecasts had it veering and then dropping at different times during the afternoon. We crossed our fingers in hope.

By the time of the start it was a gentle force 2, not quite enough to need the crew on the side. The start line was a little starboard biased, forcing everyone up near the committee boat. The flooding tide also made tacking and going right inshore seem the preferred option. This made finding and keeping a lane amongst the larger Wayfarers difficult. Ricard Elliott in 718 was spat out the back at the start and then struggled to clear the committee boat on port as he tried to head inshore. Richard and Adam in 1561 were also rolled by a Wayfarer off the start, but were able to tack into a gap and clear air to head inshore.

718 was able to recover well from their bad start and rounded in third behind Richard and Adam in 1561 and Ian and Dave in 1004.

All boats that wanted to were able to carry spinnakers on the three downwind legs, thought the last reach was very tight.

The Wayfarer fleet mostly gybed at the beginning of the run. This turned out to be a bit marginal. All three spinnaker carrying Wanderers gybed, but Richard Elliott in 718, the first non-spinnaker boat, did not. This enabled him to stay ahead of Mark and Jack Skipper in 1282 despite them flying their spinnaker.

By the standards of the weekend so far race 3 had little or no dramas, and the positions did not change on the second lap.

Richard and Adam in 1561 first, Ian and David in 1004 second. Richard Elliott and Dave Marsh in 718 just pipped Mark and Jack in 1282 for third, despite not having a spinnaker.

Race 4: 'Wayfarered'

The start of race 4 was not quite so relaxing. With a starboard biased startline and the remaining tide still suggesting tacking right to go inshore, everyone bunched at the committee boat end. One Wayfarer (who will remain nameless only because I can't remember who it was) decided to sail down the line on port and tack onto starboard to try to shut the door on everyone else in his fleet. This had not much effect on the Wayfarer fleet, but resulted in a number of the Wanderers being spat out of the back of the start.

This mixed the fleet up considerably. Mark and Jack in 1282 lead Ian and Dave in 1004 at the first mark, followed by Steve Nott and Alistair Hornsby in 1841 then Richard Elliott in 718 and Fel Griffin and Amanda Shakir in 890. The start shenanigans had left Richard and Adam in 1561 way down the fleet and looked like killing their hopes of the event. The wind had been gently rising to a force 3, just enough to need the crew sitting out on beats and spinnaker reaches. This resulted in a huge difference between the spinnaker and non-spinnaker boats on the three downwind legs, and 1561 was able to pull up to third by the end of the first lap.

On the start of the second beat the decision was when to tack for the line. Mark and Jack in 1282 were going as far right as they could, and there was some talk in 1561 about splitting tacks and heading for the pin. A Merlin in the club fleet rounded just behind the lead Wanderers, tacked off onto starboard, and promptly stopped in a hole. That killed all thoughts of going left, 1561 would follow the lead of 1282. Ian and Dave in 1004 in second place had however not spotted this and tacked early. 1561 carried on and tacked for the committee boat. As 1561 crossed the line they were surprised to find themselves above and in front of 1004.

Continuing up the second beat Mark and Jack in 1282 tacked once through the line and headed inshore. For Richard and Adam in 1561 the only consideration was to stay ahead of 1004 and they loosely covered them out to the left side of the course.

On the second set of downwind legs a gust enabled 1561 to reel in Mark and Jack in 1282, who started to look back nervously. With Ian and Dave in 1004 now far enough behind to not be a threat 1561 took a gamble and tacked off early while Mark and Jack headed for the committee boat lay line. It nearly worked, 1282 crossed the line just a bow ahead of 1561.

Thus Richard Maltby and Adam Wickenden in 1561 won, and collected the Ian Proctor Memorial Trophy for the nationals as well as the Gavin Barr Memorial Trophy for Whitstable.

Ian Simpson and Dave Bardwell in 1004 were second and got the Ted Shepherd trophy., with Mark and Jack Skipper in 1282 coming third.

Now, there are a few interesting trophies in the Wanderer class, as there are in many others. One is the 'Start as you Mean to go on Trophy', to reward consistency and effort in the middle of the fleet. Richard Maltby as the event organizer and class chairman sprang the 'who shall we give it to' question to his crew between races three and four.

We decided to give it to Richard Elliott and Dave Marsh in 718. The official narrative for the award is that Richard has shown amazing consistency by finishing fourth and first non-spinnaker boat in every race and Wanderer event so far this year. He decided to spice things up a bit this time with a 3,4,3,(5) scoreline, but still finished 4th overall. The unofficial narrative is a thank you for stuffing Ian and Dave at the start of race 2!

Overall Results:

Pos	Sail No	Helm	Crew	Club	R1	R2	R3	R4	Pts
1	1561	Richard Maltby	Adam Wickenden	Whitstable Yacht Club	‑2	1	1	2	4
2	1004	Ian Simpson	David Bardwell	Tudor	1	2	2	‑3	5
3	1282	Mark Skipper	Amanda Tickner	Whitstable Yacht Club	(DNC)	3	4	1	8
4	718	Richard Elliott	DAVE MARSH	Arun Yacht Club	3	4	3	‑5	10
5	1841	Steve Nott	Alistair Hornsby	Grafham	4	5	‑7	6	15
6	1047	Raf Cable	Freya Crockatt	Whitstable Yacht Club	5	6	(DNC)	DNC	22
7	1626	Jonathan Loynes	Liz Doggart	Whitstable Yacht Club	(DNC)	DNC	8	4	23
8	890	Fef Griffin	Paul Cross	Whitstable Yacht Club	(DNC)	DNC	5	7	23
9	477	Nigel Lamb	Maria Lamb	Chipstead	(DNC)	DNC	6	8	25
10	1234	James Peasnell	Jonathan Loynes	WYC	RET	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	29