International 14 POW Week at Pwllheli Sailing Club Overall

The International 14 class returned to North Wales in the week of August 4th to 10th when Pwllheli Sailing Club hosted the famous Prince of Wales (POW) Cup Week. The 14 national champion has been decided on the outcome of the POW Cup race since its inauguration in 1927 by the then Prince of Wales (before becoming Edward VIII, later “Mr Simpson”). The race is something of a marathon which cannot be shortened, whatever the weather, and often results in an “outsider” winning. Latterly, the Windwhisper points series has been added to judge who performs most consistently through the week.

In those early days the 14 was best known as a boat which was highly challenging to sail and embraced a corinthian spirit. Today, the same is true with the 14’s continual, but well paced development. Since the last major rule change in 1996 (when the International 14's amalgamated with the Australian and New Zealand 14 foot skiffs), the class has stabilised and many good quality, competitive and affordable boats are becoming available to newcomers. It remains a boat to which many aspire.

The week was attended by some of the UK’s best dinghy sailors, including Charles Stanley (ex world champion), Colin Goodman (worlds runner up 2000 and ex Fireball champion), Rob Greenhalgh (18s, Ultras, 49ers), Victor Brellisford (18s), Mark Upton-Brown (ex 505 champion) and sailmaker Ian Pinnell. Doing well in the week is a good indicator of a top seed to win the World Championships in Bermuda in November.

A brand new trophy saw top sailors paired up with another competitor further down the ranks to form a “buddy handicap” series, with the best aggregate score to win, partnerships being formed by 14 Sailing Secretary Dave Spragg with his best blindfold and pin.

As usual at POW week there were many innovations to be seen in the dinghy park. Following on from last year’s swing to more flexible rigs spearheaded by the Australian fleet, several boats are now experimenting with self-tacking jibs. Rob and Peter Greenhalgh, sailing the RMW Marine works boat, have gone the whole hog with crew trimming the main upwind 49er style. Top UK sailmaker and 14 newcomer Ian Pinnell has gone down the same route, with last year’s POW-winning crew Dan Johnson working the main upwind for him. Both boats are going very well, and as Ian said, “Anything which makes it easier for me has to be a good thing…” Pete Harper is one of several helms with a self-tacker who is still trimming the main himself, and he was also very happy with his upwind boatspeed. Time will tell which technique proves to be faster.

Winged rudders were a highly publicised development at last years’ Worlds, with winners Kris Bundy and Jamie Hansler sporting a Paul Bieker designed variable-pitch winged rudder which, according to Paul, generates lift upwind and fools the water into thinking the boat is 15 feet long. Chris Turner and Peter Bagwell tried a refined version of the concept in Sunday’s practice race, with an internal push-rod inside the rudder controlling variable-pitch fins. Unfortunately this proved to be something of a weed-catcher, and the rudder spent the rest of the week in Pete’s van. Andy Partington and Doug Walker in Linton Jenkin’s radically narrow Gatecrasher had a much smaller non-adjustable fin at the base of their rudder, but admitted to not being able to tell the difference when it folded in half downwind one day.

Spinnaker design has always been important in the 14 class. Area is not limited by the rules, but every POW and Worlds course includes reaching legs as well as runs, leading to an optimum size of 34 to 38 square metres and an interesting design compromise to make a kite which works well on both types of leg. Top Aussie sailmaker Lindsay Irwin has hit on an innovative and very clever solution to this problem, and is now making kites with a variable luff length. The sail has a longer luff for better downwind VMG, but is adjustable via a cunningham-like device at the end of the bowsprit allowing the crew to shorten the luff for tight reaches. As well as Australian Champions Jason Beebe and Sam Reid, several UK boats are now using this style of kite, which is proving to be devastatingly fast downwind, whilst still being able to make it up the tight reaches.

Dave Spragg and Andy Loukes have been experimenting with composite PBO rigging from The Rigshop all year. The jury is still out on longevity (no failures so far) but Dave and Andy report that the rigging is considerably less stretchy than the wire it replaces, and the weight saving in the rig of over a kilo has to be worthwhile. Several other boats are showing a keen interest, but so far no-one else has bitten the bullet.

Now the trend is for fixed-rake bendy rigs the boats have become much simpler in layout, and this is making the boats cleaner, cheaper and, most importantly, easier to sail. With several crews claiming to have secret weapons still up their sleeves for the Worlds in Bermuda this November, it will be interesting to what further technological advances the 14 fleet can make, but in the meantime the entire fleet seems to be hooked on rig tension gauges and tape measures. Have tension gauge, will travel…

The racing:

A light weather practice race was won by Colin Goodman and Sam Gardener who took a hard left course on the first beat and led from start to finish. Similar conditions prevailed for the first race, and the fleet generally headed left, following Goodman's precedent. Except our Colin of course, who went hard right along with Victor Brellisford. Colin came out smelling of roses as he rounded first, Victor was more like the substance used to assist the growth of roses being well down the fleet. Goodman and Gardener contined to lead to the finish. Brellisford, crewed by Damian Ash sailed superbly up the fleet to gain 5th.

Race two was sailed in a still light 5-8 knot breeze. After two general recalls, only by breaking out the black flag was the race officer able to get the fleet away cleanly. Greenhalgh drove hard towards the right-hand corner, closely pursued by Paul Vine/Sam Dubrejevic, and these two made it round the windward mark in first and second, with Colin Goodman/Sam Gardener in third. Goodman managed to take Vine down the run and attacked for the lead in the rising breeze, now 12-15 knots. Greenhalgh however just managed to stay ahead, and was then able to consolidate his lead over the next lap and a half, to take the race with Goodman close behind. Vine held on to third place with Turner/Bagwell in fourth. Visiting Australians Jason Beebe and Sam Reid found the fresher conditions much more to their liking and finished 6th, just behind Ian Teasdale. Back down the fleet many sailors were caught out by the freshening conditions, with several trips over the handlebars from people who ought to know better.

There was no racing on the Tuesday, as the wind swung through 180 degrees and then built to a solid force 5 gusting 6. Although 14 sailing is a perfectly realistic proposition in this strength of breeze, the 5-foot waves would have made things rather interesting and the general feeling in the dinghy park was that race officer Richard Tate had made the right decision to postpone to Wednesday.

The result of this was two races back-to-back on the Wednesday. Both were won by Goodman/Gardener, with the Greenhalghs and Vine/Dubrejevic taking the two second places.

Thursday saw the big race of the Week, for the Prince of Wales Cup. This legendary race calls for an unusual ‘death or glory’ style of sailing unfamiliar to those whose championships are decided on a series of races (where cautious sailing is often the best route to victory). The course is long and punishing – six laps alternating sausage/triangle with deliberately tight reaches on the triangles calling for excellent judgement on when to hoist the spinnaker (if at all!). Unusually, the course also finishes on the bottom of the third triangle which again adds to the pressure – desperate moves on the reach have been the downfall of many a would-be winner. The top six finishing positions count because the first six finishing boats receive a replica of the POW Cup itself.

This year’s course was made all the more difficult by the very gusty and shifty 20 knot wind which caught out the unwary. After one general recall, the fleet got cleanly away and as ever, split to the left and right corners. Towards the end of the first beat it looked as though those on the right – who had gone towards the shore looking for a lift – would pay off. The offshore wind at Pwllheli, however, had other ideas and just as the ‘righties’ were feeling rather smug the wind suddenly swung back. Howard Steavenson and Ian Turnbull rounded the windward mark first and with a huge gust to help them on their way led the fleet down the first blasting offwind leg amid plumes of spray. Charles Stanley/Jim Storey rounded behind Steavenson/Turnbull followed by the Greenhalghs, then Spragg/Loukes, Ian Teasdale/Simon Hewson, Beebe/Reid.

Steavenson/Turnbull - defending themselves from Stanley/Storey went high on the run and as a result unwittingly led the rest of the fleet to overshoot the leeward mark. Many of those disappointed ‘righties’ had gybed inside and gained huge distances – putting them back into the race. As a result, the top places dramatically changed and some fast boats who had missed out on the first beat started to move through the fleet. Meanwhile, Colin Goodman and Sam Gardener – probably the POW favourites after their form during the week - capsized on the run and became entangled with a lobster pot. They finally rounded the leeward mark in last position.

By the second windward mark, Greenhalgh/Greenhalgh had seized the lead and had started to build distance on the boats behind. They were followed by Ian Pinnell and Dan Johnson, Steavenson/Turnbull, Teasdale/Hewson and the current Australian Champions Jason Beebe and Sam Reid.

On the downwind leg, Steavenson/Turnbull suffered a gear failure and their chances of winning this POW were over. The leading pack went round the leeward mark to work the shifts on the right hand side of the course. Meanwhile, Goodman/Gardener were yet again over on the neglected left hand side of the beat. Others followed, and this produced a new line up at the third windward mark, although the Greenhalghs had by now established a convincing lead which looked unassailable. Goodman/Gardener were now in second (remember – having been last at the first leeward mark). They were pursued by a charging Stanley/Storey, then Brellisford/Ash followed by James Fawcett/Bruce Grant. Fawcett/Grant were entertained at the windward mark by a capsizing Brellisford/Ash and steered round them to charge off down the reach pursued by Teasdale/Hewson and Spragg/Loukes.

At this point in the race, the question was whether Goodman/Gardener had sufficient ‘squirt’ to chop down the Greenhalghs' lead. However, it was not to be, and at the finish, it was the Greenhalghs cruising ahead, Goodman/Gardener now resigned to second, Stanley/Storey happy with their performance, Pascal/McCafferty, Fawcett/Grant followed by the Australians Beebe/Reid.

The Greenhalgh brothers are both among Britain’s best sailors and their victory at the 2001 POW was not entirely unexpected by observers. They are already top 18 Foot Skiff and 49er sailors. Nevertheless, it is a major achievement for the young team that they should lift the POW Cup at their first attempt. Observers in the fleet noticed that they appeared particularly fast downwind – which could be a result of their light weight and superb technique – yet they were able to maintain their upwind speed. Without doubt they are a team with a professional approach.

The top six crews in the POW Race also get invited to join the prestigious Crew’s Union organisation which apparently fights for crews’ rights throughout the sailing world. This year’s new members were Ian McCafferty, Sam Reid and, of course, Peter Greenhalgh. Each will receive a Crew’s Union tie and an attractive car sticker to go along with their huge egos…

The Week concluded with the final race on Friday August 10th. The wind had eased from the previous day, with initial conditions providing generally single, occasionally double, trapeze work upwind. Large variations in wind strength and direction provided plenty of complexity, the first of which came on the first run when the wind filled in to the left, leaving those who had gybed off early smiling, those who had not gnashing their teeth. On the subsequent beat, the opposite side of the course won out, allowing for some more dramatic gains and losses. The wind then continued to back and increase during the reaches, the variations requiring fine judgement when picking the lay lines for the leeward mark. The subsequent beats and run were very one-sided, before the race officer recognised the end of week feeling by shortening course rather than redeploying all those marks. Out of all this came Turner/Bagwell in first, followed by Colin Smith and Kimball Morrison, and then Vine/Dubrejevic.

Week overall:

The Windwhisper Trophy for the best overall result for the Week excluding POW was won convincingly by Goodman/Gardener, who did not need to sail the last race. When added to their remarkable recovery to take second in the POW, this all added up to an excellent performance. UK class Chairman Paul Vine, with Sam Dubrejevic, came second overall, with Turner/Bagwell third. Paul was also the proud (?) winner of the Windmaster Trophy for first individual over 45, a blow only slightly softened by his brother-in-law Ian Teasdale picking up, with Simon Heuson, the Ancient Mariners' Trophy for combined crew age over 70. Remarkable consistency from Chris Turner and Peter Bagwell won them the Royal Cornwall trophy for all races including POW and with no discard, while Beer S.C. took the Stonewest Trophy for best Club performance. The Sailsail.com 'buddy' prize was won this first year by the suspiciously strong pairing of Pinnell/Johnson and Andy Partington/Doug Walker; these two are unlikely to be partnered up in future repetitions of the system! Second were Pyper/Bastow with Murley/Simmons, and third Dencher/Dencher with Greenhalgh/Greenhalgh. Overall, the buddy prize was another successful experiment, which is expected to be refined and continued for future years.

All in all, a good week of mixed conditions, with an excellent POW race at its heart. Racing in the mid-fleet was felt to be especially close, reflecting the high standard of competition in the class.

PoW Week Overall Results:

More Information:

• YachtsandYachting.com International 14 Page