Sail Events Reports and Results 2015
The Club have many events running during the year. A look at the events list will show these are many and varied. Some of them are races and we have an Official Race Officer and reports and results are available on this page.
S-Class Race, 11th October 2015

S-Class race 11th October 2015
Race Report – Cathy Wilson (Race Officer).
Sunday 11th was a slightly overcast day, the sun trying to come out which it did by about 11.30 a.m. The Wind was very light and after a discussion with the skippers the course was shortened to 2 laps. The wind was ideal for the usual course and six skippers entered the race. The race officer was lenient and allowed Dave Tuckwood to sail with no numbers on his boat.
Dave baker took an early lead and was ahead round the first mark with Stuart Smith not far behind. Harry Sharpe did a heroic job with a borrowed boat with no topsail, a considerable handicap given the wind conditions.
Mick Hebden and Dave Tuckwood had a battle all the way with even a call for “windward boat” to keep clear as they approached the line. Raymond Binns sailed well as usual but it was not to be his day.
A very well behaved race which showed these beautiful boats to best advantage.
Dave Baker held the lead from the first mark all the way to the Finish Line, not bad for his first S-Class Race. Nice to see more interest in this class.
Thanks to Roger Shepherd for his interest and help running the race.
Results.
1) Dave Baker 506
2) Stuart Smith 28
3) Mick Hebden 10
4) Dave Tuckwood anon
5) Raymond Binns 18
6) Harry Sharpe 26
George Trophy Jif 65 Race, 20th September 2015

George Trophy Race
Report by John Goodyear
A total of ten Skippers contested the 2015 George Trophy race for JIF yachts held at Wilton Park on Sunday, Sept 20th.
Wind conditions were marginal throughout but picked up just enough in the second half of the race to make life interesting.
New boy Andy Nall took an early lead and turned at the first buoy ahead of the rest of the tightly packed fleet. He lost it on the run back up the lake, however, as Stuart Smith, Dave Baker, Doug Potter and John Goodyear managed to find what little wind there was.
These four Skippers each held the lead intermittently crossing the finishing line for the first time very close together. They stayed that way until the final run back up the lake when John fortuitously managed to tack into a gust and opened up a small lead. He extended this on the run up to the top buoy and subsequently sailed home to win by quite a margin on the last bit of available wind which then died away to almost nothing.
Special thanks go to Nick Roberts for volunteering to act as Officer of the Day, a role he undertook admirably.
Results:-
1 John Goodyear,
2 Dave Baker,
3 Doug Potter,
4 Stuart Smith,
5 Dave Etchells,
6 John Hinde,
7 Andy Nall,
8 Mick Tonkinson,
9 Andrew O’Connor.
Retired – Bill Crowther.
Report by John Goodyear
A total of ten Skippers contested the 2015 George Trophy race for JIF yachts held at Wilton Park on Sunday, Sept 20th.
Wind conditions were marginal throughout but picked up just enough in the second half of the race to make life interesting.
New boy Andy Nall took an early lead and turned at the first buoy ahead of the rest of the tightly packed fleet. He lost it on the run back up the lake, however, as Stuart Smith, Dave Baker, Doug Potter and John Goodyear managed to find what little wind there was.
These four Skippers each held the lead intermittently crossing the finishing line for the first time very close together. They stayed that way until the final run back up the lake when John fortuitously managed to tack into a gust and opened up a small lead. He extended this on the run up to the top buoy and subsequently sailed home to win by quite a margin on the last bit of available wind which then died away to almost nothing.
Special thanks go to Nick Roberts for volunteering to act as Officer of the Day, a role he undertook admirably.
Results:-
1 John Goodyear,
2 Dave Baker,
3 Doug Potter,
4 Stuart Smith,
5 Dave Etchells,
6 John Hinde,
7 Andy Nall,
8 Mick Tonkinson,
9 Andrew O’Connor.
Retired – Bill Crowther.
Presidents Cup Sail Race - 19th July
Race Report
The 2015 Presidents Cup race took place in overcast and gusty conditions, challenging at the best of times but especially so with the trees and Island at Wilton Park.
Twelve Yachts took part with Northwind, Victoria, DF65, Jif 65, Jif 785 and other designs taking part. The Yachts were fairly well together at the turning gate, John Goodyear emerged from the melee in the lead. All the boats were going well but the gusts certainly caused problems for those skippers who had risked larger sails. Cathy Wilson found that her boat only had left or right rudder, she tacked back up the lake when a gust of wind put her boat on the Island. The fleet carried on with John Goodyear still in the lead, the rest of the group swapped places constantly and John spent a lot of time waiting to be challenged. The challenge was maintained throughout the three laps but John never relinquished the lead ending up a deserved winner.
Cathy waited for the wind to veer and it pushed her boat off the Island, a quick look at the rudder showed it had bent and was catching on the keel. A quick bend of the rudder stem and she was back in the race but at the back of the fleet. Dave Baker's boat suffered a broken mast at the bottom mark and Jo Sharpe's Jif promptly got caught in the wreckage,
both skippers were out of the race.
Thanks to Debbie Roberts for 'volunteering' to act as Officer of the Day.
There appears to be a discrepancy in the numbers skippers are using. Please see John Goodyear for current three digit MYA assigned numbers. See MYA Information for the current list.
Results.
The 2015 Presidents Cup race took place in overcast and gusty conditions, challenging at the best of times but especially so with the trees and Island at Wilton Park.
Twelve Yachts took part with Northwind, Victoria, DF65, Jif 65, Jif 785 and other designs taking part. The Yachts were fairly well together at the turning gate, John Goodyear emerged from the melee in the lead. All the boats were going well but the gusts certainly caused problems for those skippers who had risked larger sails. Cathy Wilson found that her boat only had left or right rudder, she tacked back up the lake when a gust of wind put her boat on the Island. The fleet carried on with John Goodyear still in the lead, the rest of the group swapped places constantly and John spent a lot of time waiting to be challenged. The challenge was maintained throughout the three laps but John never relinquished the lead ending up a deserved winner.
Cathy waited for the wind to veer and it pushed her boat off the Island, a quick look at the rudder showed it had bent and was catching on the keel. A quick bend of the rudder stem and she was back in the race but at the back of the fleet. Dave Baker's boat suffered a broken mast at the bottom mark and Jo Sharpe's Jif promptly got caught in the wreckage,
both skippers were out of the race.
Thanks to Debbie Roberts for 'volunteering' to act as Officer of the Day.
There appears to be a discrepancy in the numbers skippers are using. Please see John Goodyear for current three digit MYA assigned numbers. See MYA Information for the current list.
Results.
Northwind Trophy Sail Race - 14th June
Race Report
Postponed from earlier in the year, the 2015 North Wind race took place on June 14th in typical Wilton Park conditions. i.e light, flukey winds with semi-continuous drizzle. Delightful!
An impressive twenty yachts made the start line which I think is a record for a sailing event within KMBC. The fleet was a heady mixture of commercial hulls, home-builds, and RG65’s with sails of all sizes, colours and shapes. Mercifully, and with a bit of last minute “fixing”, all yachts displayed racing numbers which must have made the OOD think all his Christmases had arrived together.
John Goodyear inched into the lead almost immediately at the gun closely followed by the rest of the fleet. By the second lap Stuart, Doug, Chris Thompson and John were challenging for the lead as their yachts either found wind or dropped into one or more of Wilton Parks now infamous “black holes.” As the yachts passed through the starting gate for the final time on lap three, Chris Thompson held the lead with Doug second and John a rather distant third. With all three of the leading yachts stalled it would be a question of who found the wind first and then managed to keep hold of it. John managed to be the lucky Skipper who got the wind and tacked at just the right time further up the lake to overtake the leaders and hold on to the top buoy and round it first. The run in to the line was a close thing with John literally staggering over the line first as the wind died with Doug and Chris zooming along close behind in a local wind gust demonstrating yet again that luck plays a huge part in yacht racing at Wilton.
Many thanks to all who took part and an especial “thank You” to Roger Sheperd who gave up his days sailing to act as Officer of the Day. Here’s to 2016
Postponed from earlier in the year, the 2015 North Wind race took place on June 14th in typical Wilton Park conditions. i.e light, flukey winds with semi-continuous drizzle. Delightful!
An impressive twenty yachts made the start line which I think is a record for a sailing event within KMBC. The fleet was a heady mixture of commercial hulls, home-builds, and RG65’s with sails of all sizes, colours and shapes. Mercifully, and with a bit of last minute “fixing”, all yachts displayed racing numbers which must have made the OOD think all his Christmases had arrived together.
John Goodyear inched into the lead almost immediately at the gun closely followed by the rest of the fleet. By the second lap Stuart, Doug, Chris Thompson and John were challenging for the lead as their yachts either found wind or dropped into one or more of Wilton Parks now infamous “black holes.” As the yachts passed through the starting gate for the final time on lap three, Chris Thompson held the lead with Doug second and John a rather distant third. With all three of the leading yachts stalled it would be a question of who found the wind first and then managed to keep hold of it. John managed to be the lucky Skipper who got the wind and tacked at just the right time further up the lake to overtake the leaders and hold on to the top buoy and round it first. The run in to the line was a close thing with John literally staggering over the line first as the wind died with Doug and Chris zooming along close behind in a local wind gust demonstrating yet again that luck plays a huge part in yacht racing at Wilton.
Many thanks to all who took part and an especial “thank You” to Roger Sheperd who gave up his days sailing to act as Officer of the Day. Here’s to 2016
Although we started with 20 boats we appear to have 'lost' two boats. If anybody knows who they were and where they came please let me know, I suspect it may be Harry Sharp and Jack Stanley? - Cathy Wilson - Web Admin
Blue Riband Sail Race - 19th April 2015

Blue Ribband Event – Race Report - John Goodyear
The 2015 event was held in typical Wilton Park condition of very variable winds with some 14 hopefuls making the starting line. A good variety of yachts entered ranging from JIF’s, through to Dragon Forces, North Winds and “Home-Brews”. With no one available to act as Officer of the Day racing was conducted under “honour” conditions. Following a simple Skippers Briefing, the start was uneventful with half the fleet timing things just about right and crossing the line as the starter sounded. Early leaders were Doug, John, Dave Baker and Chris Thompson, but Doug made the first turn at the top left hand buoy and soon started to build a lead. This continued right to the end with him finishing up a deserved winner. There were one or two unfortunate collisions further back in the fleet which affected the other placing’s but all were resolved immediately with good humour and spirit.
Interesting to note was that the top three finishers were all sailing home-built yachts, with self-made sails. Kevin Hepworth finished a valiant third sailing a JIF which was a very creditable performance bearing in mind that he was sailing in the company of many much bigger yachts.
Next sailing event on the agenda is the May 3rd Northwind Trophy race which this year will be open to all yachts at or under 31” in length. Make a diary note please!
Results:-
1 Doug Potter
2 Stuart Smith
3 Kevin Hepworth
4 John Goodyear
5 Chris Thompson
6 Raymond Binns
7 Dave Baker
8 Joanne Sharpe
9 Cathy Wilson
10 Harry Sharpe
11 Mick Tonkinson
12 Mick Hebden
13 Lincoln Beaumont
14 Dave Etchells
. Doug Potter Receiving the Blue Riband Shield
. from Phil Bowker
March Hare Sail Race - 29th March 2015

Race officer Margaret Wyatt.
The race started promptly at 10-30am with moderate winds and the rain just starting. There were 16 hardy skippers willing to start the race in a variety of boats. Northwind, Victoria, Jif79, Racing Sparrow, Standard Jif, RG65 and DF65 were all represented.
After the 1st lap Chris Thompson, Stuart Smith and Roy Clarkson
had moved to the front of the fleet. By now it had started raining harder
and as seems normal for a sail race the wind was decreasing.
The other 2 laps proved a battle between Chris and Stuart with
Weather conditions getting worse. Several skippers retired.
Chris managed to get ahead after the last buoy to win.
Results:-
1st. Chris Thompson
2nd. Stuart Smith
3rd. Roy Clarkson
4th. Kevin Hepworth
5th. Cathy Wilson
6th. John Goodyear
7th. Fred Senior
8th Doughy Potter
Retired.
Paul Rudkin
Bill Crowther
Alan Dyson
Jack Stanley
Mick Tomlinson
Mick Hebden
David Baker
Harry Sharp.
Chris Thompson receiving the March Hare Shield from Pat Reffin
After Doug Potter came home 8th the remaining skippers retired to avoid the Race Officer
getting hypothermia !! Margaret was very grateful for that kind thought.
Hope the next few races see some warmer weather.
The race started promptly at 10-30am with moderate winds and the rain just starting. There were 16 hardy skippers willing to start the race in a variety of boats. Northwind, Victoria, Jif79, Racing Sparrow, Standard Jif, RG65 and DF65 were all represented.
After the 1st lap Chris Thompson, Stuart Smith and Roy Clarkson
had moved to the front of the fleet. By now it had started raining harder
and as seems normal for a sail race the wind was decreasing.
The other 2 laps proved a battle between Chris and Stuart with
Weather conditions getting worse. Several skippers retired.
Chris managed to get ahead after the last buoy to win.
Results:-
1st. Chris Thompson
2nd. Stuart Smith
3rd. Roy Clarkson
4th. Kevin Hepworth
5th. Cathy Wilson
6th. John Goodyear
7th. Fred Senior
8th Doughy Potter
Retired.
Paul Rudkin
Bill Crowther
Alan Dyson
Jack Stanley
Mick Tomlinson
Mick Hebden
David Baker
Harry Sharp.
Chris Thompson receiving the March Hare Shield from Pat Reffin
After Doug Potter came home 8th the remaining skippers retired to avoid the Race Officer
getting hypothermia !! Margaret was very grateful for that kind thought.
Hope the next few races see some warmer weather.