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After three events in the Travellers Series, Andrew and Tom Wilson from Datchet SC are the leaders followed closely by Brian Lamb and Sam Pygall representing Wilsonian SC/Medway YC. The winners of all three events this year will be competing at Shoreham; Michael McNamara and Simon Townsend who won the Inland Championships at the beginning of April, Brian and Sam who won the open meeting at west Oxfordshire SC and Guy Marks and Mel Titmus from Bough Beech SC who won the Eastern Championships a month ago.

The home fleet will be led by Bill Whitney and John Shelton who finished 5th at the Eastern Championships and by Peter Bennett and his crew, Philip Ayton. Other notable visiting teams will include Nigel and Belinda O’Donnell from Swarkestone SC, who lie third overall in the Travellers Series and Mike Weighill (UKWA’s Most-Improved-Helm 2019) and his long suffering crew, Carl Martin, also from Swarkestone who finished as runners up at West Oxfordshire in April.

From Medway YC the fleet will be joined by Brian and Liz McKenzie who finished in sixth place and second UK crew at last year’s European Championships in Denmark, and by Tim and Jacqueline Townsend who don’t get out much and have no recent notable performances to their name, other than a penchant for starting at the pin end of the start line and occasionally sinking the pin! Other visiting teams from Arun YC and Castle Cove SC are expected.

I’m sorry to have to report some likely absentees; Mark and Jane Lee (golfing, I presume….poor excuse) and the class wuss-of-the-week Richard Stone (third at the light-wind Eastern Championships) who has allegedly decided that a forecast of a healthy force 4 is too windy for him, much to the disgust of his crew, Catherine Gore, who says that even if sailing is cancelled she’s happy to walk the first few miles of The Monarch’s Way (great attitude…..more Tigger than Eeyore). David Roberts has maintained a radio silence on his whereabouts this weekend, as has John Clementson, who presumably is still recovering from placing fifth overall at the recent Three Rivers Race on the Norfolk Broads.

The Wayfarers are sharing the event with the National 12s. If anybody wants to join us there is camping available and a chilli supper on Saturday night. More details can be found at here.

Shoreham Wayfarer Open – photo © Warwick Baker / www.warwickpics.com

Study the image. This is a photo of the 2019 winner. For convenience, let’s call him Mike. What did Mike do in 2018 which made him a winner? Was it the fact that he secured his best ever performance at the National Championships? Was it the fact that he travelled to most of the Craftinsure National Circuit events and stood on the podium at a couple of them? Did he buy the Racing Secretary a cup of tea or a beer? Well, all of the above, obviously, but there were some extra aspects of Mike’s performance which made him stand above the crowd in 2018. What were these? Observe the following:

• The almost upright boat as it planes towards the camera. So much quicker than the almost horizontal;
• The classic high elbow position on the sheet hand, demonstrating the quick trim to promote the plane;
• The short haircut – no stray tendrils to obstruct the ears and interfere with balance or wind sense;
• The calm and regular breathing – a man at the peak of his fitness (and possibly too athletic to race a Wayfarer!);
• The highly polished hull in royal blue which perfectly reflects the bow wave in the late afternoon sun;
• The inscrutable look. Mike is obviously aware of the photographer but is careful not to show it behind his polarised sunglasses and underneath his peaked cap;
• The enigmatic look also hides Mike’s innermost thoughts, his plans for next season which doubtless will involve more boat bling designed to shave a nano-second off manoeuvres. These might include twin spinnaker poles and more elastic under the foredeck than a Merlin Rocket;
• The lips, cleverly closed to avoid swallowing the worst of the spray and waves not blocked by the crew (for convenience, let’s call the crew Carl, although other crew names (and, indeed, crew) are available);
• The overlength tiller extension enabling Mike to control the rudder from all conceivable positions, even from the centreboard;
• Not visible in the photo but patently present on the boat, literally metres of trim strips measuring genoa sheet tension, barber position, main sheet tension, rig tension, vang tension, outhaul, cunningham, pole height, the length of the infinitely adjustable bridle and the angle of dangle of the centreboard;
• The extra special trim strip to measure crew position (“No, Carl, I said sit this gust out to a 9, not a 7, flat is fast remember. Your knees should be a further 20mm outside the boat”);
• And is this the key to winning the most improved helm trophy? The most-long-suffering crew. Note how hard Carl is working. His left hand is carefully checking rig tension (NOT, I repeat NOT just supporting his weight) while his right is continuously trimming and re-trimming the genoa with extraordinary subtlety. His gaze is fixed upon the telltales not the photographer. His mouth is slightly ajar and his face contorted by his efforts as he waits for the inevitable collision with the approaching bow wave. His physio, who he sees every Monday, might have something to say about Carl’s bent leg hiking style but he is giving it every ounce of energy he possesses. Tragically, there is no Association trophy for the most improved crew each year, but Carl is content to quietly reflect in Mike’s glory while he loyally puts in the hard yards on his helm’s behalf. Such is the lot of the crew of every successful helm. And while Mike collects his prizes Carl will buy the tea and unrig the boat ready for the long journey home.

So, Wayfarer helms who want to be like Mike, to improve and be in the running to win the Neil Rushton Trophy in 2020 this is the message from the UKWA Racing Secretary: “get fit, get flat, be cool, be shiny, measure and record everything that moves and above all make your crew suffer.”

UKWA Disclaimer: Any views expressed in this article are the unconsidered, unreconstructed, half baked ideas of the Racing Secretary alone based entirely upon an all too brief examination of the photograph and not upon any other hard evidence or research and do not in any way represent the views of the UK Wayfarer Association Executive Committee or Association members. The UKWA acknowledges that there is no I in TEAM and that all successful Wayfarer teams are an equal partnership regardless of who buys the tea or provides the motorhome and even though there isn’t an annual prize for the most improved crew.

Wayfarer Eastern Area Championship at Medway YC © Paul Babington

Saturday dawned bright and virtually windless. The skippers briefing was held and all the usual information was imparted along with the decision to postpone for an hour. A reconvened briefing extended the postponement for another 60 minutes. All this time the RO was venturing downriver to look for wind which would be strong and stable enough to race. At the third time of asking all systems were go and the fleet headed for Gillingham Reach where the race team set a windward/leeward course off the Hoo Island shore in 5-7 knots of Easterly wind. By now the tide had turned so the beats with the ebb tide under the racing boats were short and the runs were long. Two races were held in this part of the river both won by Guy Marks and Mel Titmus (Bough Beech SC) going away. Runners up in the first race were Richard Stone and Catherine Gore (Medway YC) who took a liking to the conditions while third was John Goudie and Sam Boniface (Wilsonian SC). Runners up in the second race were Bill Whitney and John Shelton (Shoreham YC) while the podium was rounded off by Mark and Jane Lee (Medway YC) who were having a good day near the front of the fleet. The racing was very close with good starts at a premium. Surprisingly, rule observance was good at the windward mark but not so admirable as boats rafted up at the end of the uptide running legs. Those who could get away in clear air from these melees were at a considerable advantage.

Wayfarer Eastern Area Championship at Medway YC © Paul Babington

In truth the second race was a short one because the river was draining rapidly and the leeward end of the start line was nearly ashore, so the race team relocated to the upriver end of Gillingham Reach, setting a start line off Gillingham Marina with a very short beat to the windward mark and a longer run and beat back to the start line for two laps. This third race was also won comfortably by Guy and Mel. Brian Lamb and Sam Pygall (Wilsonian SC/Medway YC) started to make their charge and finished second in this race with Bill and John coming third.

Comfortable overnight leaders were Guy and Mel. Bill and John were lying second while Andrew and Tom Wilson (Datchet Water SC) lay third through consistent, if not for them stellar, results.

Back at the Club the fleet was greeted with free beer and rock cakes while competitors discussed the highs and lows of their day. Later, there was a champagne reception and an excellent dinner. MYC Commodore, Mark Penny, celebrated his highest ever placing in an open meeting (5th in race three, and didn’t he not let us forget it…..well done Mark and Gail) by setting one of his traditional quizzes. No quiz rounds on Kent this year (visitors from Derbyshire breathed a sigh of relief) but strangely there was a round on body parts with one of the tables made up almost entirely of medics!

Wayfarer Eastern Area Championship at Medway YC © Paul Babington

Sunday’s wind forecast was a bit more promising but we woke to fog, a gentle Irish mist, and no wind. Another postponement was signalled. However on this occasion the wind started to fill in after a short time and the fleet headed off to Pinup Reach for three more races in winds that topped out at perhaps 8-10 knots. The race team set triangle/sausage courses in a North Easterly which clocked right during the late morning requiring a significant reset between races. Once again three races were completed with some incredibly close racing especially at mark roundings.

What a difference a day makes. Race 4 began with Guy and Mel flying off the start line like a roasted stoat. They led for the first lap but then over stood the windward mark allowing through first Stewart and Catriona Coltart (Medway YC) and then Brian and Sam and Richard and Catherine who finished in that order. Meanwhile, ante post favourites Andrew and Tom uncharacteristically finished seventh dropping them off the podium overall.

Andrew and Tom must have given each other a half time talking to because in probably the best wind of the weekend they shot off the start line in race 5 never to be headed. John and Sam collected their second podium of the weekend by finishing the race as clear runners up while Richard and Catherine continued their fine form in third. Meanwhile Guy and Mel had their worst race of the weekend to date finishing in 6th place. Was there going to be a twist in the tale of this event.

The final race of the weekend saw Guy and Mel winning the pin with Andrew and Tom a couple of boats above them. Andrew and Tom led at the first windward mark with Richard and Catherine close behind. Guy and Mel were in a battle for third with Stewart and Catriona and Brian and Sam. Andrew and Tom and Richard and Catherine had a race long battle but the Wilsons just took the gun for their second win of the day. Richard and Catherine were close runners up with Guy and Mel a short distance behind in third.

Overall, Guy and Mel held on to become the Wayfarer Eastern Area Champions 2019. By winning the final race Andrew and Tom pipped Richard and Catherine for the runners up spot.

Guy Marks (r) and Mel Titmus, winners of the Wayfarer Eastern Area Championship, MYC Commodore, Mark Penny – photo © Jamie Blair

Third overall and best placed MYC boat at the Wayfarer Eastern Area Championship, Richard Stone (r) and Catherine Gore with MYC Commodore, Mark Penny – photo © Jamie Blair

Between them, Guy and the Medway YC Wayfarer Class Captain, Mike Pimm, thanked the RO and his team on the committee boat and support boats, galley and bar staff, and everybody who had helped organise the event along with the event sponsors, Craftinsure, Hartley Boats, Pirates Cave, Chesley Storage and Shepherd Neame Brewery.

The next event in the Craftinsure National Circuit Series will be the Southern Area Championships at Shoreham YC on 15/16 June. See this website for more details.

(Overall results table in the version of this report on the Racing Results page).

Alongside these, Bill Whitney and John Shelton from Shoreham SC, consistently near the front, will be making their first appearance of the season and John Goudie and Sam Boniface from Wilsonian SC will be hoping to repeat the good form which brought them 4th place overall at this year’s Inland Championships. Representation is also expected from Bough Beech SC through former National Champion, Guy Marks, who finished strongly at Medway YC’s Wayfarer open Meeting in 2018 and Dave Roberts who has been successfully racing Wayfarers for many years.

All the visitors will be joined by members of the strong local fleet including Richard Stone and Catherine Gore who love the lighter airs; all rounders Brian and Liz McKenzie who were the second placed British team at the 2018 European Championships in Denmark; and Stewart and Catriona Coltart, another team which can do very well in the lighter winds. Uber-competitive Mr Craftinsure, Mark Lee, with wife Jane, will be putting aside his golf clubs and making his first appearance of the season in his Wayfarer. All of these would expect to be at or near the front of the fleet if the stars align for them.

The racing will be close and competitive as always. The forecast for the weekend has fluctuated over the last few days but presently it is looking that winds will be from the south or southwest and somewhat light. Some competitors will be furrowing their brows and praying for more wind. Others will be clapping their hands with glee. There’s still time for it all to change.

In addition to the racing (six races over two days on the tricky tidal waters of the river), Medway YC will also put on its usual off the water activities; fish & chip supper on Friday evening for the early arrivals, free beer (courtesy of Shepherd Neame) in the marquee after racing, a champagne reception sponsored by Len Jones and Chesley Storage, a three course meal on Saturday evening with the Commodore’s legendary Kent-centric Quiz….a must do for the visitors from Derbyshire! (only joking, we’ve been promised no questions about Kent this year).

If you are reading this article, race a Wayfarer and haven’t entered the Easterns yet please come and join us. More details, including the race documents, can be found at www.medwayyachtclub.com/2019/04/wayfarer-eastern-championships-18th-19th-may-2019. Do not forget, this event is just one of eight that make up the Craftinsure National Circuit and Travellers Series. Competing at just two of the events guarantees entry to the prize draw which will be held at the season Finale at Bough Beech SC in November with fantastic prizes from Craftinsure, Hartley Boats, McNamara Sails, Allen Brothers and Pinnell & Bax.

Wayfarer Eastern Area Championship at Medway – photo © Mike Spurgin

Speaking of the weather, as with many events scheduled over the same weekend, Storm Hannah threatened to have a significant impact leading up to the regatta. A few boats chose not to travel but as it turned out, after a short delay to proceedings on Saturday, racing was possible with a 2pm start. With a F3-6 blowing across the pond, the first race started in absolute carnage as upside down Wanderers and Wayfarers scattered the course. Mike Weighill and Carl Martin and the usual inland heavy air specialists Brian Lamb and Sam Pygall cut through the debris and battled it out at the front. Weighill/Martin capsized to allow Lamb/Pygall through momentarily but a miraculous recovery meant they were still keeping pace and eventually took the lead after some exciting and panicky gybes. Lamb/Pygall then spectacularly overestimated their boat handling in the testing conditions in attempting to fly the spinnaker but were wiped out allowing Weighill/Martin to sail serenely off into the distance for a well-deserved victory, followed by local sailors Alex Nairac and Mark Jennings. Lamb/Pygall recovered after a few attempts at righting the boat and were next to finish in 3rd (and last).

The second race of the day was sailed in similar violently gusty conditions and again it was Weighill/Martin and Lamb/Pygall fighting both each other and the conditions at the front of a diminished fleet, this time with the dynamic O’Donnells chasing hard in 3rd. Weighill/Martin held the lead for 45 gruelling minutes until Lamb/Pygall slipped through on the final beat and kept upright through two scary gybes prior to a screaming reach to the finish. The O’Donnells held onto a gusty (and gutsy) 3rd. After two gruelling races, Weighill/Martin deservedly ended the first day on top of the pile.

West Oxfordshire SC Wayfarer Open – photo © WOSC

The evening’s fish and chip supper and live band proved a great success with those who still had energy to burn and copious amounts of Hobgoblin Gold were drunk.

The second day started with a shifted and lighter wind (F2-3), an amended schedule of three further races and a significant enhancement in the competition in the form of the entry of Wayfarer National circuit runner-up from 2018, Andrew Wilson, crewed by Sue Risbridger. In the first race of the day, Wilson/Risbridger made up for missing Saturday’s excitement by shooting off the line, rounding the first mark first and never looking back as they extended a significant lead lap by lap. In 2nd place, Lamb/Pygall were just ahead of the O’Donnells until a second spinnaker error of the weekend allowed the O’Donnells to squeeze through. Lamb/Pygall fought back to take 2nd before the end, just ahead of the O’Donnells, with overnight leaders Weighill/Martin back in 4th.

The fourth race of the weekend was a significantly tighter affair with Lamb/Pygall and Wilson/Risbridger switching places throughout the race after the start, clear ahead of the chasing pack. In the end, Wilson showed his skill to snatch the lead on the last lap, avoiding the melee of Wanderers and take a second win of the day, with Lamb/Pygall taking 2nd and in the process cementing a strong position for the event overall. Local boat 11174 helmed by Andrew Day crewed by John Whiteside took finished 3rd.

After a short break and a change to the course that gave the longest beat and run of the weekend, the final race started. Wilson/Risbridger again took the pin and showing excellent boat-speed arrived at the first mark clear ahead, with Lamb/Pygall giving chase. The two teams pulled away into the distance with the longer course giving an opportunity for upwind and downwind speed to pay. The O’Donnells proved to be best of the rest in the final race, holding off fellow Swarkestone boat Weighill/Martin with some aggressive downwind manoeuvres. In the end, Wilson took an extremely comfortable victory for a clean sweep on Sunday but Lamb/Pygall ended up comfortable winners overall with Saturday’s results proving the clincher alongside some consistent sailing on the second day. Weighill/Martin’s dazzling results on Saturday with solid results on Sunday meant they took a clear second overall, with the Wilson/Risbridger team just doing enough to take a podium position ahead of the dynamic O’Donnell’s in fourth. The best placed local boat was sailed by Alex Nairac and Mark Jennings.

A slide show from Saturday’s epic conditions can be seen below:

…while a video from Sunday’s more benign racing can be seen here:

The next Craftinsure Wayfarer National Circuit Series event will be the Eastern Area Championship to be held at Medway Yacht Club over the weekend of 18/19 May which always provides a great event both on and off the water with a competitive home fleet on some challenging estuary water. After two events Lamb/Pygall hold a slim lead in the overall standings from Wilson/Wilson/Risbridger while the Swarkestone boats are fighting for third, the nod just going to the O’Donnells at this stage.

The Craftinsure National Circuit and Travellers Series 2019 comprises eight events including the national Championships at a variety of open and restricted water venues on salt and fresh water culminating in the Finale at Bough Beech SC in November. As well as the major trophies the prize giving at Bough Beech will also see the prize draw with terrific prizes from generous sponsors including Craftinsure, McNamara Sails, Hartley Boats, Pinnell & Bax and Allen Brothers.

(The version of this post on the ‘Racing Results’ page includes a table of the full results).

As predicted, a titanic tussle began to develop at the front of the fleet between the front-runners from last season (McNamara/Townsend and Wilson/Wilson). The Wilsons just edged day one with two bullets to McNamara’s one, winning races 2 and 3 and only narrowly being pipped in race 1 by the downwind cunning and guile of McNamara and Townsend. At the end of day 1, Lamb/Pygall were the “best of the rest” with a consistent score line of three 3s just ahead of a very congested midfield pack that John Goudie/Sam Boniface led ahead of the Dynamic O’Donnells.

Wayfarer Inlands – 2nd overall, Tom (l) and Andrew Wilson © Anthony Cooper

The second day dawned with little change in wind direction but a decrease in strength which inevitably would provide even greater emphasis on a good first beat and position round the windward mark. The Race team moved away from the P course and adopted standard windward leeward courses for the duration of the day. An early start of 1015 to ensure an early finish was immediately put off track as the star-studded Flying Fifteen fleet that were sharing the open repeatedly transgressed under first Blue Peter and then U flag until the race officer gave up and allowed the Wayfarers to start first. Despite the delay, the Wilsons sailed an immaculate race 4 to lead from start to finish with McNamara/Townsend well behind, taking control of the open meeting with three bullets in the first four races. Lamb/Pygall continued their string of 3rds to lead the chasing pack and the consistent John Goudie came 4th.

With the formidable boat speed being demonstrated by the Wilsons, McNamara/Townsend had it all to do to retain the Inlands. Race 5 proved critical. A familiar battle up the beats and down the runs between McNamara/Townsend and the Wilsons culminated in an epic battle royale down the final run where a gybing battle ended with McNamara squeezing Wilson practically into Heathrow Terminal 3 before gybing back and then rounding the final mark half a boat length ahead. This was a masterclass of downwind tactical sailing. Behind these two, Lamb/Pygall were awestruck spectators and took their familiar position of 3rd with Goudie/Boniface 4th once again.

The final race saw McNamara/Townsend needing to win to take the Inlands and after a somewhat chaotic light wind start, the duo cut through the pack with unrivalled boat speed and emerged clear ahead of Lamb/Pygall with the Wilsons buried on the right-hand side of the beat. Rounding the windward mark a couple of boat lengths ahead, McNamara/Townsend sailed off into the distance largely unchallenged. The Wilsons cut through the field and challenged Lamb/Pygall but up the final windward leg McNamara loose covered Lamb/Pygall who in turn were covering the Wilsons. In the end, McNamara cruised through to take the bullet and seal the Inlands by virtue of winning the last race having tied with the Wilsons on points. A remarkable achievement. Other worthy mentions over the course of the weekend outside of the podium include John Goudie who put together his most consistent regatta for a number of years to come 4th overall and Wanderer National Champion and Inland Champion Adam Wickenden in 5th.

A great event hosted by Datchet as usual with very efficient race management in testing conditions, particularly on the Sunday. The Wayfarer circuit now moves onto West Oxfordshire at the end of the month for a different variety of pond sailing before some estuary sailing on the Medway in May, and a trip to Shoreham in June.

(Report by Sam Pygall. A version including the table of results is on the Racing Results page)

• At or near the front of the pack will surely be Michael McNamara and Simon Townsend from Rollesby Broad SC. Unbeaten in a Wayfarer in 2018, they are the current UK National, European and Inland champions, and will be using the NCS events as practice for the International Championships in Ireland later in the year. They look likely contenders for Best in Show.
• Close on their tails will be the whippet that is Andrew Wilson (with son Tom) from the host club, Datchet SC. Runners up at the Inland Championships in 2018, Andrew and Tom went on to win the Southern, Eastern and Western Area Championships.
• Back in the boat after fully recovering from hip surgery in 2018 (think Andy Murray but a little bit older) will be Len Jones and Pete Mitchell from Medway YC. Len and Pete were runners up in the UK National Championships and the Danish National Championships last year and will be a force to be reckoned with. They are the perfect combination of an old dog with new tricks.
• Bill Whitney and John Shelton from Shoreham SC should not be discounted. Always on or close to the podium in 2018 they finished third in the NCS and doubtless will parade well in the Arena again this year.
• Crossbreeds worth an each way bet include Brian Lamb and Sam Pygall from Wilsonian SC (third overall in the NCS), Guy Marks and Mel Titmuss from Bough Beech SC from Bough Beech SC (former National Champion and on the podium at a couple of events in 2018), John Clementson and crew (recent winner of the Bough Beech SC Icicle, multiple Graduate and Mirror Champion) and Steve Blake sailing the Hartley Boats works boat.
• Scruffts with an outside chance might include Tony Cooper, Derek Lambert or Scott Hamilton from the host club, the O’Donnells or Mike Weighill (most improved helm in 2018) with Carl Martin (most long suffering crew in 2018) from Swarkestone SC, or the Townsends or the Lees from Medway YC, all of whom have potential to do well in individual races although stringing together a consistent series might be beyond them.

Like the beginning of every football or Formula 1 season all teams start with zero points and equal chances of success. It will only be as the season develops we will see which Wayfarer team will be the Lewis Hamilton and which will be the Huddersfield Town (with apologies to The Terriers who this year, sadly, have not been top dogs).

60th Anniversary Wayfarer Nationals at Castle Cove – photo © Richard White

There is a packed programme of events throughout the year from class racing at family race weeks, through one and two day open meetings to area championships. The highlight of the season will be the International Championships which will be held at Greystones SC, Co. Wicklow, Ireland from 20-26 July. This event will also count as the Class UK National Championships and the Irish Championships. In addition to the UK and Irish teams, competitors are expected to enter from Holland, Denmark, South Africa, Canada and USA.

The UKWA is delighted to receive continued sponsorship from Craftinsure. Mark Lee, the Company’s Managing Director, is a keen and regular Wayfarer racer himself. The eight event National Circuit and Travellers Series will take in a variety of fresh and salt water venues starting at Datchet Water SC, then West Oxfordshire SC, Medway YC, Shoreham SC, the National Championships at Greystones SC, Arun YC, Swarkestone SC and Bough Beech SC.

The finale at Bough Beech will see the presentation of the National Circuit and Travellers Series trophies but also the prize draw. We’re very lucky to have support from Craftinsure, Hartley Boats, McNamara Sails, Allen Brothers and Pinnell & Bax all of whom have pledged some fantastic prizes such as sails, padded mast covers and a year’s free insurance for your Wayfarer. In order to be eligible for the prize draw, a boat has to compete in at least two of the NCS and Travellers Series events. The more events a boat competes at the greater its chances of winning.

For more details, keep checking this website and see the 2019 Racing Calendar, linked here.

The ONE Bassenthwaite Lake Sailing Week – photo © Peter Mackin

Article by Tim Townsend (also published on yachtsandyachting.com)