Latest UKWA News:

Race Training Day Friday 3 June 2022, Banbury SC  ahead of a Wayfarer Open on Saturday 4 June and BSC’s warm invitation to join in their club racing on the Sunday 5 June.

A fabulous opportunity to learn from Wayfarer International, European and National Champion Michael McNamara and Matt Sharman (AeroLuff Spars) who cruises Wayfarers far and wide with a wealth of knowledge and many years’ experience.

If you are interested in racing but not quite sure, this is a fabulous opportunity to come and give it a go!   Camping available, it will be a fabulous weekend.

To book:  Banbury Sailing Club : Wayfarer Day

Banbury SC: Post code: NN11 6XU  (-not to be confused with Banbury Cross SC)  See What3Words

Suggested schedule, depending on numbers:

Group 1: Training Exercises, First Place thinking, Change Gear, Sail Setting Guides, Wayfarer Setting up (MK 4 and Pre Mk 4)

Group 2: Race training, Sail Setting Ideas, Twinam  Airflow Diagrams, Spinnaker Drills

11.00                     Introduction. Aims for the day

11.30                     Series of short races using exercise 3

12.30-1.00           Lunch

1.00  -1.45           Sail setting demo

1.45  -2.15           Introduction to afternoon exercises to include 2, 5, 6, 10 etc

2.15  -4.00           On the water

4.00 onwards     Debrief including video

May overrun so this is a guestimate!

Details and bookings can be made via the Banbury SC website:  Banbury Sailing Club : Wayfarer Day

Any queries, please don’t hesitate to email  Andy Darby

The committee and members of Arun Yacht Club are delighted to invite you to enter the UK Wayfarer Association National and European Championships that they are hosting at Littlehampton, West Sussex, in August.

Many UKWA members will have fond memories of when Arun YC hosted the Nationals in 2017 and they feel particularly honoured to have been “promoted” to running the combined Nationals and Europeans this year.  They promise to put on an equally memorable event!

You will find on this website a copy of the Notice of Race, and an Entry Form which David Robinson, chair of the organising committee, would invite you to complete and return to him at david@bilshamlane.plus.com  as soon as is convenient.  The Entry Form is in Word format to enable you to download, complete and return it to him.  As you will see, entry is limited to a total of 50 boats which will be processed on a first-come-first-served basis.

The “Early Bird” entry fee of £85 will run until midnight on 4^th August, after which it will increase to £100 although, by then, Arun YC expect to have reached their maximum entry limit.  When sending David your completed entry form, can you also please pay the entry fee directly to the club by BACS (details of which are on the form).  Only once the fee has been received will your entry be complete!

Although the championship will run from Thursday 18^th to Sunday 21^st August inclusive, the organisers anticipate that many of you may wish to arrive on the Wednesday, so they are delighted to announce that Michael McNamara has kindly agreed to give a “Setting up your Wayfarer” Talk around his boat at 18.30 for about an hour on the Wednesday evening, after which the galley will be open for an informal supper.

It would be appreciated if you could please notify  any Wayfarer members in your club who (maybe don’t look regularly at this website) you think might be interested in competing at this event.

Nearer the event Arun YC will circulate details of the associated catering and social programme and be asking you to reserve tickets, as this will greatly assist them with their pre-planning.

Needless to say, if you have any queries, or require and further information, please do not hesitate to contact David. For further information about the club see https://arunyc.co.uk/

UKWA Nationals & Euros Entry Form 2022

UKWA Nationals & Euros NoR 2022

Featuring amongst other events the Wayfarer Splashaway Challenge

https://www.utsc.org.uk/article/on-line-booking-for-bourne-end-week-is-now-open

by Sam Pygall 26 Apr 06:39 BST23-24 April 2022

As well as the Western Area Championships, this would be the second event in the Craftinsure National Circuit and Travellers Series 2022 supported by Craftinsure, McNamara Sails and Hartley Boats.

For the fleet, this was the first time back at West Oxfordshire since 2019 when Wayfarer legend Brian Lamb was victorious over two days of contrasting conditions (windy and light). As usual the club provided a very warm welcome to visitors from as far afield as Derbyshire and Norfolk. The seven visitors were joined by four home boats to create an 11 strong field, while sharing the event with a Wanderer fleet.

Following on from Datchet, many of the main protagonists had journeyed to a beautiful part of the world in the Oxfordshire countryside. Michael McNamara and Simon Townsend made an appearance at West Oxfordshire for the first time in several years. Andrew Wilson was joined by semi-regular inland crew Sue Risbridger. Circuit stalwarts Nigel and Belinda O’Donnell had journeyed down from Derby and have demonstrated some fine form in tight, restrictive inland waters previously (usually the tight restrictive inland water waters at Swarkestone!). The “heroes of Datchet” John Goudie and Sam Boniface were looking to continue their form from that event and Mark Lee and Sam Pygall were in attendance, with Sam able to sail the entire weekend. The stage was set for competitive sailing.

Day 1 dawned. The wind was blowing from the East, with a hint of North, varying between F2 and F5 in the gusts. For those not familiar with West Oxfordshire Sailing Club, the wind direction meant short, gusty, super shifty beats of about 50 metres across the pond and a beam/broad reach down the length of the pond. Scary. The race officer set a creative course that had no gybes but plenty of opportunity for thrills and spill where boat handling had to be immaculate to avoid anything untoward.

Continuing the battle from Datchet, McNamara and Townsend and Wilson and Risbridger shot off a tight startline and were showing the rest of the fleet how to master the tricky conditions, with Lee and Pygall and Goudie and Boniface in hot pursuit. But then disaster struck Andrew and Sue as they were blown over by one of the more vicious gusts which gave Lee and Pygall an opportunity to sneak through. The first broad reach of the race gave crews the opportunity to stick or twist – twist and fly the spinnaker with the tantalising opportunity to gain boat lengths or stick with white sail sailing, which although slow, gave some hint of control. McNamara and Townsend provided a demonstration to the rest of the fleet of keeping 3 sails under control in the conditions, followed by Lee and Pygall and then Goudie and Boniface. Local team Day and Williams came through for a creditable fourth.

After a well-earned lunch, Race 2 followed a similar pattern. McNamara and Wilson pulled someway clear and were battling intensely as the front of the fleet for a few rounds, followed by Lee and Pygall and local team Day and Williams. Unluckily for Wilson and Risbridger, lightning struck twice and they were undone again by a bad gust and went for a second swim. This allowed McNamara to sail off into the distance, followed by the consistent Lee and Pygall who continued to explore the limits of their spinnaker work and Day and Williams.

Race 3 finalised the day and with Andrew and Sue taking some time out following their swims, McNamara completed a perfect score for the day with an inland water horizon job, demolishing the fleet despite the tricky and testing conditions. Lee and Pygall were a clear second, using the spinnaker as much as they dared, and McNamara club mates Richard Bailey and Ian Curtis completed the podium. The O’Donnells got their best result of day 1 with a creditable fourth, having held second briefly early in the race.

The fleet gathered for a fish and chip supper laid on by the host club and were grateful for the prospect of only two races on the Sunday and a forecast of some moderation of the wind, at least with respect to the strength of the gusts

Sunday arrived and the wind was broadly in the same direction but the gusts felt less severe. Races 4 and 5 for the weekend were held back-to-back. Lee and Pygall flew into an early lead in race 4 for the first few laps but were reeled in by Wilson and Risbridger and McNamara and Townsend who then proceed to have a great battle over a testing course which continued to present both wind shift and gust challenges. In the end, Wilson and Risbridger emerged triumphant to break McNamara’s run and take a well-deserved bullet. Lee and Pygall, continuing to sail consistently, made up the podium. Goudie and Boniface returned to the front of the fleet with a fourth.

Race 5 started with the final step of the podium to be decided. Similar to races 1 and 2, Wilson and McNamara flew off and again battled around the racecourse, this time with McNamara prevailing, picking up his 4th win in 5 races. The highest level of sailing in some of the trickiest inland waters on the circuit. Lee and Pygall – a new pairing sailing only their 3rd event – completed the podium in race 5.

Andrew and Sue’s second in the last race was just enough to pull through and take 3rd place in the event overall. Mark and Sam were rewarded for their spinnaker work on Day 1 and consistency on day 2 to take the runners-up prize. But, overall, no one could touch Michael and Simon in conditions where mental and physical stamina, wind anticipation and overall boat handling brought their rewards in terms of scores. Kudos as well to John Goudie and Sam Boniface who continued some of the good form from Datchet, local sailors Andrew Day and J-P Williams and Richard Bailey and Ian Curtis. Mention should be made also of youngsters Emily Batterton and Jasmine Speller who competed in a new MK IV club boat and completed 3 of the 5 races.

Wayfarer Western Championships prize winners – photo © Nigel O’Donnell

The next Wayfarer open meeting is Banbury SC over the Jubilee weekend in June. This event does not form part of the National Circuit but does provide an opportunity for a training day with Michael McNamara followed by a one-day regatta at a venue not visited by the Wayfarer fleet in recent times.

Overall Results:

Pos	Sail No	Helm	Crew	Club	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	Pts
1st	10648	Michael McNamara	Simon Townsend	Rollesby Broad SC	1	1	1	?2	1	4
2nd	11211	Mark Lee	Sam Pygall	Medway YC	2	2	2	?3	3	9
3rd	11093	Andrew Wilson	Sue Risbridger	Datchet Water SC	5	6	(DNS)	1	2	14
4th	11118	John Goudie	Sam Boniface	Wilsonian SC	3	5	?6	4	4	16
5th	11398	Richard Bailey	Ian Curtis	Rollesby Broad SC	?9	4	3	5	5	17
6th	11402	Andrew Day	J P Williams	West Oxfordshire SC	4	3	5	7	?8	19
7th	11282	Nigel O’Donnell	Belinda O’Donnell	Swarkestone SC	?7	7	4	6	6	23
8th	11308	Matt Batterton	Andrew Robson	West Oxfordshire SC	6	?8	8	8	7	29
9th	11223	Nick Harris	James Harris	Datchet Water SC	8	(DNS)	7	9	DNF	36
10th	11401	Emily Batterton	Jasmine Speller	West Oxfordshire SC	10	(DNS)	DNS	10	9	41
11th	8080	George Edmundson	Lucia Winrow	West Oxfordshire SC	(DNS)	DNS	DNS	DNS	10	46

The first of two wonderful sailing and training weekend opportunities; First,  Banbury Sailing Club : Wayfarer Day

Race Training Day Friday 3 June 2022, Banbury SC  ahead of a Wayfarer Open on Saturday 4 June and BSC’s warm invitation to join in their club racing on the Sunday 5 June.

A fabulous opportunity to learn from Wayfarer International, European and National Champion Michael McNamara and Matt Sharman (AeroLuff Spars) who cruises Wayfarers far and wide with a wealth of knowledge and many years’ experience.

If you are interested in racing but not quite sure, this is a fabulous opportunity to come and give it a go!   Camping available, it will be a fabulous weekend.

To book:  Banbury Sailing Club : Wayfarer Day

Banbury SC: Post code: NN11 6XU  (-not to be confused with Banbury Cross SC)  See What3Words

And then, our new, Wayfarer Day at Hickling Broad SC Saturday 11 June:

Training News – UK Wayfarer Association

The final results from WOSC:

The winners from WOSC.  Many thanks to Sam Pygall and Nigel O’Donnell.

Full report to follow

Wayfarer Inland Championship at Datchet Water Sailing Club

by Tim Townsend 18 Apr 18:48 BST9-10 April 2022

Michael McNamara & Simon Townsend gybe during the Wayfarer Inlands at Datchet Water © Anthony Read

Tim & Jacqueline Townsend lead the pack towards the gybe mark during the Wayfarer Inlands at Datchet Water © Anthony Read

Andrew & Tom Wilson leading during the Wayfarer Inlands at Datchet Water © Anthony Read

Nobody ever said that winning sailing races is easy but if you look at the bare results from the Wayfarer Inland Championships sailed at Datchet on the weekend before Easter you would be forgiven for thinking that with three wins and two second places counting it was a bit of a walk in the park for Michael McNamara and Simon Townsend. It wasn’t.

Twelve boats came to the start area on Saturday morning for a mainly sunny series of four races in 8-14 knots of breeze coming broadly from the west. Although the pressure was, for the most part, solid, the wind oscillated all day, 10 or 15 degrees either side of the mean, more so as the wind softened towards the end of the afternoon. Originally only three races were scheduled but the forecast for Sunday was less encouraging so the RO wanted to get an extra race in the bank. Sharing the water with a large fleet of Flying Fifteens meant that the Wayfarers sailed one race before lunch and then three back to back. We also raced over the unusual course of sausage, triangle, sausage (and I’m still looking for buoy No3 on the course sheet!). All in all, there was plenty to think about during the racing.

So off we all went, on the T of Toot, looking for the windward mark in Race 1. Actually, not all. Paul Hughes and Jeremy Rose hadn’t gone far before they realised their pre-season checks hadn’t prevented a halyard from jamming in a mast sheave forcing an immediate DNF and the rest of the day sorting out a solution. The Hartleys went one better returning to the shore before the start with Mark hanging on to one shroud which had detached itself from the chainplates. The lunch gap between Races 1 and 2 was long enough for the Hartleys to resolve their issue and their DNC became a discard.

Leading at the first mark, in probably the strongest wind of the day, were Andrew and Tom Wilson. Michael McNamara and Simon Townsend were second and at this point John Goudie and Sam Boniface were third. Tim and Jacqueline Townsend gained some places on a windy three sail race during the second lap and finished comfortably in third place at the end of the race. Meanwhile, Michael and Simon battled past Andrew and Tom on lap three but didn’t recognise the shorten course signal. They started another beat and were sailing in the wrong direction just long enough for Andrew and Tom to retake the lead and win the race.

For Race 2 the fleet was almost back to full complement. Once again Andrew and Tom led at the first mark and this time held sway around the course to take their second gun. Michael and Simon were runners up once again while John and Sam got the better of Richard and Mark Hartley (it was nice to see them back in a Wayfarer) to complete the podium.

By Race 3 the wind was fluctuating quite significantly in strength and direction. Andrew and Tom led at the windward mark once more with Tim and Jacqueline in second place and holding up the rest of the fleet. The Townsends didn’t delay Michael and Simon for long though and they were soon in pursuit of Andrew and Tom, eventually passing them to take the win. Tim and Jacqueline finished third with Richard and Mark enjoying a second successive fourth place finish.

Race 4 was held in the lightest winds of the day. On this occasion it was Michael and Simon who led from start to finish while Andrew and Tom followed them round for second place. Behind them there was a battle royal going on between Richard and Mark, Mark Lee and George, and Tim and Jacqueline for third place. They eventually finished in that order.

Overnight, Michael and Simon led on count back from Andrew and Tom, both with two wins and two seconds. Tim and Jacqueline held third place overall from Richard and Mark, again on count back. John and Sam, after their third place in Race 2, sat a couple of points further back and in a challenging position for the following day.

As promised the fleet enjoyed a meal and sociable evening at The Ostrich Inn, Colnbrook. Things must have changed there for the better in recent centuries, because Richard and Mark Hartley survived an overnight stay there (which they may not have done in the C17th!).

Sunday dawned with no wind at all and we waited 90 minutes for it to fill in. When it did, it came from the south, at least as shifty as the day before, but now at no more than 6-9 knots.

Race 5 got under way with Paul and Jeremy back on the water with a new mast head sheave and a new halyard. John and Sam were fast out of the blocks, picked the shifts on the first beat and led all the way round. Behind them Mark Lee (now crewed by Sam Pygall) was going very fast and pressuring both John and Sam and Andrew and Tom. It was the Wilsons who finished second with Mark and Sam completing the podium. Meanwhile Michael and Simon were struggling to pick the shifts on the beats (I sympathise) and were stuck in mid fleet, finishing in an uncharacteristic fifth. Andrew and Tom were now in the box seat for the overall win.

Buoyed by their result in Race 5, it was Mark and Sam who shot off the start line in the final Race and led at the first mark. John and Sam were still sailing fast and smart and these two, together with Michael and Simon, pulled away from the rest of the fleet. Mark and Sam continued to lead until well into the second lap before they were overtaken by Michael and Simon who slowly increased their lead over the rest of the race to win by about 30 seconds. Mark and Sam sailed faultlessly to take the gun for second, while John and Sam continued their good form with third.

Winners overall by virtue only of their last race win were Michael and Simon. Runners up were Andrew and Tom whose fourth place in the last race became their discard. Third overall with the best results of anybody on Sunday were John and Sam.

Next up for the UK Wayfarer fleet is the Western Championships at West Oxfordshire SC on 23/24 April.

Overall Results:

https://www.yachtsandyachting.com/news/248133/Wayfarer-Inlands-at-Datchet

The Postponed 26th International Wayfarer Rally Port d’Arradon, Brittany NOW Sept 1st – 8th 2022

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