2026 Specsavers International Cadet UK Inland Championship at Rutland Sailing Club

 

A new chapter begins at this year's Specsavers International Cadet Inland Championship as Rutland Sailing Club prepares to welcome the UK's best young Cadet sailors for a weekend of close racing on 19th and 20th September.

There has been a changing of the guard. With many of the class's established helms now taking a well-earned bow from Cadet sailing, moving on to exciting new challenges in other classes. Their departure leaves behind not only impressive results, but also an opportunity for the next generation to make their mark.

Next weekend, the spotlight shifts to the sailors ready to step up. Former crews will be looking to prove they can lead from the back as they take the helm, while a talented group of up-and-coming helms will be eager to show exactly what they're capable of. In the regatta fleet, expect plenty of fresh faces, growing confidence, and some fiercely contested racing as tomorrow's stars begin to emerge.

With 2027 marking the 80th anniversary of the International Cadet Class, this new season promises to be one of the most exciting in recent memory. The class is on a genuine upward trajectory, with growing fleets, renewed enthusiasm, and a clear vision for the future. The goal is ambitious but achievable: 80 boats on the start line at the 2027 National Championship in Brixham, Devon, next August - a fitting celebration of eight decades of one of the world's greatest youth sailing classes.

Rutland's open water has a reputation for producing tactical, exciting racing, and with the fleet more open than it has been for years, predicting a winner is harder than ever. One thing is certain: by the end of the weekend, new names will have announced themselves as the ones to watch.

The road to the 80th anniversary starts here.

Official Notice Board and Online Entry is located at www.cadetclass.org.uk/events

Supernova class at the Loch Lomond Dinghy Weekend 2026

 

Five Scottish Supernova sailors registered for the Loch Lomond Dinghy Weekend from both Castle Semple and Port Edgar. Unfortunately, Calum didn't manage to get there but did post a picture of his space saver spare wheel on the car to explain why. Now we were four.

Saturday started flat calm with a breeze gentle breeze forecast. We got on the water at 12.30 and had a gentle sail to the race area. We were 3rd start with the low rider Moths behind the Blazes and fast handicap. Pete Sykes took the lead from Andy MacDonald followed by Rob Plant and Gary O'Conner. Rob sailed the wrong course and just thought he was in the lead until he realised and consequently scored a DNF.

Race two was delayed as the wind shifted about 90 degrees to the west and the RO team re-laid the marks. This time the pin end of the line was favoured but as Andy discovered, it was overrun with Moths. Pete took the gap at the committee boat end and found clear air. This time Rob got ahead of Andy after a bad shift left him in a hole with nowhere to go. Race three was similar to race one, but this time Rob sailed the right course and at the end only one minute covered all 4 boats.

There then followed a wind-less interlude with many competitors willing the RO to let us sail back to shore and the RO apparently saying "Give it 10 minutes and see what comes" more than once. When it did come the wind went from 2 to 20 kn in the space of a minute and as it had shifted back 45 degrees, the course was re-laid for the final, rather windy race. Later that evening the Supernova sailors visited The Oak Tree in Balmaha for dinner with Andy and Garry then moving to the clubhouse bar.

On Sunday we woke to calm before the storm. As we sailed out expectations were low as the committee boat had the AP flying. But the wind filled from the south and/or southwest, occasionally west and a course was laid after with just a couple of adjustments as the wind gods made their minds up. The first beat was long and Andy and Pete battled ahead. Rob and Garry were now getting much closer to the front two.

On the second beat, Pete somehow decided that orange was the new yellow and opted to sail on the longer beat on the wrong side of the course rather than the shorter beat on the correct side. Andy got the win this time and while Pete caught Rob at the last leeward mark, he then managed to tack onto starboard to avoid sailing under two GP14s only to find they tacked too. This blocked his return to port tack while Rob spotted the shift and got lifted all the way to the line .

For race 2 on Sunday, the wind was still building and swinging about. The beat was hard with knockdown gusts, then suddenly nothing closely followed by back to heavy wind. Andy had the lead until the short last beat where a hole of nothing swallowed him up letting Pete and Rob through with Andy only to recover and beat Rob by a fraction of a second.

Race 3 was thankfully a quieter affair and the RO managed a course change again to cope with the new wind direction (more south this time) The course was shorter and sailors were soon heading back to harbour. When, of course, the wind dutifully shifted back to west, giving a dead run in a strong wind onto a busy slip with more than one competitor getting their first capsize of the weekend on arrival.

Overall, an excellent weekend of fun and learning for all (Calum remember a real size spare tyre) congratulations to Pete Sykes on 1st, Andy MacDonald 2nd, Rob Plant 3rd and getting faster and Gary O'Connor who was right on the tail of the fleet by the end. Also, a massive thank you to Loch Lomond Sailing Club for hosting such a great event and to the ROs for excellent race management in some really challenging conditions.

Overall Results:

Pos Sail No Helm Club R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 R7 Pts

1st 1372 Pete Sykes PEYC 1 1 1 1 ‑3 1 1 6

2nd 1175  Andrew Macdonald  Castle Semple SC 2 ‑3 2 2 1 2 3 12

3rd 548   Robert Plant Castle Semple SC (DNC) 2 3 3 2 3 2 15

4th 1059 Garry OConnor PEYC 3 (RET) 4 4 4 4 4 23

5th 1204 Calum Robertson PEYC DNC (DNC) DNC DNC DN DNC 29

Just 67 seconds separate top sailing crews in thrilling Cowes-France race

A THRILLING race from the Isle of Wight to France ended with just over a minute separating the leading yachts, as Midnight Blues claimed overall victory in the 2026 RORC Nautical Cloud Cherbourg Race.

The 75-nautical-mile offshore contest, organised by the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) and JOG, started from Cowes on Friday last week (September 4), before crews crossed the English Channel to the finish in the French port of Cherbourg-en-Cotentin.

French skipper, Jean-Eudes Renier, and Joe Lacey, guided the Pogo RC Midnight Blues to IRC Overall honours and monohull line victory after a dramatic battle with Gery Trentesaux's Courrier Pogo.

Midnight Blues crossed the line just 67 seconds ahead, but securing victory by 2mins 3secs after IRC correction.

Simon Bamford and Ben Ibbotson aboard Sun Fast 3300 Kestrel, completed the overall podium.

The race proved fiercely competitive, with the top 15 boats separated by little more than an hour on corrected time.

The victory earned Midnight Blues a notable treble — taking IRC Overall, IRC Two and Monohull Line honours.

Elsewhere, Jon McColl's Shuttleworth 34 Shockwave was the fastest multihull across the Channel, completing the course from Cowes to Cherbourg in 6hrs 33mins 25secs.

However, Didier Bouillard's Minor Swing claimed the multihull class win after time correction.

 

Hadron H2 National Championship at Keyhaven Yacht Club

 

The tenth National Championship of the Hadron H2 class, hosted by Keyhaven YC, will take place over three days, starting this Friday. The forecast, for light to moderate winds, with perhaps a little more on the final day, suggests that there might be quite a few helms among the more than twenty-one entries who will fancy their chances.

At last year's event, held at WPNSA, Richard Leftley and Richard Le Mare had a very close struggle for the top place in generally moderate to strong winds. Richard Leftley finished only 3 metres ahead of Richard Le Mare in two races and the final difference was just one point.

But there are several other strong candidates for the top place. Current leader in the 2026 Travellers Trophy series, with two wins and two seconds in the six events to date, is Tim Garvin, back into an H2 after a foray into the International Canoe Class. Tim Blackmore, newcomer to the H2 but with a fine reputation in other classes, will also be a significant challenger. Dave Barker has been a little out of practice lately but the weather will suit his lighter weight and he is more than capable of being near the top. But all the above will be keeping a close watch on Gavin Fleming, third in last year's Nationals and currently one point behind Tim Garvin in the Travellers Series.

Our favourite PRO, 'The Line is Mine' Dougal Henshall, will be keeping a firm grip on the fleet and is the ideal person to manage the rather challenging circumstances of wind and tide that are common at Keyhaven.

Holy Loch Sailing Club competitors battle light winds

 

HOLY LOCH Sailing Club competitors faced challenging conditions as the sailing season moved towards its conclusion, with 15 boats taking part in Wednesday evening’s racing.

A mere hint of a westerly breeze greeted competitors as they set off in a massed start, with sailors keen to make the most of the fading daylight.

Six boats contested the piper class, with Tom Piper, still buoyed by the recent Championship success, taking the early initiative with an excellent start.

The crew built a healthy lead during the first round, but the light air then deserted the fleet towards the end of the lap, allowing the boats to close up and effectively restart the race.

An easterly breeze then introduced itself and gradually increased in strength towards the finish.

Duncan Munro, Stuart Brown and Ali Gordon regained their advantage to take a well-deserved victory aboard Tom Piper.

Meanwhile, Staypuff, skippered by Robert Towart, made progress after a slow start to finish second.

The result sets up a final postponed race to decide the overall winner of the final series of the season, with Tom Piper and Staypuff now comfortably ahead on points.

Four flying fifteens took to the water for a closely fought race, with all fleets starting together.

Determined not to repeat a previous over-the-line disqualification, More Mischieff took a cautious approach and crossed the start on the third row.

Fortune soon turned in their favour, however, when the crew found their own private gust of wind and swept past the competition to establish a narrow lead by the first mark.

By the third mark, More Mischieff had built what appeared to be a comfortable advantage, but the fading breeze towards the end of the first lap allowed Good Moaning to dramatically close the gap.

More Mischieff responded strongly on the second lap, opening up another advantage and holding firm until the finish to secure victory.

Further back, Efficacious mounted a late challenge and pushed hard during the closing stages, but ultimately fell just short of catching Good Moaning, which held on for second.

Four boats competed in the White Sail fleet and struggled with the light wind on the massed start line.

The fleet enjoyed close racing, with Atia taking the win once handicaps were applied.

Elsewhere, six boats took to the water for Tuesday evening’s dinghy race in a fresh breeze which provided plenty of excitement and kept the rescue boat crew on their toes.

Victory initially appeared to be heading the way of Ali Gordon in his Solo, but a late capsize dramatically changed the outcome.

Harris Munns, sailing a Laser Radial, seized the opportunity to take the lead and secure victory.

Full results :-

Piper class: 1, – Tom Piper (Duncan Munro, Ali Gordon, Stuart Brown); 2, – Staypuff (Robert Towart, Caroline Clarke, Charmaine Boyd); 3, – Billie Piper (Iain Hurrel, Graeme Murray); 4, – Leander (Alan Waugh, James Heggarty); 5, – Selena (Alastair McLean, Abi); 6, – Talisker (Jamie Rogers, Matilda McLaren, Neil McLaren).

Flying fifteen class: 1, – More Mischieff (Chris Bowen, Marion Bowen); 2, -Good Moaning (Iain Sinclair, Kirsty Brown); 3, – Efficacious (Tommy McGeachie, Susan McGeachie); 4, – Woffle (Jim Maclean, Mr Iain)

White sail class: 1, – Atia (UFO 27) (Duncan Chalmers, Ali Marshall); 2, – Moonlight (Sonata) (Nigel Scriven, Derek Webber, Chris Wilson); 3, – Judicious (J30) (Jim Hoey, Andrew Leech, Ralph Houston, Clare); 4, – Mike Honcho (J24) (Fin Hurrel, Ross Noble, Harris Munns, James Russell).

Dinghy results: 1, – All the Gear (Laser Radial) (Harris Munns); 2, – Solo (Ali Gordon); 3, – Laser (Fin Hurrel); 4, – Black Jack (Laser Radial) (Barnaby Munns); 5, – Space Hopper (Mirror) (Andrew Leech); retired, – Laser Radial (Darcy Cameron).

International Moth Scottish Championship at Loch Lomond Dinghy Weekend

 

The Garda of Scotland greeted the International Moth class on the 5th and 6th of September as part of Loch Lomond's Annual Dinghy Weekend.

The Regatta was split into 2 courses, with foiling boats (Moths and Waszps) on one and traditional boats on another. The breeze was shifty with lots of holes providing some difficulty in setting a course. Despite this, the race team, led by Duncan and the Hepplewhite family of Emma, Ellie, David, Kiara and Susie Edmond ran 4 outstanding races.

The first race started with James Sainsbury floating his P1 Aerocet onto the foils to take an early lead, unfortunately the breeze collapsed and the race was abandoned.

After a period of waiting, Race 1 restarted with freshening breeze, Joe Adams (Exploder V2) and Matt Lea (Aerocet) foiling off the pin. Adams took an early lead and proceeded to sail to the wrong windward mark, opening the door for Sainsbury to take the win ahead of his Rutland team mate Lea, with Donald Smith (Mach 2) cruising to a great 3rd place.

Race 2 started with Sainsbury pushing the line too hard and having to quickly gybe around the boat end. Lea and Adams drag raced out on port. Adams nailed the tack and hit the lay to take the lead, staying on the foils for the whole race to take a comfortable bullet. Lea and Sainsbury had a great battle managing the snakes and ladders, with Sainsbury ultimately linking the puffs better and taking 2nd place with Lea coming home 3rd.

Some drama between races, as Matt Lea’s new boat lost its rig. The safety crew led by Iain Hepplewhite and Simon Becket helped to recover the state of the art Aerocet to shore. Terrible luck for Matt, fortunately no lasting damage to man or machine and the boat was ready to sail again by the end of the day.

Race 3 kicked off with a stiffening breeze, which ended up dragging the windward mark downwind, resulting in a very skewed course, a rapid and exciting race! Adams hit the line fast and took a commanding lead from Sainsbury. The moths then led an exhilarating blast through the Waszp fleet who started 3 minutes ahead. Zigzagging through the Waszps at 27 knots was very good fun. Positions held, with Adams winning the race, Sainsbury 2nd and Phil Alderson (Exocet) coming through to take 3rd in his first ever Moth event.

Race 4 started low riding, but with breeze funneling from left and right, the fleet was optimistic that foiling was on the cards. Unfortunately the wind cancelled itself out and the race concluded with boats still not on the foils, Adams led from Sainsbury closely followed by Alderson for a very slow finish. Frustratingly, the breeze filled in shortly after.

By this stage, the fleet had been on the water for 4 hours and the decision was made to head in for beer and warmth.

Overall Joe Adams took the Scottish Champs ahead of James Sainsbury in a close 2nd with Phil Alderson coming 3rd.

The Moth Class is going from strength to strength, with affordable and competitive boats readily available and growth in all corners of the country, there has never been a better time to get involved.

Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy is hosting a Moth demo weekend on the 3rd and 4th of October. If you would like to try a moth or look at moths for sale - this is the best chance to do so.

Following this, the Moths are concluding 2027 with the End of Season Championship hosted at Rutland Sailing Club on the 17th and 18th of October.

ILCA Open at Derwent Reservoir Sailing Club

 

Derwent Reservoir Sailing Club welcomed 19 entrants to their annual ILCA open on Saturday 5th September, forming part of both the 2026 ILCA Lakeland & Borders Series and the ILCA Regional Youth Series (the latter being kindly sponsored by Rooster).

Competitors were welcomed by blue skies and a fresh breeze as they rigged ahead of a 12pm start with four races scheduled back to back. The forecast was for 14-25kts westerly, with the wind proving to be at the upper limit of that range throughout racing.

A mix of triangle, sausage, and triangle/sausage courses were sailed and the pecking order at the front of the fleet was soon established. On the water the racing at the front was close between the ILCA6 of Toby Waggett, Spirit Alderson and Henry Blades, and the ILCA7's of Alastair Conn and Greg Liggins. Further down the fleet, there was significant attrition of the fleet size, as a number of sailors re-evaluated their decision to sail, either on the blast downwind to the race area, or as racing progressed.

PRO Hender Blewett and team ran a prompt set of races with short turnarounds in between.

In the Lakeland Open event which is scored on a single fleet based upon PY, the top 3 were nothing but consistent as Toby took a string of bullets, followed by Spirit recording four second places and Alastair all third places.

For the Youth Series the results are awarded on the basis of separate rig fleets. Henry took third place in the male ILCA6 class after Toby and Spirit, with Alanna Starkie first female ILCA6. Generous prizes were provided by Rooster as sponsor of the ILCA Regional Youth Series.

Thank were noted at the prize-giving to the number of club volunteers who made the event possible. DRSC once again proved its ability to run quality racing in beautiful surroundings and the club looks forward to seeing the fleet return again in 2027.

Youth charity appeals for sailing equipment donations to support young people

 

 YOUTH sailing charity is appealing for help to support young people on life-changing sailing adventures.

Ocean Youth Trust Scotland (OYT Scotland) is calling on the public and businesses to donate equipment such as large holdalls and sleeping bags.

The charity is currently in need of 10 new or nearly-new sports holdalls or rucksacks—up to 80 litres in size and without a metal frame—as well as 10 sleeping bags suitable for two to three seasons.

OYT Scotland offers sail training voyages to young people, many of whom come from disadvantaged backgrounds and may not have access to the right gear.

OYT Scotland said: "We want to keep our voyages affordable and accessible for everyone.

"Having a supply of spare kit helps us make sure that no young person misses out on the opportunity to sail with us because they don't have the right equipment."

The charity is asking individuals and businesses to consider donating the items to help ensure no young person is excluded.

Those able to help are encouraged to contact OYT Scotland by calling 01475 722722 or emailing office@oytscotland.org.uk.

Hornet Dinghy Exe Sails National Championship 2026 at Shoreham Sailing Club

 

The 15 boats competing were subject to a very well run championship by Shoreham SC and shared with the National 12s. The first day was quickly blown off with reports of 50 knot gusts on Worthing pier.

The racing got going on a suitably windy Sunday - undeterred by first race nerves (obviously a Hornet is more sedate than a 29er!) Jac Bailey & Morgan Rogers did a port tack flyer crossing the fleet by a few lengths. Unfortunately they went backwards as the race went on - more on that later!

The race results were a bit of an omen of what was to follow - Nathan Batchelor & Sam Pascoe led from start to finish with a close battle behind where Terry Curtis & Gavin Poullion finished ahead of the recently refurbished boat raced by locals Will McGrath & new crew John White.

Good to see previous Hornet champion Will making a return to the fleet in a borrowed boat, showing he hasn't lost his touch and recruiting a new crew to the Hornet class.

The second race had a port bias again with Justin Jones & Chris Anderson firing out on port tack. In race three, Hornet boat building master Tim Coombe despite his apparent long lead times, tried to add his own boat onto the job sheet with a tussle with Michael McNamara!

Despite the blistering start in race one, little was seen of youngsters Jac & Morgan - it transpires they were slowly sinking!

Back ashore the Hornet class camaraderie was apparent, event leader Sam Pascoe grabbed a grinder and ably assisted with materials & consumables from Terry Curtis had the boat stuck back together ready for racing the next day.

The second day of racing became more full on than the first - getting back into the harbour after racing was best described as fresh to frightening! Plenty of acrobatics were evident as crews were wiped off the gunnel with increasing sea state as the tide turned. 2 boats finished the day with no capsizing!

The final day of racing was picture perfect - a warm building breeze with fully powered reaches and less scared faces! Some different faces popped out at the sharp end of the fleet with Michael McNamara & Harry Chatterton and Jac Bailey & Morgan Rogers (now floating much higher) getting well stuck in.

A productive class meeting was held during the regatta, with eyes firmly on the classes 75th anniversary next year with the National Championships to be held at Stone Sailing club 9th - 12th July.

Shoreham Sailing Club use the strapline 'the home of real sea sailing' and the Hornet class wholeheartedly agree! A big thanks for all the many volunteers from SSC who put on a terrific event for the Hornet class.

Overall Results:

Pos Sail No Helm Crew Club R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 R7 R8 Pts

1st 2168 Nathan Batchelor Sam Pascoe Tynemouth SC ‑1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 7

2nd 2093 Terry Curtis Gavin Poulloin Castle Cove SC 2 2 2 3 ‑5 3 5 3 20

3rd 2151 Will McGrath John White Shoreham SC 3 3 4 2 2 2 ‑6 5 21

4th 2109 Michael McNamara Harry Chatterton Rollesby Broad Sailing Club (RET) 6 3 5 8 4 2 2 30

5th 2165 Richard Garry Sam Woolner Starcross YC 5 4 5 4 3 ‑9 7 6 34

6th 2160 Nigel Skudder Keith Hills Starcross Yacht Club 6 5 6 (RET) DNS 6 4 8 51

7th 2103 Dean Saxton Adam Saxton Maylandsea Bay 7 ‑12 9 7 4 10 9 9 55

8th 2077 Tim Coombe Kevin Francis Starcross Yacht Club 8 9 (DNC) 6 RET 5 8 7 59

9th 2180 Jac Bailey Morgan Rogers PDSC 13 (DNC) DNC 8 6 12 3 4 62

10th 2155 Duncan West William West Starcross YC ‑11 10 7 10 7 7 11 10 62

11th 2157 Alex Adams Sarah Batchelor Tynemouth SC 10 8 8 9 (DNS) DNC DNC DNC 83

12th 2193 Justin Jones Christopher Anderson SSSC/ The Chase SC 4 7 10 (RET) DNC DNC DNC DNC 85

13th 2141 John Shelton Ivan Walsh Shoreham Sailing Club 9 11 (DNS) DNS DNS 8 13 DNC 89

14th 2190 Jon Williams Pippa Rogers Starcross YC 12 (DNS) DNC DNC DNC 11 10 11 92

15th 2185 Simon White Lewis Harris Maldon yacht club (DNS) DNC DNC DNC DNC 13 12 DNC 105

Emirates GBR's Fightback Falls Just Short in Valencia

 

Emirates GBR started the day third in Group A, with their sights firmly set on breaking into the top two. In the light conditions, getting around Mark 1 in the lead and staying on the foils was crucial. Once ahead, teams could build an almost unassailable advantage. As SailGP commentator Todd Harris described it, it was "like shopping on New Year's Eve with no one else in the store."

Red Bull Italy led the fleet to the first mark, with Artemis and Emirates GBR battling behind. GBR eventually closed the gap to Artemis, but both boats fell off the foils, allowing New Zealand's Black Foils through and giving Italy the opportunity to extend their advantage at the front.

Then came a spectacular fightback from Emirates GBR. The British team found the speed to get back onto the foils, passing Artemis down the run before working their way past New Zealand and into second place. With Australia down in fifth, that position put Emirates GBR back in contention for a place in the Event Final.

Italy continued to stretch their lead and went on to take the race win, with Emirates GBR crossing the line second. The British team then faced an anxious wait to see where Australia would finish.

The final mark provided another dramatic twist. Artemis split from Australia and took the left-hand side, forcing the Swedish team to complete two manoeuvres before making the final run to the finish. The decision did not pay off, allowing Australia to finish ahead of Artemis and secure their place in the Event Final.

The Valencia result sees Emirates GBR drop to fifth overall in the Season Championship standings, but importantly the team gained ground on the top three as the battle to reach the winner-takes-all Grand Final intensifies.

"We stepped up, sailed the boat really well and fought our way back through the fleet. Ultimately, we didn't quite get it done, which is frustrating, but there are a lot of positives to take from how we sailed.

"We've dropped a place in the overall standings, but the reality is we're now closer on points to the top three and that all-important place in the end-of-season Grand Final.

"From here on in, it's going to be a huge fight to secure that spot. The fleet is incredibly close and so much can change from one event to another. We're right in the fight and we're going to give it absolutely everything."

Next up, SailGP heads to Geneva on 19-20 September for the second Rolex Switzerland Sail Grand Prix.

Stewart Brewing RS400 Scottish Championship 2026 at Aberdeen & Stonehaven Yacht Club

This year Aberdeen and Stonehaven Yacht Club hosted the RS400 Scottish Tour Championship over the weekend of 15-16 August as part of their annual regatta. Five RS400s entered to decide who - for this year at least - is the champion of the Scottish Fleet.

Saturday dawned with a threat of light wind from the southeast, but mercifully little sea state. As race time came, the fleet enjoyed a surprisingly steady ~10kts. Race 1 got under way in a strong tide against the wind and a healthy measure of pin bias. Angus/Naomi were atypically early to the start, and alongside Matthew/Daniel were OCS with a fight against the tide to get back behind the line. Mark/Rachael + the Robertsons capitalised on the error to take a quick lead at mark 1, and proceeded to swap places on almost every leg before the Robertsons took the win.

In race 2 Angus/Naomi won the favoured pin end and by sticking left reached the top mark with their bow a few inches ahead of Mark/Rachael, but a tangle in kite lines meant politely surrendering the lead to the latter. Lap 2 proved eventful, with Angus/Naomi's tackline failing, and the Robertsons earning an undisclosed penalty turn allowing Mark/Rachael through to take the win.

With the fleet lightly refreshed and Gnasher carrying slightly less cargo, the breeze faltered for the last race of the day. Once again Team Robertson and Mark/Rachael fought tooth and nail at the front to lead, but an equally tight battle played out behind between locals Matthew/Daniel and newcomers Rhys/Stuart to take 4th. Matthew/Daniel sailed a defensive race to beat Rhys/Stuart across the line.

Some of the finest Stewart Brewing and ASYC's excellent BBQ kicked off the post-race analysis in the evening, but the real event of the night remains a mystery to all: Mark/Rachael remain tight-lipped about the karaoke competition at their accommodation, and no witnesses have been found to confirm or deny rumours they put another bullet on the scoreboard there...

Sunday's forecast was not promising, but a short postponement led to better breeze than expected, and a repeat of the course from the day before where the following tide offshore was the favoured upwind route. The 1st/2nd battle was back on between Team Robadobs and Mark/Rachael, but the Robertson's experience in the lighter air showed. Matthew/Daniel must have been training all night, as Angus/Naomi struggled to keep them behind despite having launched with an empty cargo hold.

In race 5 Team Robertson almost missed the start, handing the pin end and the left side to Mark/Rachael who dominated all the way to the finish. Once again Angus/Naomi fought to keep Matthew/Daniel behind just long enough for Rhys/Stuart to start threatening and get Matthew/Daniel looking astern instead of ahead.

With the wind shutting down, race 6 began with Matthew/Daniel trapped down-tide and OCS. Rhys/Stuart won the pin end and caught a zephyr on the left side, however Angus/Naomi managed to squeeze ahead to lead at the first mark. Then as the fleet rushed (at a sedate pace) to the easier tide inshore, Angus/Naomi kept out in the breeze and held the lead through to the finish, taking the prestigious final race win.

Congratulations go to Mark Powell and Rachael Scarfe for defending their Scottish Championship title for another year, Stewart and Sarah Robertson for taking second place, and to Rhys Gorman and Stuart Dallas for winning the endeavour trophy. The pintles of shame go to Angus Marshall, for failing to award them to anyone else over the course of the weekend. Many thanks go to Scottish Tour sponsors Stewart Brewing for their continued support, and to National Tour sponsors Rooster for providing prizes.

After an excursion south of the border for the medal trio to this year's RS400 nationals, the RS400 Scottish Tour will round out 2026 at Dalgety Bay Sailing Club 19-20 September. The Scottish demo boat will be available for anyone looking to try out the class, and we look forward to seeing everyone there!

Overall Results:

Pos Sail No Helm Crew Club R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 Pts

1 1370  Mark Powell Rachael Scarfe Largs SC 2 1 1 2 1 2 7

2 1463  Stewart Robertson Sarah Robertson Royal Forth YC 1 2 2 1 2 3 8

3 763 Angus Marshall Naomi Moran Dalgety Bay 3 3 3 3 3 1 13

4 1060  Matthew Park Daniel Clarkson ASYC 4 4 4 4 4 5 20

5 879 Rhys Gorman Stuart Dallas Port Edgar YC 5 5 5 5 5 4 24

 

Musto Skiffs battle it out at Stone Sailing Club's Essex Sailing Championships 2026

 

The Musto Skiff fleet descended on Stone Sailing Club over the August Bank Holiday weekend for three days of racing as part of the Essex Sailing Championships 2026. With the Blackwater estuary providing its usual mix of challenging breeze and strong tide, the fleet was treated to a varied weekend that tested both speed and decision-making.

The four scheduled races were completed over the three days, in a social and (pleasantly) different format of racing to what the class is used to.

Ben Clegg ultimately emerged as the dominant force, winning three races and finishing second in the opening race to take the overall victory. Gareth Davies finished second overall, with Eddie Bridle third. Ben Harden and Richard Smith rounded out the Stone weekend in fourth and fifth respectively.

After three races the shore-based race committee got race 4 under way as the fleet thumped their way up to the top mark. A few seasoned Musto Skiff sailors experienced some difficulties, which led them to dropping out of the race. Interestingly, some of the newer faces in the fleet were those who stuck it out the longest. James Crook was showing some excellent form, and Ben Harden (who only joined the class earlier this year) safety-gybed his way into a very respectable second place in race 4.

Ben Clegg took the honours in this race, followed by Ben Harden, Tom Scott and Gareth Davies.

A special mention must be made for Stone Sailing Club who put on a wonderful regatta. The fine gourmet food, the lively entertainment and the friendly atmosphere shone this homely, unassuming club in a very positive light.

Overall Results:

Pos Entrant Sail No. R1 R2 R3 R4 Pts

1st Ben Clegg 657 2 1 1 1 5

2nd Gareth Davies 615 3 4 3 4 14

3rd Eddie Bridle 655 1 2 2 11 16

4th Ben Harden 294 5 7 6 2 20

5th Richard Smith 632 4 8 4 10 26

6th Andrew Whittle 588 6 5 7 10 28

7th Finbar Anderson 310 8 6 5 10 29

8th Brennan Robinson 561 11 3 10 10 34

9th James Crook 138 7 9 8 10 34

10th Tom Scott 639 11 11 11 3 36

🌴 Our suggested 8-day family Thailand sailing adventure

 

 I'd start and finish around Phuket, travelling through Phang Nga Bay, Koh Yao, Krabi, Railay and Phi Phi, with plenty of time off the boat.

Day 1 — Phuket → Koh Yao Noi

Sailing: 2–3 hours

Settle aboard the catamaran and sail east into the wonderfully sheltered waters of Phang Nga Bay.

Family activities:

Swimming and paddleboarding

Snorkelling from the yacht

Take the dinghy ashore

Explore a small fishing village

Thai dinner on the beach

Koh Yao Noi is particularly attractive for families because it feels much more relaxed and authentic than Phuket. The island is known for quiet beaches, coconut plantations and traditional villages.

Day 2 — Koh Yao → Phang Nga Bay

This is the big adventure day.

Sail among the extraordinary limestone pinnacles of Phang Nga Bay.

Activities ashore/on the water:

Kayak through sea caves

Explore hidden hongs (lagoon caves)

Visit James Bond Island

Visit Koh Panyee, the spectacular village built on stilts over the sea

Have lunch in a local restaurant

Swim from the yacht in the afternoon

The combination of kayaking, caves and the floating village makes this one of the best days for children.

Day 3 — Phang Nga → Koh Yao Yai

A deliberately easy day.

Sail south through the islands, stopping whenever you find a beautiful beach or snorkelling spot.

Once ashore on Koh Yao Yai:

Hire bicycles

Cycle through coconut plantations

Visit a local village

Stop for a Thai lunch

Visit a rubber plantation

Have a beach afternoon

Sunset dinner overlooking the bay

This is the day I'd keep relatively unstructured—the children can have some independence while the adults enjoy the scenery. Cycling and exploring the villages are among the activities commonly suggested for the island.

Day 4 — Koh Yao Yai → Koh Hong → Railay

Sailing: around 3–4 hours, broken up with stops.

Stop at Koh Hong for a morning swim and kayak into the spectacular lagoon.

Then sail towards Railay Beach.

Afternoon ashore:

Explore the beaches

Walk through the jungle

Visit the famous caves

Try introductory rock climbing with an instructor

Explore the little restaurants and shops

Railay is particularly good if you have teenagers—it adds a genuine adventure/sport element rather than simply another beach stop.

Day 5 — Railay → Phi Phi

Head south towards the famous Phi Phi Islands.

I'd avoid spending the whole day around the busiest areas and instead have the skipper look for a quieter anchorage.

Activities:

Snorkelling

Paddleboarding

Cliff jumping where safe and permitted

Beach exploration

Sunset from the boat

The journey from Krabi to Phi Phi is roughly 25 nautical miles on typical itineraries, making it a proper little sailing adventure without being an enormous passage.

Day 6 — Phi Phi exploration day

This would be your no-sailing day.

Take the dinghy or a local boat to explore:

Maya Bay

Phi Phi Leh

Monkey Beach

Hidden coves

Snorkelling reefs

Viewpoint hike

For younger children, I'd concentrate on swimming and snorkelling; for teenagers, the viewpoint hike and kayaking make the day more adventurous.

Day 7 — Phi Phi → Koh Racha

This is your tropical-island finale.

Sail towards Koh Racha Yai.

Spend the afternoon doing absolutely nothing—or:

Snorkelling

Paddleboarding

Swimming

Beach football

Fishing from the boat

Sunset barbecue

I'd make this a particularly relaxed evening aboard the yacht.

Day 8 — Koh Racha → Phuket

Have one last swim after breakfast and sail back towards Phuket

If your flight isn't until the following day, I'd actually recommend adding one night in a Phuket hotel rather than going directly from yacht to airport. It gives everyone a chance to have a proper shower, explore Phuket and recover from the sailing adventure.

The important thing is not to make it a sailing holiday where everyone is stuck on the boat all day. Thailand is at its best when you alternate short sailing passages with genuinely interesting things to do ashore.

⛵ What I'd choose for the boat

For a family I'd look for a 40–50 ft crewed catamaran with:

3–4 cabins

Air conditioning

Large shaded cockpit

Good dinghy

Kayaks or SUPs

Snorkelling equipment

Plenty of water toys

Experienced local skipper

Cook, if budget allows

A catamaran is especially appealing here because it gives you shallow-water access, lots of deck space and considerably more stability than a monohull.

There are already 5–8 day itineraries operating around essentially this route, including Phang Nga, Koh Yao, Krabi, Railay, Phi Phi and Racha.

☀️ When I'd go 

For this particular family adventure, I'd choose November to April. The Andaman Sea is generally much more settled during this period, with clearer water and better conditions for family sailing, although the exact weather always needs checking before departure.

My personal sweet spot would be February–March: warm, relatively dry, and excellent for swimming and snorkelling.

WE HAVE MORE THAN 12,000 PRIVATE YACHTS  AND GULETS CHARTER BOATS --

AVAILABLE IN 60 COUNTRIES WAITING READY FOR YOU

JUST SELECT - COMPARE - BOOK IN MINUTES ONLINE

UP  TO  50% OFF LAST MINUTE DEALS 👍

UNBEATABLE  PRICES  FOR  YOUR  COMPLETE  PEACE OF MIND ON THE WATER.

#yachts2rentnow