Gul B14 UK National Championships at Porthpean Sailing Club – Overall

Gul B14 Nationals at Porthpean © Dominik Seyler

Gul B14 Nationals at Porthpean © Dominik Seyler

Day 3, with 4 x 45 minute races programmed to be sailed between 1030 and 1330, was going to be a bit like shotgun alley sailing. Team Harken (Nick Craig/Toby (Tastic) Lewis) had the advantage over Team GUL/North Sails (Mark Barnes/Charlotte (Char) Jones) but there was little to chose between these two, running exactly the same kit and Seavolution B14s, other than the latter had used up their discards if wishing to win with another 2 teams breathing down their necks.

So housemates (Team Green 5 for the games) for the event and boat fixers from the previous evening (GBR 795 (Nick bought the beers), the leading 2 teams agreed there would be no funny business, but would go hard at it on the final laps if need be.

The day saw a south-westerly 5 – 8 knot breeze with many holes due to the high ground around the bay.

So the games began with shadow boxing upwind as the two leaders cross tacked with little to spare, sometimes in the lead and sometimes not on the first beat. As they pushed each other very hard, they broke through and the jousting, especially on the downwind last leg of race 1 of the day, went to the wire, with Team GUL/North Sails engaging in 8 power gybes in pressure shutting down Team Harken by the line, only for Team Harken, in a slight pressure increase, rolling the overlap dead downwind on the pin and taking the win by the narrowest of margins.

Race 2 was very similar but with Team Harken breaking away on the first downwind in their own pressure to be reeled in again upwind and then more shadow boxing over the next 2 legs. At the final whistle it was 2 – 0 to Team Harken but they were mightly relieved to have nudged ahead.

Race 3 saw a right ding-dong as the main protagonists were buried and trying to hold their own with the rest of the fleet getting their own back. Troublegun/North Sails (Alan Davis/Rich Bell) and Donkey (Mark Watts/Bish) were to be the king makers on the day. First Team Harken broke through, with Team GUL/North Sails, closing out 2nd in a group of 3 including Demelza (Peter Knight/Jane Reeves) and Troublegum/North Sails gybing simultaneously on the line with only a bowsprit between the 3.

Race 4 saw both buried in the fleet. Team Harken rolled the dice and broke hard right on lap 2 using up their first potential discard, but played their joker going from zero to hero and broke through as the fleet covered the middle ground. Team GUL/North Sails, without discard, worked their way through the fleet, but could not close down the leading 2 of Team Harken and Demelza, coming 3rd.

So after a great close event, the B14 National Champions for 2016 are Team Harken having sailed a stellar series with Team GUL/North Sails 2nd and Troublegum/North Sails 3rd.

Thanks goes the Porthpean Sailing Club for running a great event and making the class feel very welcome and providing great food, our Title sponsor for providing every sailor with a prize and club sponsors Saint Austell brewery.

Gul B14 Nationals at Porthpean - photo © Dominik Seyler

• Handicap winner – GBR 724 Steve Hollingworth/Elliot Holman
• Merit award – GBR 774 Jeremy Hawkins/Suzanne Hawkins
• Endeavour award - GBR 723 Patrick Seyler/Steve Coelto
• Tin Rig award - GBR 728 - Alex Horlock/James Pearce
• Lady helm – Kathy Sherratt
• Lady crew – Charlotte Jones

Overall Results:
If you finished in the top ten at the B14 nationals then enter your Gear Guide information here