RC Laser Nationals and TT at Gosport Model Yacht & Boat Club

by Amy Brown 1 Nov 2018 13:52 UTC 27-28 October 2018

RC Laser Nationals and TT at Gosport © Amy Brown

Gosport Model Yacht and Boat Club was the location for the 2018 Nationals. The Nationals event lasted for two days, however the Friday was kept for practising, registration and weighing. We had a fantastic turnout of 33 boats with three international boats from Belgium, Netherlands and Ireland.

Saturday was a cold and windy start to the event with North & later North Easterly winds of 18 to 25 miles an hour, which lead the skippers to use B and C rigs. Saturday was the final TT of the year, we started racing about 10.30am. All the skippers were sorted into A, B or C fleets to start seeding process to then place the skippers into the right fleet. The course raced was a simple port – handed triangle sausage course with a good long downwind leg. All the starts were very tight as everyone was keen to get into the lead.

One race had to be restarted as more than half the fleet got tangled up by the windward mark. We completed twelve heats giving four races in total. After the racing had finished we had our yearly AGM meeting.

On the Saturday evening we had our social event to end the TT Series of the Year, awards were presented. We had a two-course meal at Hardy's, a short walk from the Gosport Club. It was a lovely evening for everyone to socialise.

TT Series Prizes won:

1st Adrian Tomlinson
2nd Dave Fowler
3rd John Sharman
4th Robert Wheeler
5th Roger White
6th John Armstrong
7th Roger Atkins
8th Eric Reid
9th Derek Priestley
10th Tony Wilson

Spirit of Laser Trophy – John Armstrong
Most Travelled – John Armstrong
First Lady – Amy Brown
Best Improver – Eric Reid

RC Laser Nationals and TT at Gosport - photo © Amy Brown

Day 2

Sunday was a cold and windy start to the end of event with north westerly winds of 20 to 28 miles an hour, which lead the skippers to use B, C and D rigs. One skipper was very ambitious by using an A rig for one of the races (GBR 42) But it all ended badly for them.

Sunday racing started about 10am. Due to the wind direction change and a few retirements form the Sunday, skipper's heats were reduced to A and B, to get as many races into the day before 3:30 last race deadline. The course was a simple port and starboard handed course with a good downwind leg.

By the end of the racing event everyone had improved their sailing ability, with the boats finishing very close together at the finish line. Over the weekend we had completed 24 heats giving 10 races in total.

There was also a raffle based on sail numbers, including new A, B sails Servos, Transmitter Mitts etc. However, all the entrants had something from the raffle. All the prizes for the raffle were supplied by Nigel Seary, President of the RC laser association. Our thanks must go to him for his generous donations.

Well done to everyone who took part as it was a very challenging weekend of sailing due to the gusty winds and wind direction.

I would like to thank Gosport Model Yacht and Boat Club for holding the Nationals this year, for organising the event and setting the course for both days as it was very challenging due to the gusty winds and wind direction.

I would also like to thank Diane for registering every skipper into the Nationals and Robert Wheeler for kindly donation RC Laser parts for the raffle prizes.

The next RC Laser Event is at Burwain on Sunday 11th November 2018

Please see www.rclaser.org.uk for information.

Overall Results:

Most Improved – Paul Nesbitt
Best Newcomer – Tim Hulse
1st Lady – Chrystal Cracco
1st International – Taco Faber
Persistence, Completing Every Race and Coming Last – John Batson

Position	Skipper	Sail #	Club/City	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	R8	R9	R10	Pts
1	Derek Priestley	670	Fleetwood	1	5	2	1	1	1	2	1	1	12	10
2	Adrian Tomlinson	30	RTYC	2	3	7	3	13	2	1	8	3	11	29
3	Dave Fowler	840	Blackpool Fylde	1	2	8	4	9	4	4	18	4	2	29
4	Lawrie Draper	27	Gosport	1	4	1	5	11	5	7	6	6	3	31
5	Taco Faber	1	Netherlands	12	1	6	6	5	6	6	12	2	4	36
6	Crystal Cracco	168	Belgium	8	7	11	10	2	7	3	2	7	6	42
7	Alex Curtis	772	PRYC	3	34	9	7	7	8	5	4	12	1	44
8	Tim Hulse	42		2	13	3	2	4	3	18	19	18	5	50
9	Brian Holland	59	Abersoch	2	12	15	23	15	18	9	11	8	7	79
10	Alex Mills	11		6	20	18	15	6	15	8	13	9	8	80
11	Oliver Miles	699	Poole	12	24	17	13	8	12	10	3	11	13	82
12	Paul Nesbitt	66	Gosport	7	18	13	19	3	11	12	7	11.9	19	82.9
13	Phil Walker	48	RORC	3	8	5	8	10	13	18	27	18	31	83
14	Terry Connell	72	Eastbourne	5	16	25	27	29	9	11	5	5	9	85
15	Philip Udall	28	Gosport	4	11	4	11	23	19	14	15	18	23	96
16	Roger Atkins	977	Droitwich Spa	12	14	20	14	19	22	15	9	10	10	103
17	Nick Ryley	25	Gosport	6	6	14	18	17	14	20	14	23	16	105
18	David Swainson	179	Gosport	3	9	12	16	14	20	23	21	18	15	107
19	Roger White	36	Ardleigh	5	17	19	20	20	23	26	10	13	14	118
20	Robert Wheeler	60	Blackpool Fylde	12	29	25	9	12	17	31	24	21	18	138
21	Alan Butt	81	Gosport	10	30	26	29	25	10	13	16	20	18	138
22	Richard Filer	35	Gosport	6	19	22	24	18	16	21	20	19	26	141
23	John Armstrong	1008	NDS	12	15	25	17	16	21	18	31	24	21	144
24	Len Buurman	41	Gosport	5	21	30	21	24	26	19	26	31	22	164
25	Ken Binks	83	Eastbourne	4	10	10	12	34	34	34	34	34	34	172
26	Tony Robbins	785	Gosport	10	27	29	25	26	24	22	18	25	24	174
27	Jeremey Kindell	1123	Gosport	9	28	31	26	21	25	24	25	28	20	178
28	Robin Antcliffe	96	Gosport	11	26	28	30	30	30	25	23	22	25	190
29	Andrew Clarke	7	PRYC	7	31	27	28	27	27	27	22	26	27	190
30	Mark Barker	34	Gosport	9	23	16	22	23	34	34	34	34	34	195
31	Amy Brown	101	Ardleigh	8	25	32	31	32	29	28	28	29	29	207
32	John Batson	125	CYC	12	34	34	33	28	28	29	29	27	28	214
33	Peter Smith	53	Poole	4	22	21	34	34	34	34	34	34	34	217