Please select your home edition
Edition
Maritimo 2023 S600 LEADERBOARD

Sailing Chandlery RS400 Southern Tour at Lee-on-Solent Sailing Club

by Jack Holden 14 Jun 09:30 UTC 8 June 2024
A red arrows fly-by! © RS Class Association

A very welcoming, well-run club with great weather and a Red Arrows fly-by!

Race 1

Race one started with a 15 knot wind over tide breeze which felt a lot winder due to the very strong tide pushing us over the line and into the wind. The majority of the fleet opted for a pin end start which turned out to be the correct end. Groves/Parkhurst were straight out of the blocks showing their speed up the first beat to take the lead closely followed by Halhead/Hilliar and Holden/Henderson. With a strong tide against you downwind, the obvious decision was a gybe set to head to the shoreline which seemed to pay well. Groves/Parkhurst jostled with Halhead/Hilliar but eventually laid down the law to take the bullet.

Sitting just behind the front three was a second group fighting it out. This consisted of Bevington/Skeens (perhaps with local knowledge??) Whitmore/Whitmore and Munnelly/Hosken. They battled throughout the race with Bevington/Skeens eventually taking 4th.

Race 2

A similar situation in race 2 but this time with less wind. It was Halhead/Hilliar who rounded first and led most of the race from Groves/Parkhurst and Holden/Henderson. After leading for around 40 minutes, a delayed gybe set at the final windward mark from Halhead/Hilliar allowed Groves/Parkhurst to sit in a wind stealing position for the final downwind. Unfortunately, by this point both boats were too far ahead for anyone to understand what really happened but by the finish Groves/Parkhurst had managed to steal the lead just before the final rounding to win the race. Whitmore/Whitmore took 4th who had a great first run by straight setting rather than opting for the early gybe.

Race 3

Lighter again with less tide. The Red Arrows decided to treat the fleet to an impressive fly-by which was distracting to say the least. This time it was the committee boat end of the line which paid. Groves/Parkhurst AGAIN fought it out with Halhead/Hilliar for the top place, this continued for most of the race....however a new player had arisen.... Webber/Webber showed impressive boat speed in the lighter conditions to be well in the mix, but still just behind the leaders. On the final rounding they cunningly straight set with the two leaders gybe-setting as per norm. Holden/Henderson decided they didn't want to gybe again because they were tired so followed Webber/Webber. On the final rounding to the finish Webber/Webber had overtaken the leaders by some distance to take the win with Holden/Henderson 2nd and the 'other two' close behind in 3rd and 4th.

A head on collision between Bevington/Skeens with Sheehan/Sheehan (with Ellie giving out an enormous scream!) ended Bevington/Skeens day a little early. Luckily, minimal human damage was done but a new kite pole was on order the same afternoon from Bevington/Skeens! Munnelly/Hosken channeled their inner Howard to sail a good race, not far behind the leaders in 5th place.

Day 2

Race 4

A slightly more southerly direction this time (coming more from the island) and a more 'cross-tide' race. Webber/Webber had a very envious port-tack flyer out the start. This time Holden/Henderson managed a good beat to take the lead from out the left. The early tackers suffered in the right corner. Although Groves/Parkhurst never admitted it, it was very clear that they were beginning to be slowed by Ollie's cheese wire mainsheet and lack of gloves. Halhead/Hilliar showed their speed once again and managed to fight their way up the fleet to 3rd. Bevington/Skeens in a different boat (after the crash) took 4th.

Race 5

This was a slightly more shifty race with the leaders generally doing well from avoiding lay lines and staying in the middle of the course. Whitmore/Whitmore sailed a great race fighting it out with the leaders, as did Bevington/Skeens. The final results however showed Groves/Parkhurst were not to be messed with taking the win (and I think the event by this point?).

Race 6

A big right shift combined with tide made this race slightly more one sided. That did not stop Holden/Henderson from sailing into the wrong corner of the course to put them well out the back. Halhead/Hilliar showed no issue in understanding what was going on and led the race from start to finish.

The weekend was very well run both on and off the water. The race team did a fantastic job on the water and the shore team were helpful, friendly and efficient. Bacon rolls were gratefully received from the galley before racing on both days. We are all certainly looking forward to returning next year.

RS400 Results

PosSailNoClubHelmCrewR1R2R3R4R5R6Pts
1st1526Beaver SCOllie GROVESEster PARKHURST11(3)21210
2nd1535LlandegfeddTom HALHEADPaul HILLER22(4)32114
3rd1550CYS / HISCJack HOLDENRob HENDERSON33215(6)20
4th1479Peuensey BayChris WEBBERNicky WEBBER(14 DNF)6156335
5th1377LOSSCNeil BEVINGTONAlan SKEENS45(14 RET)43535
6th1548Eastbourne SovereignMick WHITMORESarah WHITMORE64674(14 DNC)41
7th1192 Jack MUNNELLYLou HOSBEN5756(8)435
8th1536LOSSCJonty CHALLISNick ALLAN(10)97109752
9th1435WarsashMathew SHEEHANEllie SHEEHAN7(11)10910855
10th1422WarsashBruce MILLSAndrea JARMAN(14 DNC)888714 DNC59
11th1487LOSSCAndy BRAYSarah BEVINGTON8109(11)11958
12th1116LOSSCSarah EAMESNiall EAMES912121212(14 DNC)71
13th1324HISCRichard WATNEYGrant SHOEBRIDGE(14 DNC)131114 DNC14 DNC14 DNC80

Related Articles

Rockshore / Bosun Bobs RS400 Winter Series Week 1
The sixteen boat fleet was greeted with a glass like sea Now in its 18th year, RS400 winter series continues to grow from strength to strength. The 2024 event welcomes the return of class stalwart Dave Cheyne, sailing with Susan McKnight. Posted today at 6:13 am
Rockshore / Bosun Bobs RS400 Winter Series Preview
18th year of the event starts this Sunday at Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club It doesn't seem that long ago since the last Rockshore / Bosun Bobs RS400 Winter Series at Royal North. This ever-popular winter sailing event returns next Sunday, running for eight weeks through to 22nd December including the infamous Christmas Race. Posted on 29 Oct
RS400 Northern Tour 2024
Chris Pickles and Matt Sharman win for the second year running For the second year running congratulations go to Chris Pickles and Matt Sharman for winning the 2024 RS400 Trident UK Northern Tour, though it was a close-run thing, and all top 6 positions were settled at the final event of the season. Posted on 26 Oct
RS400 Scottish Championship at Dalgety Bay
Held as part of Dalgety Bay's annual regatta Eight RS400s made it to Dalgety Bay Sailing Club on 28th September for the culmination of the year's Stewart Brewing RS400 Scottish Tour, and the Scottish Championships as part of Dalgety Bay's annual regatta. Posted on 15 Oct
RS400 Inland Championship at Grafham
The race team did an outstanding job of cranking out the races at an amazing pace Grafham laid on a fantastic forecast of 12 knots and glorious sunshine for day 1 of the RS400 Inland Championships, sponsored by Rooster Sailing. The RS400s shared the lake with the RS200s and RS500s, who also contested their inland championships. Posted on 7 Oct
RS400 Trident UK Northern Tour at Bass
During the Great Northern Asymmetric Challenge 20 RS400s gathered for the last leg of the 2024 Trident UK Northern Tour at Bassenthwaite Sailing Club over the weekend of 21/22 May. Posted on 24 Sep
13th Great North Asymmetric Challenge
Sixty-nine boats from as far afield as Scotland, Wales and the South Coast Sixty-nine boats from as far afield as Scotland, Wales and the South Coast landed on Bassenthwaite's sunny shores for the 13th Great North Asymmetric Challenge, sponsored once again by Trident UK. Posted on 23 Sep
Irish RS Southerns at Killaloe
200 and 400 fleets let down by Saturday's weather Over 7th & 8th September Killaloe Sailing Club hosted the RS400 & RS200 Southerns. 21 boats entered the competition with boats travelling from Galway, Cullaun, Antrim, Cultra, Whitehead, Strangford Lough and a great big contingent from Blessington. Posted on 11 Sep
RS400 Northern Tour at Notts County
Fifteen boats are frustrated by a lack of reliable wind A gentle force 2 north/north westerly greeted seven travelling and eight home boats to Notts County Sailing Club for the 2024 iteration of the annual open meeting as part of the RS400 Northern Tour. Posted on 10 Sep
RS400 Nationals at Torquay overall
Edd Whitehead and Ben Whaley were crowned champions After a magnificent week at Royal Torbay Yacht Club, Edd Whitehead and Ben Whaley were crowned Noble Marine RS400 National Champions 2024. Posted on 25 Aug
Maritimo 2023 S600 FOOTERSavvy Navvy 2024