Lowrider International Moth UK National Championship 2024 at Weymouth - Day 1
by Dougal Henshall 26 Jul 15:24 UTC
26-28 July 2024
Day 1 - Lowrider International Moth UK National Championship © Dougal Henshall
If anyone wanted to see a measure of just how far the Lowrider Moth scene has progressed since those long-ago days of a few restored barn finds, then a visit to the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy today would certainly have given them food for thought.
Day 1 of competition had started with an extra bonus boost when boatbuilder Ian Ridge, himself a Moth sailor of note from yesteryear, brought with him the first hull out of the new Magnum 6 mould (a process that is fast becoming a regular feature here on the Y&Y pages). The build quality was there for all to see, and a number of people are trying to calculate how to migrate from their current boat to one of the new high-tech hulls.
Even as sailors were examining the new hull, the pressure was on to get changed, rigged and afloat: some would miscalculate the distance down to the start area just inside the harbour wall to the point that they would miss the start. After the previous few days which had been marked by a cool airstream and showers that often merged into longer periods of rain, this would be a near perfect day for Moth sailing, a westerly breeze that hovered around 10kt for the first race.
The Academy had certainly done the Moths (and the Bytes, who they were sharing the event with) proud as there was the minimum of faffing around and an on-time start. The slick Race Management Team quickly saw the right kick in the breeze in the first few minutes of racing, but they held their nerve and were rewarded when the wind settled back at where it had been when the course was laid.
There's a huge variation in speed potential across the wide range of the Lowriders and no one was surprised to see two of the later, skinny boats leading the fleet but there was a surprise when it was seen that Paul Hignett, Champion in 2023 was not having things his own way. Instead, it was an Isle of Wight benefit out front, with Martin Harrison in an Axeman 7 who was holding the advantage.
Martin was demonstrably quicker upwind, Paul in the Hungry Tiger could start clawing back distance downwind and as these two approached the finish, the question was if there would be a final twist to the story, only for Martin to hold on for a narrow win, with Russell Wheeler in another Tiger taking third.
Part of the attraction of the Lowrider scene is on how there are two sets of results, the first past the post then a potentially more revealing set worked on thanks to some insightful handicap allowances. Here David Balkwill, in the oldest boat in the fleet, a 1963 French Duflos took the win from a hard charging Ian Marshall in a Magnum, with Martin Harrison taking third, which meant that the three 'broad cuts' of divisions in the fleet were all represented on the podium.
There was more wind for Race 2, with some clear indications that whilst it might not do to hit the left-hand corner, certainly the left-hand side looked favoured. Paul Hignett was one who went right and rounded the first mark down amongst the Magnums, meanwhile Martin Harrison was already romping away down the first tight reach. He would soon be out of sight to the point that he'd not only be first home but first on PY as well.
The breeze was enough that Paul Hignett was able to race through to second on the water and on PY, whilst Ian Marshall was again showing the wisdom of using the Magnum 6 as the source for the new mould as he beat a number of fast boats on the water to take third on PY. Over a slightly shorter course this would be a quick race with the breeze building to the point that the only scow in the village, who had struggled in the earlier lighter breeze was now flying, showing what fun a Moth scow can deliver.
Day One is now done, however looking at the weather forecast this could well end up as the best breeze of the event and if it does go lighter tomorrow then expect some more surprises from the older boats who will relish the chance to put the newer, narrower boats to shame!