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Craftinsure Osprey UK National Championship at Poole Yacht Club - Overall

by Ros & David Downs 10 Sep 11:02 UTC 5-8 September 2024
Craftinsure Osprey UK Nationals at Poole © David Harding / www.sailingscenes.com

WE WERE ROBBED and final day disappointment

The 45 boat fleet were looking forward to getting racing at Poole YC, after Friday had been abandoned due to the non-existence of wind. However was Saturday going to be a repeat?

Saturday dawned dry with zero wind but the promise that something would turn up later, at least the wind was forecast to be in largely the same direction all day.

Matt Rainback & Phil Angrave gave the competitors an excellent teach-in on the boat set-up and tactics that had won them the first two races. Filled with enthusiasm the fleet set to in rigging up and trying to implement the advice given. At 10:15 with still virtually no breeze the fleet was released, albeit there was reluctance from some teams to set out for the course, which would again be set inside the harbour. Just in time for the 11:30 start a gentle breeze materialised and the fleet got away.

Matt & Phil having advised that left had paid on the first day, the author David & Ros pretty much banged the left hand corner and where pleased to see the majority of the fleet underneath. The run was frustrating with little wind and a real struggle to keep the spinnaker pulling. There was a whole bunch of boats at the leeward gate and rounding the starboard mark and working the left side of the beat seemed to work again. The reaches were tricky with places to be won and lost, before the race was shortened at the bottom of the course.

Matt & Phil, 1353 'String Driven Thing', once again won with Matt Burge & Vyv Townend, 1353 'Calisto', second with the father and son team of Roger & Jamie Blake, Osprey 1380 'Ghost Ship', in third. We, Ros & David Downs 1114 'Just Pogo', finished in twelfth place sandwiched between fellow Welsh boats Oscar Chess & Simon Brewer, 1348 'Jammy Dodger', in eleventh and Dave Griffiths & Maurice Clarke, 1365 'Carpe Diem', in thirteenth.

With the wind appearing to hold the fleet were sent away on the second race of the day. Much of the fleet went left again, but having tacked off to clear our air we found ourselves in a bit of pressure and a lift going out to the right. Once we had been headed, we tacked and were rounding the windward mark in fifth place when the race was abandoned, due to lack of wind and a big shift. If we think that we were robbed, spare a thought for Mark Ripley & Tom Ahlheid a youth team fresh from the RS Aero World Championships sailing a borrowed boat, 1356 'Shippy McShip Face' who were in the lead.

The wind eventually returned, together with the rain and once again the telltales were stuck to the sail making it really difficult to read what was happening. The race was a bit of a nightmare for us and with the leaders disappearing into the gloom such that we can't tell much about what happened at the front of the fleet. Anyway, three laps were sailed in the miserable conditions. We think that Phil Meakins & Richard Anderton, 1347 'Pipe and Slippers', were going well for a while, but Matt & Phil again won, followed by Ben McGrane & James Ross, 1340 'Beastly Whizzer', with Matt Burge & Vyv Townend in third. Which is also the leader board going into the last day of racing.

The forecast for Sunday looks like more light winds and rain, but it is what it is and everyone seems to be having a good time socialising.

Unfortunately, Sunday winds did not summon up enough puff, to enable racing with decision to fly AP over A ashore early, around 12 noon, meant the prize-giving could be held early allowing people to get on the journeys sooner.

The 2024 National Champions are Matt Rainback & Phil Angrave with four wins from the four races completed, having successfully defended their 2023 title. Will they be back in 2025 to go for the hat trick of back to back wins, when the National Championship will be hosted by Mumbles Yacht? The second and third places were decided on tie break procedure of finish order in the last completed race.

The new Class Boat, 1385 'Six Pack', a Hartley MkVI was on loan to a pair of Poole Yacht Club young sailors - Joe Cross & Edward Gillespie - who finished ninth overall and had a best result of fifth in Race 1. Who will be using it at the 2025 National Championship?

Everyone wishes a safe journey back home to the farthest travelled competitor, who came all the way from Germany to take part.

The Class gratefully acknowledge the support of Craftinsure, Hartley Boats, Allen Brothers, Clamcleat, Fernhurst Books, Robline and Seasure. Also, special thank you the host club Poole Yacht Club and the members of club.

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

PosSail NoBoat nameYr builtBuilderMaterialDesignHelmCrewClubR1R2R3R4Pts
11352String Driven Thing2012HartleyGRPMkIVMatt RainbackPhil AngravePoole YC‑11113
21340Beastly Whizzer2010HartleyGRPMkIVBen McGraneJames RossNetley SC23‑527
31353Callisto2012HartleyGRPMkIVMatt BurgeVyv TownendPoole YC‑32237
41339Thomas Too2017HartleyGRPMkIVTerry CurtisPeter GreigWeymouth SC754‑1316
51347Pipe n Slippers2011HartleyFRPMkIVPhil MeakinsRichard AndertonWarsash SC‑948517
61382Ghost Ship2022HartleyFRPMkVIRoger BlakeJames BlakeGreat Moor SC12(UFD [46])3419
71206Indecision1982Creasey & BrookesWoodMkIIIPeter GrayGeoff EdwardsStaunton Harold SC676‑2219
81290Swiftwun1997Chipstow BoatyardsWoodMkIIIMartin CooneyPeter FrithPoole YC(NSC [46])610622
91385Six Pack2023HartleyFRPMkVIJoe CrossEdward GillespiePoole YC59‑21923
101291Waimanu1998Porter BrothersGRPMkIIIAlex Willis FNick WillisHayling Island SC10129‑2731
111349Bird of Prey IV2011HartleyGRPMkIVRobert ShawIan LittleKielder Water SC41516‑2135
121363Robbers Alley2016HartleyGRPMkVRob BurdekinAlistair RaynardBlithfield SC811‑391736
131365Carpe Diem2016HartleyGRPMkVDave GriffithsMaurice ClarkeTenby SC11‑18131236
141348Jammy Dodger2010HartleyGRPMkIVOscar ChessSimon BrewerTata Steel SC151311‑1639
151298Barking Mad2000Andy BarkerWoodMkIIIMichael AtkinsonRichard BowersPoole YC(NSC [46])1024741
161366Burach2016HartleyGRPMkVStewart MurdochSandy BremnerRoyal Tay YC‑188181541
171314Think Again2005HartleyGRPMkIVViola Scott FMichael ScottLochaber YC19‑24171147
181317The Duke2006HartleyGRPMkIVSimon TownsendJackTownsendEmsworth SC‑272271948
191373Great White2017HartleyGRPMkVRichard MarshallGareth HumphriesPoole YC13(UFD [46])142350
201350WARNING...Contains Nuts2012HartleyGRPMkIVAlec MamwellArthur ButlerConiston SC1620‑261450
211383Thieves Like Us2023HartleyWoodMkVIRussell WheelerMark MawhinneyIsle of Sheppey SC22‑26201052
221325Seeing Red2006HartleyGRPMkIVSimon GeorgeNicola George FGreat Moor SC17‑27192561
231322Peek a Boo2006HartleyGRPMkIVBen RichardsonEd TownsendEmsworth SC2116‑362663
241336Cariad Y Mor HartleyGRPMkIVJason TaylorMatthew TaylorTata Steel SC202915(UFD [46])64
251296Whitestar2000Andy BarkerWoodMkIIIKevin FrancisStuart MaunderCastle Cove SC142328‑2965
261114Just Pogo1975Gardiner & IddonWoodMkIIIRos Downs FDavid DownsTata Steel SC262812‑3666
271007Bird of Prey III1974WesterlyWoodMkIIGraham HeadAntony ShawMargate YC‑3025222067
281207Schiaffino1983Claridge & SmartWoodMkIIIAndrew HattersleyRichard HattersleyTopsham SC241925‑3068
291292Light & Bitter1998Dobson & ShawWoodMkIIIPaul HeatherJonathan OsgoodTeignmouth Corinthian SC231432‑3769
301319Prey Encore2006HartleyGRPMkIVChris PlayfairHarriet WatsonPoole YC‑353527870
311356Shippy McShip Face2014HartleyGRPMkIV  Paignton SC281729(UFD [46])74
321085Infidel1975W McCutcheonWoodMkIII  Oxford SC2521‑402874
331338Curved Air2017HartleyFRP/FRPMkV  Isle of Sheppey SC31‑33302485
341355Last Chance2012HartleyGRPMkIV  Poole YC(UFD [46])32381888
351225Pink Panther1986A HawksworthWoodMkIII  Tata Steel SC293131‑3291
361360Dreamer2016HartleyGRPMkV  Hornsea SC3330‑353396
371333Tantrums and Tiaras Two2007HartleyGRPMkIV  Blithfield SC32‑373731100
381341Ylost2010HartleyGRPMkIV  Ribble Cruising Club34‑403335102
391386 2024HartleyFRP/FRPMkVI  Datchet Water SC(DNF [46])UFD [46]2334103
401369Dark Matter2005HartleyGRPMkIV  Emsworth SC3934‑4338111
411326Shameless2016HartleyGRPMkIV  Emsworth SC3636‑4239111
421372Mellow Yellow2017HartleyFRP/FRPMkIV  Poole YC3838‑4440116
431158Drifty1977WesterlyGRPMkIII  Netley SC3739‑4141117
441269Gremlin1992Porter BrothersGRPMkIII  Poole YC(DNC [46])DNC [46]34DNF [46]126
451367 2017HartleyGRPMkV  Germany(DNC [46])DNC [46]DNF [46]DNC [46]138

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