Harken D-Zero National Championships 2025 at Lee-on-the-Solent Sailing Club - Overall

Harken D-Zero National Championships at Lee-on-the-Solent © Jamie Robinson

Attending your class National Championships is simply a must do. These events are about far more than who ends up on the podium. They are a fantastic opportunity to get up the learning curve and socialise with fellow class sailors, with classes willing and eager to embrace new members, and the rigging and tuning tips invaluable. Indeed, you may learn more in a few days of class racing than you would in weeks of club sailing.

The D-Zero is one such class. A broad spectrum of sailors, and in terms of sailing... perhaps one of the best kept secrets in the sailing industry. The D-Zero is a joy to sail with refined design from Daniel Holman years ahead of its time. On your first event sailors struggling will find the boat practically rigged for you and if you have any difficulties, David Valentine the D-Zero UK dealer, is always on hand for any spares or advice.

This year's Nationals were held at Lee on the Solent Club with Tom Southwell and the club officers & team running around to make everyone feel just as welcome at the venue as the class does. The racing was dominated by three sailors: Adam Cockerill, Ian Baillie and Ian Morgan but everyone in the fleet had a story to tell with Kathyrn Clark, Principal Race Officer, ably running the racing with her team both on and off the water.

Harken D-Zero National Championships at Lee-on-the-Solent - photo © Jamie Robinson

Day 1 and the plan was to start the racing before the strongest of the sea breeze kicked in. After a short delay race 1 started in light winds and a huge left shift. Jon Emmett won the pin and led at the windward mark but with the wind returning to the previous direction for the second beat rather than a long port tack it was an even course. Emmett sailed to mark 1 rather than mark 2, and the rest of the fleet sailed to the correct mark. Local legend Tom Southwell made no mistake to take the race win from Adam Cockerill and John Bassett.

Race 2 and both the wind and the current really kicked in. On the 2nd beat the tidal differential made a huge difference and Emmett grabbed the lead, only to get the lay line wrong. Ian Ballie, one of the class's most experienced sailors, made no such mistake, staying inshore longer, and a quick hitch gave him the lead. Emmett took 3 attempts to get around the mark including a turn, whilst Ian Morgan again showed how easy it was to get round a windward mark! Adam Cockerill closed the gap, and it looked like all 3 sailors would pass Emmett and he had to be content with fourth, a result he would discard in the end, such was his consistency in the series.

Race 3 and perhaps the windiest race of the day saw Emmett lead at the windward mark from Morgan. At the bottom mark Morgan gybed away to give Emmett more room but an unforced boat handling error from Emmett saw contact and spins. On returning ashore Emmett found only one turn was required - should have read the sailing instructions! Ian Ballie grabbed the race win from Morgan, something which was going to prove crucial in the overall series. With a third for Cockerill keeping him in the hunt.

Coming ashore was quite an experience (with the waves dumping on the beach), especially for those used to inland waters or large harbours to launch out of. The recovery team and other D-Zero sailors more used to shore dumps couldn't have been more helpful and with the South Westerly blowing directly on shore safe launch and recovery was only possible by working as a team to lift and carry boats (and sailors) out of the waves.

Day 2, with the wind from a similar direction and strength but crucially building an early decision and sensible decision was made to postpone racing to the following day with sailors enjoying snooker, pitch and putt/crazy golf and general food, drink and socialising!

Overnight (and going into the final day) the lead was between the two Ian's separated by a single point, but I think we all want to know what Adam Cockerill had for breakfast that day!

Harken D-Zero National Championships at Lee-on-the-Solent - photo © Jamie Robinson

Day 3 - Cockerill started near the pin end and in control, tacking perfectly on the first shift. He really didn't look back, applying a loose cover to Ian Morgan with Ian Baillie some way behind. Emmett overtook Baillie on the final run but the top three had their presence stamped all over the event in a master class of how to race a D-Zero The second race of the day saw more of a tussle as the breeze started to build. Crucially Ian Morgan beat Ian Baillie to put the pressure on Super Sunday with 2 races to go. Cockerill had by now laid down the gauntlet with his two out of two race wins in the day and meant a three-way tie between the three of them.

Race 3 and things got interesting. The breeze lightened, and a left shift shortly after the start meant that those who carried on left had a line of pressure taking them straight to the mark, with Emmett leading from the left and pointing at the correct mark, Valentine chasing hard in second though short-lived on the run and was caught by some lighter sailors. When Emmett tacked, he finally managed to sail around the course correctly. Crucially Cockerill who had tacked off too early before the pressure, pulled back up to 2nd on the downhill and second beat, with Baillie third whilst Morgan sailed his discard (sixth). Now things got interesting as was down to two sailors - Cockerill and Baillie. Morgan could be beaten into second apparently on countback, and if Baillie won, Cockerill would need to be in the top four.

The final race saw a difference in opinion with the top end sailors starting more towards the pin end, or perhaps simply keeping an eye on each other! Emmett started by the committee boat and tacked immediately to escape the tide and pulled well ahead. Unfortunately, he just carried on going, well past the lay line. Perhaps he enjoyed reaching, perhaps he needed to go to Specsavers or perhaps he just wanted to spend as much time racing the D-Zero as possible.

Meanwhile the battle for the Championships was happening further ahead between those who knew how to sail around the course in minimal distance and it was perhaps fitting that the finishing order of the final race was the finishing order overall and was again super tight, so tight Morgan got attacked by the final mark but even after a spin the order remained 1st Adam Cockerill, 2nd Ian Baillie, 3rd Ian Morgan.

Winning three of the four races on the final day Adam Cockerill was a worthy Champion and the whole event finished with sandwiches and cake and perhaps a beer or two. The event timing couldn't have been better because no sooner had sailors gathered in doors for prize-giving than the heavens opened and then the rain, as if on cue, stopped the moment prize-giving had finished allowing sailors to return home, several as far as Scotland where the 2026 Nationals will be held in Dalgety Bay, the end of June. Hope to see you there!

Thanks to Harken for a considerable prize bundle, supported by dzero.co.uk for some spot prizes.

And huge thanks to all the LOSSC team from PRO & team, to Safety boats, to the caterers and bar, and all that welcomed the D-Zero Class.

A special award was presented to Nigel Austin, the "Storky" Trophy in memory of Alistair "Storky" McLaughlin, a keen D-Zero sailor (as well as several other classes) who was always keen to help improve sailors of all levels, and could share his wisdom on how to spot dark wind patches, or what controls to use when, and how with his lightweight frame could still keep the D-Zero flat in any wind.

The more you listened the more info Storky gave, so only fitting that it was presented to Nigel Austin, Cransley Sailing Club who had improved significantly from 29th at last year's Nat's to this year's 15th place and who was inspired by Storky on just a couple of occasions. Thanks to Martin Latimer, a good friend of the Stork, for the idea and commissioning, and to David Summerville for making the award by hand.

Harken D-Zero National Championships at Lee-on-the-Solent - photo © Jamie Robinson

First Lady was presented to Kim May-Papailiou, who despite her light build and using the reduced-size black sail, completed every race and finished 25th overall out of 34 racers. Kim hopes for more ladies to join her to sail the fantastic D-Zero.

And finally of note, Tim Humphries finished in a very credible 11th place sailing the reduced-size "black" sail, proving the benefit for lighter sailors, and that not everything is about size.

Lastly, a post-championships message was sent to all racers and D-Zero sailors from Adam Cockerill, the new D-Zero National Champion, which is believed by many to sum up the D-Zero Class spirit:

24 hours on.... the legs have nearly recovered, office hands certainly not!! I really hope you all got home easily and safely.

What great racing in a great venue hosted by a great club with fantastic race management, so thank you to all that were involved making it happen.

After some further reflection of the Nationals I wanted to reiterate why this class is just awesome and special in comparison to many previously sailed in....fantastic high quality fun close racing in a boat that's very enjoyable to sail is certainly a factor but most importantly you the people.

A picture sent to me today I think sums up the ethos to its core. The shot of Ian Baillie who was leading the Nationals talking to me about how to go faster...we were swapping notes and taking pictures of each other's boats on the Sunday morning prior to going to battle.

I think I speak for everyone that sharing info brings up the quality of the fleet and encourages more people to enjoy our boat to its fullest and or get them into the class.

So here is an open offer should anyone have any questions on my boat or rig set up just ask away, there are many successful ways to sail our great boat so I am sure mine is not the only way but happy to help if I can. Ask on this thread, a private message or in the boat park...

Thank you all again for making me feel so welcome in my second year in the class and all the congratulatory messages, already looking forward to next year's Nationals... I will try to get to the Endeavour and represent the class as best I can! Personally had a few mates off the back of my own social posts ask about joining the fleet so let's keep building it and having fun together...

Harken D-Zero National Championships at Lee-on-the-Solent - photo © Jamie Robinson

Overall Results: