Please select your home edition
Edition
Crewsaver 2021 Safetyline LEADERBOARD

Gul B14 Inland Championship at Datchet Water Sailing Club

by Mark Barnes 4 Oct 2016 08:03 BST 1-2 October 2016

The B14 Flying Circus headed to Datchet for the last event in the Gul 2016 TT series. The weekend was to be more about ghosting round the course rather than flying, with lots of rain and some sun on Saturday, which did for one of the B14s on the way to the event with trailer light socket failure but 17 B14s still made the journey. Sunday started with mist and eventual sun.

Up for grabs, was the GUL TT series overall, GUL B14 Inlands and the top prize from GUL, a weekend at the Watergate Hotel (www.watergatebay.co.uk) in Watergate Bay with surfing or SUP lesson for the winning team. So all eyes were on the prizes as well as the racing.

Both days were to be very close with real snakes and ladders. Many teams were to have their turn at the front during Saturday, but the holes (or should we say snakes and ladders) led to several changes in the lead. As the rain/clouds came through, some gusts bounced off the surface with little warning. The one capsize occurred on a leeward mark rounding whist dropping the kite to GBR 724 (Steve Hollingsworth/Elliot Holman) whilst in the lead.

A couple of new teams turned up for their first event prior to the assault on the 2017 series. A couple of guest helms (Jasper Barnham (Merlins/2000s) and Ian Horlock (Supernova)) had a run out and had some good results as well. All the way through the fleet there was good competition to be had with a right ding dong over the 4 races at the front between the top 4 with little quarter given or taken.

On the day, Team Harken (Nick Craig/Toby Lewis) pulled many rabbits out of the hat to lead overnight from Blue Badge (Mike Bees/Ferrett) Team Gul / North Sails (Mark Barnes/Char Jones) equal second. What could they do the following day to reverse fortunes. Could Team Gul / North Sails crack the settings on the Dacron jib they were running for the weekend or Blue Badge find its parking bay on the start line.

Saturday evening the fleet disappeared off to Spices for dinner in Datchet village, whilst Nick headed off to go line dancing at a village get together. Unfortunately there is no footage as we'd all love to have seen it.

Sunday dawned and we were greeted by mist and fickle wind. After bacon butties, coffee/tea, the sun did its business, a very patchy light breeze kicked in. The day's star team was to be Team Ullman (Kathy Sherrett/Alex Horlock) achieving 4, 3, 2, 3 so dragging them close to the podium as both Blue Badge and Team Gul / North Sails had an indifferent day finding to many holes and headers, and NA Another Asbo (Crispin Taylor/Guy Harrell) sailing round the front 6 boats on one run and winning a race.

Team Harken, Nick was still stepping to the right then left and doing a turn, but the team were still pulling rabbits out of the hat and creeping through in stealth mode. Must be all that time sailing on a pond called Frensham Pond in his youth. So at the end of the day, Team Harken won out from Team Gul / North Sails and Blue Badge just holding on to beat Team Ullman.

Blue Badge won the TT Series from Team Gul / North Sails and Donkey (Mark Watts/Chris Bishop).

Great prizes and tokens from Gul were spread out through the fleet with the youth getting the merit prizes. Gul B14 Inlands Tin rig went to GBR 707 (Ian Horlock/Amir Shamuddin).

Then came the big prize. Each team that attended an event got one entry for every event they attended. This was the one we all wanted to win. So the bag was opened and out came one entry. The team in question had only done 2 TT series events. Team Customised Composites (Carl Raynes/Guy Raynes) were the winners of the biggest rabbit pulled out of the hat all weekend.

The club ran a great event on the water with quick turnarounds and good courses in very difficult conditions where we saw big wind shifts and pressure changes. Off the water early breakfasts were greatly appreciated and the bar on arrival ashore.

The next events will be the Seavolution Winter Pursuit Series, with some great prizes, consists of 4 events over the winter. Pre-event indications are that attendances should be good. We'll see all there.

  • Draycote Dash Draycote SC 19-20 November 2016
  • Datchet Flyer DWSC 10-11 December 2016
  • Grafham Grand Prix GWSC 2 January 2017
  • Starcross Steamer Starcross SC 5 February 2017
GUL B14 TT Series 2017 is now online on the B14 Facebook page B14 Sailors and B14 website, www.b14.org

GUL B14 Inlands Results:

1. Team Harken – Nick Craig/Toby Lewis – Frensham Pond SC
2. Team Gul / North Sails – Mark Barnes/Charlotte Jones – Whitstable YC/Exe SC
3. Blue Badge - Mike Bees/Ferrett – Brightlingsea SC
4. Team Ullman – Kathy Sherrett/Alex Horlock – Weston SC
5. B14 GBR 775 – Jasper Barnham/Johnny Ratcliffe – Snettisham Beach SC

GUL B14 TT Series:

1. Blue Badge – Mike Bess/Ferrett – Brightlingsea SC
2. Team Gul / North Sails – Mark Barnes/Char Jones – Whitstable YC/Exe SC
3. Donkey – Mark Watts/Chris Bishop – Weston SC/Bristol Corithian SC

Related Articles

B14 class Handicap proposals 2025
The UK council have been thinking about how to address speed differences between new and older boats The UK council have been thinking about how we address speed differences between new and older boats to hopefully arrive at a balance set of handicap numbers that promotes great sailing for all. Posted on 9 Mar
UK B14 season preview
With a fantastic variety of TT events, some at new venues With the warmth of the Sydney Worlds, both weather and welcome, still fresh in the memory it feels like the B14 is on the cusp something grand. Posted on 21 Feb
The engine room
Without them we are lost. This is about the things aloft both ahead and behind the stick. Without them we are lost. This is not about the tiny little room under the companionway stairs. Rather, it is about the things aloft both ahead and behind the stick.Yes. The rags. Only, they are anything but for wiping up spills. They are supreme tech. Posted on 9 Feb
Sydney Harbour Marathon
Part of the Australian 18 Footers League's 90th Anniversary celebrations The Australian 18 Footers League, as part of its 90th Anniversary celebrations recreated the Sydney Harbour Marathon, last sailed 37 years ago when 18, 16 and 12 footers competed on a similar course. Posted on 1 Feb
B14 - the inclusive skiff
Age, weight and gender do not matter Reporting from Sydney after the 2025 world championships, our reporter 'down-under' has pulled together some stats that shine a light on the inclusivity of this great class. Posted on 21 Jan
B14 Worlds at Sydney, Australia overall
A memorable regatta at Woollahra Sailing Club We weren't sure what sort of weather we would get for the final day of the B14 Worlds in Sydney. Dark clouds to the north, light clouds to the south, some rain, some very little sun. Posted on 11 Jan
B14 Worlds at Sydney, Australia Day 4
Chubby bunnies, a difficult sea state, and biblical rain With two days of lost racing the race officer was determined to get four races in on Thursday. This was made apparent at the last evenings entertainment "Bugger the Bone" - a B14 tradition that perhaps hasn't delivered crews at the top of their game. Posted on 9 Jan
B14 Worlds at Sydney, Australia Day 3
A range of shoreside strategies on a day of relatively low temperatures and driving rain Conditions on Sydney Harbour for day three were much the same as day two. A strong, gusty Southerly breeze brought with it relatively low temperatures and driving rain, leaving some European boats wistfully dreaming of home waters. Posted on 8 Jan
B14 Worlds at Sydney, Australia Day 2
The weather wasn't exactly welcoming on Sydney Harbour today The weather wasn't exactly welcoming on Sydney Harbour for the B14 World Championships today. With the sky heavy and overcast, the drizzle falling steadily, and winds gusting, there was little enthusiasm in the boat park. Posted on 7 Jan
B14 Worlds at Sydney, Australia Day 1
Thirty boats lined up on a glistening harbour Day one of the B14 World Championship kicked off Monday in Sydney, Australia at Woollahra SC. With a medium wind forecast for the day, competitors looked forward to a stiff sea breeze filling in across the bay, just in time for the first start of the day. Posted on 6 Jan