Dart 18 UK National Championships

The finish of the 2015 Dart 18 Europeans in Grossetto, Italy only 2 weeks before the Nationals inevitably reduced the entry list, but the 37 boats who travelled to Felixstowe Ferry SC had a great Nationals both on the water and socially.

Competitors arrived on the Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning for the usual round of boat rigging, scrutineering, registration and the chance to meet old friends over a beer.

The teams set off around midday on Thursday beating against the flood tide to sail out of the River Deben towards the race course approximately a mile southeast of the club. The weather was bright and sunny, with blue sky, a light force 2-3 southeasterly, and a short choppy sea. This proved to be the prevailing conditions for the event, and proved quite difficult to sail in, especially for the heavier teams.

Race one set the pattern for the weeks results with Dave & Louise Roberts (Stokes Bay SC) winning from David Lloyd & Amy Knott (SBSC), and Paul Wakelin (Mumbles YC but brought up as a Felixstowe sailor) sailing single handed in third. Conditions were similar in race two and the same 1-2-3 took the honours! The fleet sailed back home up the river and enjoyed a hot buffet and live band to unwind and prepare for the next day.

Friday and race three took place in slightly more wind and with the direction more on-shore. The fleet got away despite an individual recall and it seemed that the status quo had been maintained with the same first three, however the results later showed that Lloyd & Knott along with four other had been OCS, which allowed James & Tom King aged 17 and 14 and sailing their first Dart event to take third behind the Roberts’ and Paul Wakelin. Race four and Wakelin got a clean start and led the fleet throughout to win from the Roberts’ with Matt Ambrose & Dan Ryder-Davies (Felixstowe Ferry SC) taking third ahead of Lloyd & Knott. Dave & Louise now had a 100% record of wins to lead from Paul Wakelin in second – an impressive result sailing single handed! That night saw the UKIDA Games Night including Golf, Walking The Plank, Head Skittles, Limbo, Dart Darts, The Coin Clench, Rowing, and the grand finale – The Tissue Box (you had to be there to appreciate it!). The event raised funds for UKIDA and the prizes included places on the Windsport sponsored training weekend in October.

Saturday dawned to more of the same – it appeared that the Dart fleet had found their own sunny corner of the UK despite the gales and rain afflicting the rest of the country! Races five and six followed the by now familiar pattern with the Roberts’ winning both and with Lloyd & Knott and Wakelin both recording a second and a third. This meant the podium was now settled but what would the final order be? The final day would decide! Saturday night entertainment was a seventies themed fancy dress party with more live music and another excellent buffet.

Sunday morning and the weather finally changed, but not for the better! At 9am the wind was blowing 20 knots gusting 25 knots at the entrance to the river with 1.5m of breaking swell over the bar. The Race officer sensibly postponed for an hour. By 10am the wind reading on the shore was a steady 26 knots with bigger gusts and even more surf. With no prospect of an improvement in time the inevitable decision was taken to abandon for the day leaving the overnight results as the final ones. Congratulations to Dave & Louise Roberts on yet another National Title, to Paul Wakelin on an impressive second place after a long absence from the fleet, and to David Lloyd & Amy Knott on another podium finish.

UKIDA and the whole fleet would like to thank everyone at Felixstowe for putting on a great event, the Race Officer and his team for setting good courses and getting the fleet away promptly, and Brian Phipps of Windsport for making the long journey up from Falmouth to furnish support for the event.

Next year sees the fortieth anniversary Dart 18 Nationals at Stokes Bay SC in late May and we hope to make it a very special event – if you have ever sailed a Dart please try to make this occasion! Look out for details in the yachting press or on www.dart18.com.

Overall Results:
If you finished in the top ten at the Dart 18 nationals then enter your Gear Guide information here

Pos	Sail No	Helm	Crew	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	Pts
1st	7835	David Roberts	Louise Roberts	1	1	1	‑2	1	1	5
2nd	7911	Paul Wakelin		‑3	3	2	1	2	3	11
3rd	7711	David Lloyd	Amy Knott	2	2	(OCS)	4	3	2	13
4th	7749	Matt Ambrose	Dan Ryder‑Davis	4	‑7	7	3	6	4	24
5th	7981	Mike Gomme	Sara Stones	7	4	‑13	8	9	DGB	36.2
6th	7961	Marco Manganelli	Alyesha Monkman	9	11	9	‑13	4	5	38
7th	7923	Des Barnes	Fionnuala Barnes	6	6	6	‑17	5	16	39
8th	6473	Andy Kelley	Tory Hackman	5	12	4	(OCS)	12	7	40
9th	7894	Joe Franks	Harriet Franks	16	10	(OCS)	5	8	6	45
10th	7563	Pete Boxer	Ian Wright	13	‑16	12	11	10	9	55
11th	7737	Andy Robinson	Lucy Ellery	12	13	14	6	‑19	14	59
12th	6922	Tom Alexander	Sara Wren	10	14	15	‑23	7	15	61
13th	7778	James King	Tom King	17	18	3	‑19	11	13	62
14th	7930	Geoff Lloyd	Jenny Lloyd	11	5	18	14	15	‑19	63
15th	7973	Simon Moruzzi	Abbie Jupp	(OCS)	8	16	16	17	10	67
16th	6457	Caleb Cooper		‑31	22	8	9	23	8	70
17th	601	Mark Baker	Olivia Baker	19	9	5	15	26	(RAF)	74
18th	7969	Adrian Parsons	James Head	‑24	15	23	7	20	11	76
19th	7520	Keith Pollitt	Jonathon Dalton	8	‑28	17	22	21	12	80
20th	1909	Jess D’Arcy	Ross Watkins	22	‑30	10	12	13	26	83
21st	6437	Dan Teubert	Amy Teubert	15	24	(OCS)	20	14	21	94
22nd	6116	Liam Wright	Daniel Brzezinski	18	21	26	‑33	18	18	101
23rd	7066	Mark Patterson	Mark Stones	‑35	35	11	10	27	25	108
24th	7644	Tom Parker	John Dasey	14	19	24	‑28	24	28	109
25th	7298	Ian Johnson	Reece Johnson	26	27	22	18	16	‑31	109
26th	7523	David Groom	Celina Groom	20	20	20	25	‑28	24	109
27th	7443	Sam Rowell	Dan Smith	(DSQ)	26	19	21	25	20	111
28th	7846	Darren Wood	Tracey‑Ann Wood	25	17	(OCS)	OCS	22	17	119
29th	7964	Tim Ley	Sue Ley	21	‑29	27	24	29	22	123
30th	1229	Tim Roberts	Sue Jones	28	25	21	27	‑32	23	124
31st	6191	Steve Waldridge	Nick Swain	23	‑32	25	30	31	27	136
32nd	7714	Sean O’Conner	Helen Jones	27	23	(OCS)	26	34	29	139
33rd	7113	Matthew Cooper		29	31	28	29	‑33	30	147
34th	6693	Paul Williams	Jess Ellery	30	‑34	29	34	30	33	156
35th	7349	Nigel Jupp	Melanie Jupp	33	33	30	31	‑37	34	161
36th	73	Mark Coad	Izzy Gee	34	‑36	31	35	36	32	168
37th	3466	Matt Kingsland	Tilly Chesters	32	(DNF)	DNF	32	35	DSQ	175

Youth Helm (U-25): James & Tom King
Masters (Combined age 90+): Geoff & Jenny Lloyd
Dr David Bartlett Trophy (Parent & Child): Des & Fionulla Barnes
Lady Helm: Jess D’Arcy
1st UKIDA Handicap: Tom Alexanda & Sarah Wren
2nd UKIDA Handicap: Joe & Harriet Franks
3rd UKIDA Handicap: Adrian Parsons & James Head