Reading Sailing Club Members

More travelling sailors from Reading, as Will S & Hugh went to the first National ILCA open of the year, held at Warsash for the first time.

Light winds on Saturday meant three races were run, with the whole fleet struggling with the strong tides at the windward mark.

On Sunday, the winds were deemed to strong for racing to be run, so just three races to count.

Hugh finished 66th & Will was 38th, both in the 6 fleet

Some of our members swapped dinghies for yachts at the weekend.

James P won the Tall Ships Charity Race around the Isle of Wight aboard Challenger 5. James volunteers with Tall Ships as a watch leader, which provides sailing trips to disadvantaged kids across the UK.

Meanwhile, also in the Solent. Kate had her Day Skipper Practical Course, a perfect mix of weather across the weekend

Just one race for the first rounds of the Spring Series on Sunday. Strong winds of force 4/5 meant that only 6 hardy sailors made it out.

The pursuit race was won by Mike T (ILCA7), with Newton (Solo) 2nd & Ron (Mirror) 3rd.

Tatiana (Topper) was the only other finisher, with the rest retiring.

Everyone has decided they’d had enough after one race, and retired to the Galley to warm up.

A big thank you to Aileen and her team, for running the race in difficult conditions.

We’re back on Sunday for the next rounds of the Spring Series

For anyone who missed it, here is the photo slideshow that was displayed before the AGM in January with some memorable moments from the 2025 season.

3 Reading members descended on the Frensham Frenzy at the weekend. With a force 4 and shifty winds, it was a great day out. 32 boats made up the fleet with a full range of boats on display.

2 Pursuit races of 96 minutes, with a nice break for lunch in-between.

The small size of the pond and the strong wind meant a very complex course, with a lot of crossing over that made it difficult to tell where you were in the pecking order.

In the first race, Will S had a collision with a GP14, which rammed into him at the start. Thankfully, there was no damage but his race was compromised. Meanwhile, Paul W in his Morbic suffered a failure with his belaying pin, causing the mast to fall down.

Hugh meanwhile had a great first race, finishing 9th. Will was 13th and Paul DNF.

In the second race, Paul managed to repair his mast, albeit with only the mainsail up. Will meanwhile had a much better second race, finishing 3rd. Hugh finished 11th & Paul 29th.

Overall, Paul finished 32nd, quoted as finishing in his customary position of first out, last in!

Hugh finished 9th overall, with Will S 7th & first Youth.

A great result from Reading as not only having the most sailors from a visiting club, also taking the honours of the only visiting club with two sailors in the top 10.

A big thank you to Frensham Pond SC for a great day of racing.

Club racing was back on Sunday, with this week’s report ghostwritten buy Newton.

Light winds under 10mph from the ssw nothing like the forecast or the 30mph plus forecast from earlier in the week.. Ron was first away, then Tatiana, Aileen and Kate. Darren and Newton in their Solos starting a couple of minutes later. Ron was first to the windward mark. Newton caught Aileen and the others shortly before the first mark and rounded just ahead of Aileen, and the Darren and little way back. Aileen and Newton we I close quarters on the way back down the lake in pursuit of Ron. By the time they got to the windward mark for the second time, Newton was close behind Ron, and then passed him on the way to B. Darren had also made this way past Aileen and on way back down the lake Darren then past Ron. At the time finish it was 1st Newton 2nd Darren, 3rd Ron.

The course was changed slightly for the handicap race, at the start Darren postioned himself nearest the port end with Newton a bit further back and the rest nearer the pin end. Again it was the postion nearer the port end that paid off but this time for Darren. Darren and Newton battled it out up the beat with a bit of a tacking duel. Darren reached the windward mark first, and it was very close back down the lake. As they were closing towards 6 Newton gybed across behind Darren and got the overlap on the inside. However as they reached the mark Newton now on the wrong gybe for the wind angle had sub optimal control of his boat and hit the mark as he rounded. By the time he had done his penalty turn Darren was back ahead.

Newton crossed the line 1st, with Darren 2nd and Aileen 3rd. On corrected time the positions remain unchanged

A big thank you to James P and his team for running the racing on Sunday.

After the racing, there was Lentil Soup, made by Ann & Kate.

We’re back on Sunday for the final rounds of the Frostbite Series.

Hugh currently leads the handicap series whilst Newton is in front in the pursuit.