Tak wins Folkboat nationals at Royal Solent YC

A total of 21 Nordic Folkboats contested the class national championship 12-14 August 2005. Hosted by the Royal Solent Yacht Club the event, based in the Western Solent, attracted a high quality of entrants, reigning national champion of the past two years, Crawford McKeown, (Jessica): two previous Round the Island Gold Roman Bowl winners, Edward Donald (Madelaine) and Malcolm Donald (Fritha): 2005 X Boat Captains Cup runner-up Ado Jardine (Tak) and the youngest helmsman at 16 and member of the British 420 Youth Squad, Oren Richards (La Vie S’Arrange).

Racing started in light northerly winds on the Friday with boats beating across the flood tide towards Lymington. Shifting winds tested the fleet and after two races Gap Year (5 points) led going into day two with Svenja (9) and Crackerjack (10) close behind.

The wind strengthened on the Saturday to a south-westerly Force 4. The day’s three races were set under the Lymington shore with close inshore tacking against the tide. Youth led the way with La Vie S’Arrange gaining two firsts, the only boat to do so in the whole regatta. In the third race, Jessica showed their class by winning ahead of Crackerjack and Milly. Going into the final day Crackerjack (17) led from La Vie S’Arrange (23) and Jessica (26).

The northerly winds on the Sunday again produced large shifts which were expertly read by Tak who recorded a second and first place to come from fifth place on the Saturday to be the overall winner.

With only one point separating the top three, and 10 different boats obtaining top three finishes, it was another closely competed Folkboat regatta.

Overall Results

1. Tak – Ado Jardine (25pts)

2. La Vie S’Arrange – Oren Richards (26pts)

3. Crackerjack – Stuart Watson (26pts)