The heat of competition: Solway Yacht Club’s National 12 Open!

12th & 13th July 2025

With hot mediterranean conditions beckoning, several visiting crews arrived in Kippford on Friday night with the promise of a weekend of close racing in almost tropical heat. Before the boats were even rigged, all were in for a treat as Phil Wherry presented the hosts and visitors with a delicious National 12 cake, made by his wife Sarah who, unable to join the party, had decided it was just what was needed to launch the event.

Saturday and the incoming tide had the fleet rigged and ready along with a great turnout of other classes and crews from both the home club and nearby Annandale SC, many of them young sailors getting race practice in ahead of the Solway YC Cadet Week.
Race One and with only a light Southerly breeze, Race Officer Chris Nurney set a long course out into the bay. The N12s were away first without the N12 home Club crews, Ian and Margaret Purkis, and Jane and Katie Gascoigne, unfortunate non-starters. The Saturday series Club fleet followed but as the leaders reached the windward mark, just off Almorness Point, the light wind dropped even lighter, barely keeping the boats moving as they headed North to complete one long lap. Tim and Chris Hampshire in N3502 Carbonara got the win but going really well in his much older vintage boat, N2153 Reflection, Angus Beyts and Phil Wherry took a well-deserved second.

Race two and with a much shorter course set, the order was reversed for the N12s and now it was Philip David and crew Mike Adlen N3499 Out of the Blue who took the win but again, Angus and Phil got a strong second, the vintage boat going better than ever. This resulted in a three-way points tie for the lead going into day two.

For Saturday evening, Social Secretary Liz Train had lined up another of the Club’s famous barbecues, courtesy of chief barbecue chef Willie Patterson! Complimented by salads, desserts and a busy bar, it rounded off a great club day.

Sunday dawned with the promise of another scorcher but with more wind forecast it was looking good. However, the wind direction had changed to North Easterly making for tricky decisions by the Race Committee. With no choice but to set a less-than-ideal course, race three got underway followed by the Club Sunday series. This time the Hampshire crew reestablished their previous place at the front, winning with the Philip and Mike second.

The final race had a third win for the Hampshires, giving them the open meeting win overall with the Philip and Mike second. Third and “runaway winners in the vintage fleet” were Angus and Phil in N2153 Reflection. As a point of interest, after the event the times were adjusted with the N12 recommended age-related PNs to calculate what a handicap result would have shown. Tim and Chris would have still won overall, but Angus and Phil would have narrowly won races one and two and been second overall. It does however show the Class PNs are pretty accurate, useful when it comes to the RYA PN returns later in the year.

Rounding off the day, prizes for the N12s were presented by Margaret Purkis, wife of NTOA Chair, Ian with a special guest and former N12 sailor, Simon Martin from Craster, Northumberland, who promised to bring kippers for prizes next year!

Results:
1st N3502 Tim and Chris Hampshire (Ripon Sailing Club)
2nd N3499 Philip David and Mike Adlen (Yorkshire Ouse and Annandale Sailing Clubs)
3rd N2153 Angus Beyts and Phil Wherry (Newburgh and Teesdale Sailing Clubs)
Non-Starters: N1483 Ian and Margaret Purkis, and N1620 Jane and Katie Gascoigne (Solway Yacht Club)