Salcombe RS400 Early May Open Goes Down to the Wire.

Published 12:41 on 7 May 2026

Stormy weather and shifting winds made for a dramatic May Bank Holiday weekend at Salcombe Yacht Club, where 17 boats contested the latest round of the RS400 Southern Tour.

Heavy rain and light, unpredictable easterlies set the tone on day one, with crews battling tricky conditions and strong tides around the Salcombe estuary. Sundays racing brought tactical challenges inside the harbour, with shifting breeze, weed, and congestion from the Yawl and National 12 fleets testing nerves and boat handling.

Dave Exley and Caroline Exley took victory in Race 3 to end Sunday as overnight leaders, but the final race saw Rob Henderson and Rebecca Videlo deliver a decisive performance to claim both the race win and the overall event title on countback.

The tight finish saw Henderson and Videlo edge the Exleys on four points apiece, with Figs Cain and Oli Scrimshaw completing the podium in third.

The RS400 fleet now turns its attention to the Southern Championships at Warsash Sailing Club on 67 June, with the Northern Championships at Carsington Sailing Club coming first on 1617 May.

Read the full report HERE