Stones Boatyard ILCA OPEN
Published 15:02 on 27 May 2026
Thirteen ILCA sailors gathered at Salcombe for the Stones Boatyard Open over the bank holiday weekend. Temperatures in the mid-twenties with a reliable breeze made for two days of competitive, enjoyable racing in glorious conditions.
Saturday - Races 1 & 2
A mid-ebbing tide and a forecast of light winds gave way to a decent sea breeze by race time. Race 1 set a course of 1-5-2-3, and the start saw rather too much enthusiasm from several boats, with a number of ILCAs returning to clear themselves. Janet, who approaches her racing with the cheerful spirit it deserves, decided life was too short and carried on regardless.
George Reynolds, Ivy Hart, Penny Guess and Mark Fryer established themselves at the front on the beat to mark 1. Running back through the bag against the foul tide the fleet compressed, with Frankie Burn - benefiting from the tutelage of the inimitable Frances Gifford - opting for the point-to-point route and making useful gains by mark 5. The beat back through the bag was better than usual: good breeze, most boats taking the Snapes side, and boat-length racing for much of the fleet.
Race 1 Results: 1st George Reynolds, 2nd Ivy Hart, 3rd Penny Guess.
Race 2 followed the same course and produced the same top three. Mark Fryer showed the local knowledge and experience that counts for a lot on the estuary, moving up to fourth. The mid-fleet order shuffled slightly but nothing dramatic changed. Adam Ryan-Carter and Jane Walker both sailed competitive weekends, with Ryan-Carter a consistent mid-fleet presence and Walker showing improving pace as the series progressed.
Race 2 Results: 1st George Reynolds, 2nd Ivy Hart, 3rd Penny Guess.
Sunday - Races 3 & 4
Perfect blue skies and a stronger easterly greeted the fleet for the final day. With the wind from the east the first mark was now to the north, course 3-1-3-1. The stronger breeze suited everyone and the start was sharp. George, Allan, Penny and Ivy were in close contention early, with the lead group trading places at mark 1 before George, Allan and Penny pulled clear by the finish.
Race 3 Results: 1st George Reynolds, 2nd Allan Willcox, 3rd Penny Guess.
Race 4 (course 4-1-3-1) saw the breeze ease slightly but the beat to mark 4 was fast and competitive. The run home and the tactical beat to the finish with a weakly ebbing tide produced the interesting sailing - some going town-side, others sitting mid-estuary looking for pressure. Emily Hoar and James Kingston put in steady performances to round out the fleet.
Race 4 Results: 1st George Reynolds, 2nd Penny Guess, 3rd Ivy Hart.
Overall Results
George Reynolds took a commanding overall win, winning every race sailed. Ivy Hart held off Penny Guess for second and third, with Allan Willcox fourth and Mark Fryer fifth. In the ILCA 4s, Charlie Mackenzie took the class win with a composed performance across both days; congratulations also to Sian Hodges on a solid weekend's sailing.
Many thanks to Stones Boatyard for their generous sponsorship and the superb YETI prizes for the top three in both ILCA 6 and ILCA 4. Thanks also to the race officer and all the support team who made the weekend run smoothly.
By Allan Willcox | Photos Lucy Burn
