Summer Series, R3 - Yawl Report

Published 09:37 on 29 Jun 2026

Following a week of intense heat, the slightly cooler conditions (24 degrees) were welcomed by 14 crews. Less inviting was a very gentle breeze from the south west, against a flood tide. This would result in a plethora of short tacking on all windward legs.

 
Simon Gibbens and his race team set a course 1,7,1,3,2,3.
 
The start was almost clean, with most boats staying to the left-hand side of the course and looking to tack up the beach shore out of the tide. Y181 (Paul Ellis and James Greenhill) were windward boat and tight with Y186 (Olly Turner and Chris Skelhorn) underneath and almost on the beach at the gun. Y181 bailed out and back through the line, convinced they were over.
 
As the fleet headed up past Millbay, Y168 (Will and Mandy Henderson) had started to pull away from the rest. On the town side, there were two trying their luck with a less conventional strategy. Y170 (John Burn and Ross Borne) had an average start by their standards and decided to roll the dice early in the race. In Y174 (Mike Knowles and Pete Morris), the Fairway curse had struck again and they were keeping clear of the still competing boats. It's not lost on anyone that Mike can see the Fairway from his front garden, so no excuses really!

 
Team Henderson were first around Blackstone in a masterclass of what can only be described as show and go.
 
The rest of the fleet were more tightly packed, with Y181 recovering from misdemeanours on the start line and Y175 (John and Katy Meadowcroft) in the mix. Y177 (David Greening and Josie Dayment) and Y184 (David Stone and Toby Strauss) were close, with Y186 and Y170 tracking these. 

The blue fleet Yawls were not far behind with Y17(Phil and Roz Magee) and Y152 (Darius and Jane Panahy) leading this charge.

 
It was a long, processional drag to Mark 7, with the occasional burst of pressure to keep everything moving. With Y168 long gone, the fight was on for 2nd. Y181 and Y175 tracked across to Halwell Woods and Y170, Y186 and Y184 climbed higher and stayed right, until crossing before Lincombe. Y177 also joined this group and a close battle ensued through the moorings and out of the bag.

 
Once passed Snapes, the fun really got going. Team Meadowcroft (Y175) had crossed for the beach shore. Y181 and Y170 were short tacking each other through the moorings on the town side. Y186 and Y184 were repeating this act of conscious coupling until Olly and Chris broke free and stretched towards the Ferry. On the beach side, Meds was dead!

 
Y186 was now closing in on the fight for 2nd and on the tails of Y181 and Y170. David and Toby were hanging in there in Y184 and stayed on the town side, whilst the rest crossed over towards Millbay on a welcome burst of fresh breeze. With Y181 and Y170 staying further out, Y186 closed more by opting to tack up the shore, closely followed by the revived Y175.

 
Around Blackstone for the second time it was Y181, Y186, Y175 and Y170 and this was how it finished as the course was shortened. Meanwhile, Will and Mandy were already packing up on the pontoon!

 
1st  168 Will and Mandy Henderson
2nd  181 Paul Ellis and James Greenhill
3rd  Olly Turner and Chris Skelhorn
 
Thanks to Simon Gibbens and his team for a wonderful afternoons racing.
 
By C. Skelhorn | Photos L.Burn