The Mini 40 Multi Hull Open 12th and 13th of April 2025
Fast, Fun, Fantastic!
The event lived up to the strapline of the Gosport fleet! It was brilliant to welcome three German competitors as well as our outpost Gosport member, from Australia, and another skipper from Somerset joining our strong home fleet.
The open meeting got off to a brilliant start with a fish and chip supper on the Friday evening provided by our sponsor, Argo Engineering Solutions. A huge thank you to Simon, for their continuing financial support for the event.
The lake sparkled, the sun shone for a great deal of the time, and it only rained overnight! There was always wind, Saturday from the more south-easterly direction and switching to the south- westerly on Sunday, when the gusts were notably stronger. The sea breeze kicked in and livened the afternoons further. There were certainly thrills and spills. The speed of Mike Cooke’s Mini40oiler foiling down the lake was breathtaking, and really got spectators and competitors alike, excited. Thank you to the Boatman, Eric Meighen, who was kept busy rescuing boats that were not able to float in. Which rig to use was a critical decision. Too much sail and the likelihood of a capsize increased, and retirement was mandatory if the skipper was unable to recover their own boat.
The lead positions changed throughout the event: At the early stages, Tony Cleal, sailing his own design Tri, led the fleet, closely followed by the Mike Cooke designed, Shinobi Tri, of German visitor, Arne Zils. By race 5, David Donin, also racing a Shinobi Tri, moved, briefly into the lead on the same points as Arne and Tony. The leading boats were extremely close on overall points throughout the event. However, then, David Lindsay, racing a Mike Cook designed Rocket Tri, gained, and maintained the lead, with a string of 1st and 2nd places only punctuated by a few capsizes! Because there were so few points between many of the boats in the fleet, the racing was often fast and furious and places, were often won and lost in very close finishes. Other race winners included Mike Dann, racing his Cat, BG Cat , Simon Walley with his Shinobi Tri, White Noise, and German visitor, Christian Engelhardt with his Tri, MOD40V4.3 design, MOD403D.
Several skippers had more racing than most, as they moved between the two fleets. Our Gosport member, who lives in Australia (!), Ian Holt, racing his own design Tri, Bingo also named Bingo certainly had lots of races and an impressive set of 2nd and 3rds. Peter Fothergill racing Blue, his Mike Dann Fish design Tri on her maiden outing, and Andy Fernie, racing another Mike Dann Design, Barracuda, also had forays into the A fleet, as did James Morland racing a Mike Cooke, Shinobi and German visitor, Michael Scharmer racing his design, cat Modell Nr. 104. A well done to Rob Walley, who was racing his Lawrie Draper designed Cat. He almost made it into the A fleet more than once! New to Mini40 racing, Richard Davison, sailed a Mike Dann Designed cat, Yess, but, sadly, could only compete for Saturday.
Congratulations go to David Lindsay, (GMYBC) on winning not just Saturday, but the whole event!!! Although David had led for a large part of the event it was the final race that almost unsettled his win when he capsized. Excitement to the last minute, as it enabled, David Donin (GMYBC) , racing a Shinobi Tri, to achieve the same number of points overall….. nail-biting! The final positions were determined by taking account of the number of first places achieved during the event!! Congratulations too to the 3rd placed Arne Zils (Lolipop), who was closely followed by Tony Cleal (GMYBC) in 4th place.
The worthy winner of the Veteran prize was our furthest out post member of the club, Ian Holt, who was 8th overall. This year there were boats by 6 different designers participating. In recognition of the success of his designs, and his support for the class over the years, Mike Cooke was awarded the designer prize. His Rocket design won the event and five of the other boats were also designed by him!
This event could not have run so smoothly without the skills and expertise of our brilliant Race Officer, Paul Edwards. Many, many, thanks, Paul. The courses for the two days were expertly set making full use of the lake. On Sunday, as the wind strength was forecast to increase, a gate at the windward mark really helped. Over the two days, the momentum was kept up enabling 34 fleet races. A big thank you to all the other race team members including the finishing team, Chris Judd, Jeremy Kindell, Phil Hampson and Ron Rich. Also, to event organiser, Jacque Cook who ran the fleet board and did scoring.
There was additional sponsorship, from the Class Captain, in memory of keen multi-huller, Mervyn Cook, which contributed to an Easter Egg bonanza at the prizegiving and provided cakes, biscuits and a large, iced pie with custard! He definitely would have approved…..
All in all, a great weekend’s racing. In every way Fast, Fun, and Fantastic!
Jacque Cook Multihull Class Captain
