2008 F18 season off to a promising start - Carnac

The Carnac Yacht club played host to some 350 catamaran teams over four days covering the first weekend in May. The majority from Europe, but there were also a few teams from as as far afield as America and Australia.

For a couple of days prior to the start of the regatta, sailors were greeted by strong winds. But on Thursday, the first day of racing the sun shone and the wind had moderated. 3 races were sailed in an 8 - 12 knot south westerly.

The F18 fleet of 128 boats was separated into fleets and 2 groups raced a round robin series. The Fat Face team of Hugh Styles and Adam Piggott started their regatta well, with a 2nd in the first race, just behind current Tornado World champions Darren Bundock and Glen Ashby. In the other races of the day Team Styles and Piggott had a 4th and 6th, to be in a solid 6th position over night after day, one. The overall standings had Bundock and Ashby in the Lead with Mischa Heemskerk and Bastian Tentij third.

With light winds forecast for the next 3 days, the organisers decided to race the long distance race on the Friday. This turned into a light winds marathon, beating up to the island of , round a turning rock and then backn to Carnac, 5.5 hrs of light winds concentration. This race was great for Hugh and Adam, a new team this season needing all the practice time they can on the water. The fleet set off upwind into the south west in a light and fickle wind, Styles and Piggott sailing their Nacra Infusion F18 started ok, and made ground on all of the leaders through the upwind section of the race to round the half way turning mark in 3rd position. The wind started dying on the downwind back to Carnac, and Styles and Piggott ended up on the wrong side of the new breeze, which dropped them back in the standings. The race was won by Mischa Heemskerk from Darren Bundock second.

Saturday dawned light, but breeze form the East and an offshore wind. The prospect was for the wind to die so two short races were run. The Nacra infusion teams faired well; Billy Besson and Aarnaud Jarlegan from France, as well as Andrew Macpherson and crew both won races. Whilst Hugh and Adam scored two very solid 4th placed finishes, showing some great upwind boat speed along the way. Unfortunately the wind vanished short after the finish of the 2nd race and racing was abandoned for the day.

The last day Sunday was meant to be an early start and finish. The wind did not materialise and racing was abandoned at 11am. This gave a short series of racing, but a good and competitive first regatta of the year, for the Towergate Mardon sponsored team of Styles and Piggott.

Overall results:
1. Bundock & Ashby
2. Heemskerk & Tentij
3. Besson & Jarlegan
4. Mourniac & Citeau
5. Booth & Neiuhause
6. Styles & Piggott

The next race is the round Texel regatta in the start of June and from there onto the Worlds in Spain in the beginning of July.

Youth racing sailors try out the Nacra 500S

The 500S has created serious attention in her first few months and six have been sold during the winter. Recently the youth racing sailors have been trying her out and just love her. 15 year old Andy Sinclair said: “The Nacra 500 is a fantastic boat! Best 16 foot catamaran that I have ever sailed, great fun to sail, simple, but quick!! Why isn’t it the youth Catamaran???!!” Our demo boat is booked for many youth events this year including the Cat Intro Days at Stokes Bay, Stone and Bala. If you want to find out more about any of the Youth Cat Intro Days or want to arrange a demo to sail this exciting new cat, please let one of the team know, and we will make arrangements for you. The 500S is a great racing/family skeg catamaran and can be sailed single handed with main and spinnaker or double trapeze with all three sails. We have the demonstrator on the market at all times, £7500 inc vat, giving you a real saving.