Class Association
Welcoming, inclusive, fun and friendly - but don't take our word for it, let Matt Sheahan show you! His video gives a pretty good feel of what the Noble Marine RS400 Nationals is all about. It’s a lovely feelgood watch for a showery April day!
If you are wondering whether the Nationals is for you, perhaps you are older than you once were, younger than most, new to the boat, sail an older boat or are well and truly at the bronze or silver fleet level, but do not be put off. See 6.11 mins into the video for our 2022 14-year-old race winner Roo Purves, on his first day of helming an RS400 and with a set of white sails in boat 968! Look in the background as the chat with Roo ends and you’ll see one of our ‘vintage’ RS400 sailors too!
Of course, the RS400 is one of the most competitive fleets in the UK, with an early entry list for the Nationals looking like a who’s who of dinghy sailing, but that’s only part of the story. The event is very much for everyone in the fleet.
To make sure everyone is included from the start, each boat will be given two buddies, so that groups of three boats have one from each of the gold, silver and bronze fleets. Buddy groups will be berthed together, so that they can get to know each other and help each other with anything from technical set up, sailing tips or local venue information – be that the vagaries of the bay or the best apres sailing bar! There will be a buddy prize and a buddy quiz too.
Talking of prizes, we always make sure that everyone has a chance to win something. There are daily prizes for gold, silver and bronze fleets, with no sailor being able to win on more than one, plus overall prizes in each group. If you can’t quite make bronze in the bronze fleet (a prize won by your class secretary long ago), there’s always the Duckhams, awarded for those that ‘didn’t quite get it right’ or even the right way up – see 2.55 mins into Matt’s video. Watch this space for an announcement about a very special big prize that anyone could win too!
On the water, the gate start system may feel intimidating, but can actually favour the less confident, by enabling them to start after the hotshots have started early – no 3rd row line starts here! Don’t believe it? Have a look at this gate start video, watch till the end for the full explanation. It’s from the RS200s, but the theory is the same.
Throughout the 30 years of the RS400’s history the Nationals has been as much about the social as the sailing for many. In this special 30th Anniversary Year we will be including chilled evenings, with plenty of opportunities to chat over a beer or two, as well as bringing back the popular buddy group quiz, running a Royal Torbay special ‘Model Yacht Racing Knockout Competition’ and finishing in style on the final night with a Championship Prizegiving, Dinner and live band.
But the video is North Berwick, not Torbay!
That’s right, but the venues have more in common than you might at first think.
Both are known for their exceptional Race Management, delivered by experienced teams that run prestigious championships every year. The Torbay team will make sure the racing is well run for those throughout the fleet.
At Torbay, berthing will be on the harbour wall, and a club shore team will be in place to help sailors with launch and recovery, making it easier by manhandling oyur trollies and speeding up the process. Tallying off will be rewarded with a treat each day.
We deliberately choose clubs that are welcoming and friendly, in venues where there is plenty for friends and families to do locally. In his video Matt describes North Berwick as ‘vibrant and bustling seaside town’; the same is true for Torbay – more of this to follow in another bulletin soon.
What are you waiting for?
Full details of the Noble Marine RS400 National Championship, 19-23 August, Royal Torbay Yacht Club, and online entry are here.
