Musto Skiffs at the East Lothian Yacht Club Regatta 2024
by Euan Hurter 14 Jun 04:45 NZST
1-2 June 2024
Oliver Bull - ELYC Regatta © Steve Fraser
The Scottish and Northern Skiff Traveller Series returned to East Lothian Yacht Club (ELYC) for their annual regatta. It's another staple event for the travelling circus, with the open coastal sailing, stunning Scottish scenery, and picturesque town of North Berwick making the event attractive both on and off the water.
10 Musto Skiffs, a 29er, an I14, and an RS800 made up the fleet. Somehow, the three RS400s and a Vortex were added to the mix too. No one was particularly fussed over the relaxation of the term "skiff", especially after seeing the results.
Saturday brought sun and blue skies, leading to a building easterly sea breeze and waves throughout the day. Race 1 started in 10 knots to gingerly warm up the fleet. With some pin-end bias, Danny Boatman, Jamie Hilton, and Jono Shelley scrapped it out for the pin. Boatman proved he had some pace and forced Shelley and then Hilton off and into shore. Rumours are Danny has been training with the Southerners and has also been put on a fitness regime—you choose which makes more difference. Regardless, pace doesn't beat the wrong direction, and so the fleet was reminded of the effects of land features, resulting in Shelley leading into the top mark, followed by Hilton and then Boatman.
Hilton had to retire with spinnaker line failure, and Boatman reeled in Shelley and took the lead and win, with Shelley in second. Euan Hurter took third, which was nip and tuck with Stu Keegan throughout the race; however, Keegan was unlucky to be caught out by the tide and was OCS at the start.
Race 2 started in about 14 knots. A couple of boats had a sniff of a port start to get to the favoured shore side first, but it was only Hurter who pulled off a mid-line port start and led the charge to shore. Hurter held back pace-setter, Boatman, for 3 laps, but Boatman snuck through on the final upwind (after 2 laps of match racing) to take another win, with Hurter in second. Hilton and Shelley scrapped it out for third, with Shelley taking it after Hilton did the diplomatic thing and capsized.
Race 3 kicked off in 16-18 knots. Again, it was a race to shore, with Hilton and Boatman leading the charge. Both, however, decided to go splash in the ever-building easterly, allowing Shelley and Hurter to take first and second. Hilton pulled it back up and kept the stick in the air to take third, navigating his way through the myriad of turtled Musto's between the final gate and finish. Now blowing 20+ knots and the sea state getting bigger, the PRO decided it wasn't quite the right day to run the famous Bass Rock race—the king of the rock title to be fought again next year.
After a belter of a day on the water, the Skiff gang assembled for dinner for 20 at the local Italian. It turns out the recent Garda worlds haven't improved anyone's Italian, but nonetheless, a hearty meal! The surviving gang stumbled back into the fabled Auld Hoose in incognito—Dylan Noble told in no uncertain terms not to interact with the locals and potentially upset them with excessive smiling (he has a reputation up here). After the big day out, the numbers whittled down quicker than normal; it was Hilton, Schooling, and Hurter the last ones standing (who would have thought...).
Sunday brought another day of clear skies, but this time a building offshore westerly, leading to a much calmer sea state. Everyone, having all been asleep before midnight, was fresh and remembered that land features normally rule at North Berwick when close to the shore. The first race (race 4) kicked off in 12 knots, and the drag race followed to the favoured left-hand side of the course. Boatman led the charge, again showing his pace, followed by Shelley and then Hilton. With the race course being so steady, the drag race continued, and the fleet finished in that order.
Race 2 kicked off in a bit more breeze of 15 knots. With the tide flowing across the start line, it made crossing at the pin end difficult as Hurter found out having to duck out, leading to an undignified swim. Shelley got the best of the start and fended off the pack into the top mark. Boatman, however, managed to reel him in (again) and took the lead and the race win. Shelley took second, and Hilton third.
The third race started in ~18 knots, and the common theme of favoured left continued. Boatman didn't hold back and led to the top mark, but this time followed by Hilton and then Shelley. Shelley kissing the top mark and realising Boatman likely had the event in the bag, decided enough was enough and made for the shore. This left Hurter chasing the front two. The breeze continued to build through the race and was up to 25 knots by the end. Stu Keegan had a rather large pitchpole (like, one of those picturesque pitchpoles you would put on the cover of a "What not to do" book). When asked if he was okay, the response was "yes, but did you see my capsize!?"
Back in the lead, Boatman, obviously dreaming of the regatta win, decided to join the swimclub and went for a capsize on the second downwind, leaving Hilton and Hurter to inherit first and second. Hilton, envious of such antics, joined swimclub too on the final downwind, allowing Hurter to take the final race win. Boatman, having recovered from swimming (training regime paying dividends), managed to get through and still take second before Hilton could get back in action, and across the line in third.
When all said and done, the event was won impressively by Danny Boatman, king of the 1-1-splash. It was another great Scottish Skiff event on and off the water, which bodes well for the remaining events of the year. Shelley and Hurter rounded out the top three in that order.
A large thank you to ELYC for again hosting us at such an awesome venue, and we look forward to returning next year.