Noble Marine UK Musto Skiff National Championships 2025
Hayling Island Sailing Club
18 – 21 September 2025
DAY 2 REPORT
Report by Sam Barker
Andy Tarboton moves to the top of the leaderboard after day 2
It’s day 2 at the UK Musto Skiff Nationals at Hayling Island, and with the wind settling in at 5-8 knots from the southeast, it was going to be a tricky day on the water with plenty of snakes and ladders to be found.
Race 4
Andy ‘Turbo’ Tarboton took full advantage of the conditions, delivering a strong performance to win the race. Danny Boatman, known for his impressive breezy sailing, defied expectations and physics to secure an impressive 2nd place finish. Bruce Keen continued his consistent series, finishing in 3rd. Rob Richardson, who now works for class sponsor and builder Ovington, in an experimental move (not deliberate, I’m told), sailed without lowers, possibly hoping to achieve a flatter sail, but the truth is, his lowers pin fell out. However, the ‘gamble’ did not pay off, and he struggled to keep pace with the fleet.
Race 5
As we moved onto race 5, the tide began to shift, and with a big committee boat bias, those who came off the committee boat came off best. Sam Barker showed his known light wind pace, claiming the race win. Andy Tarboton admitted that starting at the pin end didn’t pay off, leaving him with a job to do to get back through the fleet. Bruce, once again, sailed a steady race to secure 2nd place, and Euan Hurter made a smart tactical move to pass Eddie Bridle on the final leg to the finish, crossing the finish line in 3rd.
Race 6
In what turned out to be the final race of the day, the Black Flag made an appearance for the first time at this event. Dave Poston being a notable name to be caught out by it.
Eddie excelled and came out on top, securing 1st place, and Euan continued to show his sharp tactical sense, finishing in 2nd. Sam, sailing back through the fleet, managed to steal 3rd from Jamie Hilton on the line in a close finish.
The sail home saw a big ebbing tide and light winds, and the lack of depth sounders made navigation tricky, forcing competitors to rely on their skill and intuition, which could easily be lacking, especially after a tough day! Thankfully, unlike yesterday, everyone found the shore when they expected to!
After day 2 at the championship, Andy has moved up to the overall lead, tied on points with Eddie. Sam has moved up to 3rd, with the overnight leader, Ben Clegg, slipping down to 8th overall after a tricky day on the water.
After coming ashore, the fleet are now enjoying a few welcome beers in the sunshine, waiting for what is sure to be an impressive BBQ put on by our event host team at Hayling Island Sailing Club.
Top 5 places after day 2:
1st – Andy Tarboton
2nd – Eddie Bridle
3rd – Sam Barker
4th – Bruce Keen
5th – Jamie Hilton
Day 2 Results
Event results:
https://www.sailwave.com/results/hisc/mustoskiffnationals2025.htm
Event photo gallery by © Tim Olin:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/141388522@N05/albums/72177720329108396/with/54796160866
Feature photo: Andy Tarboton – Day 2 – Noble Marine UK Musto Skiff National Championship 2025 / © Tim Olin
