The MUSTO Skiff Autumn training event was aimed at those sailors in their second and third seasons who had worked out how to sail their boats and were now keen on competing better at Open Meetings and Championships. Dan Henderson (MUSTO World Champion 2011) was lead coach.
We met with Russ at 10am Saturday. From the forecast it was clear we set for a great day Saturday with 8-10 mph of breeze, but the possibility of no wind on Sunday. It was quickly agreed that we’d have a full day sailing Saturday with a thorough analysis on Sunday before Russ leaves at midday.
On an unusually foggy and windless Saturday on the south coast, eight MUSTO Skiff sailors gathered for a day’s training at Stokes Bay Sailing Club. The session was deliberately aimed at those new into the class and those looking to improve their boat knowledge to move them up the fleet.
Yorkshire Dales was the venue for the MUSTO Skiff fleet training on Easter Friday. Ian Turnbull was invited to take on the roll of coaching the fastest growing fleet in the north, who now have 8 regularly sailed boats.
The Irish ‘skiff scene’ has always been something of a misnomer. No club in the country could claim to have anything resembling a skiff fleet. Although they can sometimes be seen honing their skills on local waters, for the most part, the Irish 49er squaddies ply their trade in the Olympic sphere. As a result, there has been no ‘trickle-down’ effect to weekend-warrior level.
