SUMMER SEASON SHAPING UP WELL FOR YOUNG P-CLASS SAILOR

Great results with new sail from North Sails Auckland’s One Design loft

The summer season is shaping up well for young P Class sailor Tim. Fourteen-year-old Tim, who is in his third season in the class, has been using a new F1 sail from North Sails Auckland’s One Design loft, and has been seeing great results. 

Tim, who sails out of the Kohimarama Yacht Club, won the P Class North Island championships at Tauranga at Labour Weekend, and is warming up for next year’s Tanner and Tauranga Cups event, to be held at the same venue. He also finished second at the recent Auckland champs at Glendowie,

The North Island championships were sailed in fresh conditions on both days of the regatta, allowing only five races to be completed. Young sailors had to cope with not only changeable wind strength, but big changes in direction and the strong tidal flows of the Tauranga Harbour. Tim sailed consistently to win two of the races, finished second in two others, and round out his scorecard with a fourth placing, in a large fleet of 35 boats.

This season Tim has moved from sailing Mintie into Vengeance, in which clubmate Blake Hinsley won the Tanner Cup earlier this year. Blake was also using a North F1 sail, and Tim decided to get one made for this season.

North Sails One Design manager Derek Scott says the F1 is has a radial clew and a cross-cut top, to spread the load out of the clew. “It also allows the top of the sail to twist off nicely,” Scott says.

Tim’s father Richard Howse says Tim is enjoying using the sail.

“He’s one of the more senior and heavier sailors in the fleet now and his Achilles heel has been sailing downwind,” Richard says. “We have found his downwind speed with this sail is really, really good. It’s a real weapon.”

All eyes will be on Tim and his close rival Rowan Kensington this summer, especially at the  2020 Tanner Cup (interprovincial) and Tauranga Cup (national) P Class regatta, which will be sailed from January 2–7.