JOG’s opening race weekend delivered a brilliant start to the season, with over 100 boats lining up on Saturday for the first race of the year. Bathed in sunshine but challenged by light and testing conditions, crews were kept on their toes throughout the day. Tactical decision-making was key, with strong tidal influence across the Solent playing a major role.

JOG Racing Manager, Martin Evans, reflected on the weekend: “Seeing that level of enthusiasm for the club and racing on the opening weekend, in bright sunshine, was brilliant. Great to see so many boats out there.”

Light Winds and Big Decisions

Saturday’s conditions presented a classic Solent challenge. With strong tides and very light winds, setting a fair and achievable course required careful judgement.

“The combination of strong tide and light winds meant we had to try and anticipate what the wind was going to do and choose a course that boats could actually get around,” Martin explained.

Plans to get round Nab were ultimately reconsidered, as the turning tide would have made progress increasingly difficult for the fleet.

In these conditions, success is all about balance.

“A successful light wind race is really about making sure boats can get around the course in a reasonable time,” he said. “If you shorten it too much, it doesn’t feel like a proper race. Too long, and boats may not finish at all. It’s about getting that balance right so everyone comes away feeling like they’ve had a good race.”

Saturday Results

Despite the conditions, there were some strong performances across the fleet.

In Class 1, Ed Bell’s Dawn Treader took the win, while Gavin Howe’s Tigris led the way in Class 2. Class 3 honours went to David McGough’s Just So, and in Class 4 it was Toby Gorman’s Stan the Boat coming out on top.

Speaking after the race, Simon Evans from Stan the Boat said:
“Very interesting race, no wind at all to start and not the best start in Stan the Boat. We managed to pull through as we went through the race, definitely increased with the wind, and on top of the game as we came back towards the end. So we’re happy with first in class at the minute. So yeah, all good.”

The Double-Handed class saw Chris Hanson’s Rockit take victory, and the Generation JOG win went to Jamie Wilkinson, sailing on Dawn Treader. Thanks to Henri-Lloyd, Jamie gets to spend £500 on Henri-Lloyd kit.

A special mention goes to the Women’s Sailing Series, where Scream 2 delivered a brilliant performance with a majority female crew. Speaking after the race, Charlotte Wakefield from Scream 2 said:
“We had a very fun time on the water, and it went really well. It was nice to see so many women racing too. There were 14 boats competing in the Women’s Sailing Series this weekend… We’re really proud to be a part of it, and being the first winners is very nice. I hope more women come and join us on the water, and more skippers look at this initiative and get on board with it.”

Sunday Abandoned in Testing Conditions

Sunday brought an even greater challenge, with very little breeze from the outset and a forecast that offered little improvement.

With just 4–5 knots of wind dropping throughout the day, combined with a strong ebb tide, the race team explored whether apparent wind generated by the tide might be enough to get racing underway.

However, once the start sequence began for Class 4, it quickly became clear that conditions were not viable.

“We had boats pointing in different directions and drifting along fairly helplessly,” Martin said. “At that point it was clear we weren’t going to get a fair race away.”

A Positive Start to the Season

Despite Sunday’s abandonment, the weekend marked a strong start to the 2026 season.

For Martin, it was also a good opportunity to get to know the fleet and settle into the role.

“I really enjoyed getting over to the Island SC on Saturday night and meeting people. It’s my first time in the role, so there are a lot of faces and boats to get to know.”

He also highlighted the use of race management systems, including Nautical Cloud, and how things can continue to improve through the season.

“Seeing the systems in action and how the finishing works was really useful, and there are definitely opportunities to make things even more efficient going forward.”

Above all, the standout takeaway was the strength of the fleet and the energy around the club.

“Having so many boats out on the water on a sunny Solent weekend was just awesome to see. It shows how popular JOG racing is going to be this season.”

Looking Ahead

Attention now turns to the next races on the calendar, beginning with the Easter offshore race to Cherbourg, a firm favourite in the JOG programme.

Following that, the fleet heads west for the coastal race to Weymouth and Portland. “I’m really looking forward to the race to Weymouth,” Martin added. “I’ve spent a lot of time sailing there, so it’ll be great to head back.”

With strong numbers, great enthusiasm and a solid start behind them, JOG looks set for a busy season ahead.

Photo credit: Paul Wyeth