Seldén Sailjuice Winter Series continues: Sunny North-Easterly on the cards for Yorkshire Dales
by Andy Rice 23 Dec 2025 10:50 UTC
27 December 2025
Entries are coming in for the Yorkshire Dales Brass Monkey which takes place this Saturday 27 December in the beautiful surrounds of Grimwith Reservoir, 308 metres above sea level.
Serial winner in multiple dinghy classes, Nick Craig, will be competing in his Finn singlehander. Arran Holman, having successfully crewed Tom Gillard to victory in a Merlin Rocket at the previous event, the Robline UK Polar Chase, is this time taking the helm of the Merlin while Olympic 470 coach, Johnny 'The Postman' McGovern pulls the strings in the front.
There are some family duos taking part, including Matt and Ben Lulham-Robinson in a Wayfarer, and Colin and Oly Murray in a Norfolk Punt. With a forecast of 15 knots from the north-east and all-day sunshine, it should be a spectacular outing on one of Great Britain's most stunning stretches of inland water.
Enter Today
Get your entry in for the Yorkshire Dales Brass Monkey, and other events coming up soon after, like the Grafham Grand Prix here.
Navigators & General Coaching with Simon Horsfield
Resident coach of the Seldén Sailjuice Winter Series, Simon Horsfield, is providing tips and advice throughout the eight events of the season. Supported by new sponsor, insurance company Navigators & General, Simon is a three-time winner of the series and well qualified to help sailors of all levels.
Simon's latest debrief after the Robline UK Polar Chase can be found here.
Simon offered several top tips for improving performance:
- Bridle Length: In light winds, sailors should use a longer bridle so the mainsheet blocks can touch. This allows the boom to stay on the centreline without pulling down and bending the mast, which preserves sail power.
- Windward Mark Strategy: Avoid the "starboard lay line" trap. Approaching from the middle or the left-hand side minimises the risk of getting stuck in "dirty air" from a line of boats stacked up on starboard.
- Spinnaker Handling: In light air, helms must steer toward the breeze immediately after the hoist to fill the kite before bearing away.
Overall Rankings after Round 3:
1st Merlin Rocket Owners Association Thomas GILLARD Rach GRAY/Arran HOLMAN Sheffield Vikings SC/ Staunton Harold SC
2nd Hadron H2 Hadron Dinghies Ltd H2 Gavin FLEMING Hunts Sailing Club
3rd RS 200 Class Association UK Alistair HODGSON Ella SPAIN Draycote Water Sailing Club
Full ranking here
Old-Boats
1st: ILCA 6 / Laser Radial, John CANT, Erith Yacht Club (12)
2nd: Enterprise, Paul YOUNG & Crew, Midland Sailing Club (15)
3rd: Scorpion, Steven MCCARTHY & Delyth HOPKINS, The Chase Sailing Club (33)
Full ranking here
Junior
1st: ILCA 4 / Laser 4.7, Toby TURNER, Draycote/SBSC (13)
2nd: ILCA 4 / Laser 4.7, Faith TURNER, Draycote/SBSC (22)
3rd: ILCA 4 / Laser 4.7, Alex STAINTON, Draycote (44)
Full ranking here
Youth
1st: ILCA 4 / Laser 4.7, Toby TURNER, Draycote/SBSC (21)
2nd: ILCA 4 / Laser 4.7, Faith TURNER, Draycote/SBSC (29)
3rd: ILCA 6 / Laser Radial, Will SADLER, Reading Sailing Club (54)
Full ranking here
Ages 19-30
1st: Snipe, Matthew WOLSTENHOLME & Lloyd ROBERTS, Bough Beech SC (21)
2nd =: ILCA 6 / Laser Radial, Hugh LEACH, Reading Sailing Club (61)
2nd =: Streaker, James HOBSON, Warsash (61)
Full ranking here
Ages 31-60
1st: Merlin Rocket, Thomas GILLARD & Rach GRAY/Arran HOLMAN, Sheffield Vikings SC/ Staunton Harold SC (7)
2nd: Streaker, Peter GRAY, Staunton Harold (17)
3rd: RS200, Alistair HODGSON & Ella SPAIN, Draycote Water Sailing Club (45)
Full ranking here
Masters
1st: Hadron H2, Gavin FLEMING, Hunts SC (21)
2nd: Osprey Roger BLAKE & Jamie BLAKE,, Great Moor Sailing Club (23)
3rd: EnterpriseI, Paul YOUNG & Crew, Midland Sailing Club (40)
Full ranking here
Female
1st: ILCA 4 / Laser 4.7, Faith TURNER, Draycote/SBSC (16)
2nd: Fireball & Richard BAILEY, Katie BYNE, Draycote Water Sailing Club (38)
3rd: Fireball, Chloe WILLARS & John TAILBY, Notts County Sailing Club (46)
Full ranking here
FastS
1st: Merlin Rocket, Thomas GILLARD & Rach GRAY/Arran HOLMAN, Sheffield Vikings SC/ Staunton Harold SC (7)
2nd: Osprey, Roger BLAKE & Jamie BLAKE, Great Moor Sailing Club (24)
3rd: Contender, Nathan MCGRORY, Poole Yacht Club (53)
Full ranking here
FastA
1st: Vortex, Jonathan CARTER, rickmansworth sailing club (43)
2nd: Musto Skiff, Richard SMITH, Medway Yacht Club (48)
3rd: RS500, Nigel DAVIS & Aaron DAVIS, Draycote Water SC (49)
Full ranking here
SlowA
1st: RS200, Alistair HODGSON & Ella SPAIN, Draycote Water Sailing Club (17)
2nd: RS Vareo, Luke FISHER, Emberton Park (20)
3rd: 2000, Jack BARRETT & Abigail SKEITH, RNSA (26)
Full ranking here
SlowS
1st: Streaker, Peter GRAY, Staunton Harold (15)
2nd: Snipe, Matthew WOLSTENHOLME & Lloyd ROBERTS, Bough Beech SC (35)
3rd: ILCA 4 / Laser 4.7, Toby TURNER, Draycote/SBSC (62)
Full ranking here
Enter Today
Get your entry in to Yorkshire Dales Brass Monkey here.
The Events
The following events are in the Seldén SailJuice Winter Series 2025/26:
- Fernhurst Books Draycote Dash, Draycote Water Sailing Club - 22 & 23 November 2025
- Sailing Chandlery Datchet Flyer, Datchet Water Sailing Club - 6 & 7 December 2025
- Robline UK Polar Chase, Chase Sailing Club - 13 December 2025
- Yorkshire Dales Brass Monkey, Yorkshire Dales Sailing Club - 27 December 2025
- Grafham Grand Prix, Grafham Water Sailing Club - 4 January 2026
- GJW Direct Bloody Mary, Queen Mary Sailing Club - 10 January 2026
- John Merricks Tiger Trophy, Rutland Sailing Club - 31 January 2026 & 1 February 2026
- Oxford Blue, Oxford Sailing Club - 14 February 2026
- Prizegiving at RYA Dinghy & Watersports Show, Farnborough - 21 February 2026
You can find out more about the Series here: www.SailJuiceSeries.com