North Sails Seavolution B14 Nationals 2025 at Mumbles Yacht Club - Overall
by Mark Watts 1 September 2025
The final morning dawned sunny but with the ominous sound of wind whistling through the trees and flashbacks to the night before... so let's recap!
Saturday night had looked like it was going to be an early night from the fleet, plenty of tired bodies and good feed at the club courtesy of the amazing kitchen team and it was all looking very coco and slippers... but then something strange happened.
One lone singer setting up in the corner of the club and kicking off with a nice down tempo rendition of Tracey Chapmans Fast Car.. oh dear, how embarrassing, all on his own at the other end of the bar with a bunch of sleepy sailors. By the mid interval there were a few bopping heads and signs of life from the fleet before he invited everyone to demonstrate their flexibility with the box game where the fleet suddenly seemed to regain their flexibility, Josh and Kathy taking the win with an impressive display of technique and bendiness.
Was it the beer, the change of tempo in to some absolute 90s classics, or perhaps the tropical Sambuca, we will never know but the next 3 hours of Matt Cook AKA www.ThatGuyWeSawLastNight.com and his elaborate guitar, looper, DJ setup will go down as one of the best nights for many years with some crazy shapes on the dancefloor topped by the appearance of the telly tubby Winky Wonkey who somehow emerged from the men's changing rooms to take over the dancefloor.
In case you hadn't already guessed Sunday racing was sadly (for some) cancelled due to 30+ knots, large waves and a forecast for more. Kudos to PRO Richard Woffinden for not only being one of the last standing on the dancefloor but also up at the crack of dawn to head down to the committee boat and check out the weather so we could all have a lazy breakfast before an early prize-giving.
Congratulations to:
First Lady - Kathy Sherratt
Mid Fleet Heros - Amir Shamsuddin/Jamie Dawson
Best Improvers - Amy and Dave Roberts (Who also won the how the heck prize when their spreader broke off derigging, how they didn't lose their rig out on the race course!)
Mid Fleet Heros Amir Shamsuddin & Jamie Dawson in the North Sails Seavolution B14 Nationals 2025 at Mumbles - photo © Mark Watts
Mid Fleet Heros Amir Shamsuddin & Jamie Dawson in the North Sails Seavolution B14 Nationals 2025 at Mumbles - photo © Mark Watts
And to the Podium Mark Barnes/Jack Kilburn in Seavolution rounded out a mixed series to just take the 3rd spot, Josh Wilce/Matt Hollis in Dads on Tour got faster all weekend to take a well deserved 2nd. But it was the favorites Mark Watts/Matt Johnson in Wonkey Donkey that retained the title with a string of bullets in very shifty and at times full on conditions
Mark Watts & Matt Johnson win the North Sails Seavolution B14 Nationals 2025 at Mumbles - photo © Mark Watts
Normally losing the last day would be something of an anticlimax but no one went home without a smile on their face after a great weekend of racing and hospitality. The class cannot wait to come back to Mumbles Yacht Club, a real gem of a club and a firm new favourite, thanks to all the team there for such a great event.
North Sails Seavolution B14 Nationals 2025 at Mumbles - photo © Mark Watts
Final thanks to Clare Geoghegan who has done an amazing job organising the nationals and B14 open events this year.
The class now heads on to another new venue in Carsington on the 20th September as momentum builds towards the much-anticipated World Championship in Torbay in 2026. There are a couple of cracking boats for sale, so there has been no better time to jump into the class and join the fun.
This article is also available to read over at Yachts and Yachting: North Sails Seavolution B14 Nationals 2025 at Mumbles Yacht Club - Overall