Warsash Finn Open meeting, 3-4 October 2026

In the week leading up to the final British Finn Association (BFA) event of 2026, the weather forecasters were predicting strong winds on the west coast of the UK, then they changed their minds and forecast high pressure over Southern England. This led to a string of telephone calls all week: ‘Is the event on?’, ‘Will there be any wind? ’ However, local Warsash sailors kept their heads in the knowledge the UK Meteorological Office forecast would hold true, and it did.

Twenty-two Finn sailors arrived at Warsash on a beautiful, windless October Saturday morning. Most rigged up and prepared to sail. Many muttered about a dubious forecast and there being no chance of sailing. Nick Craig on hearing the Endeavour Trophy had been postponed due to the forecast, quickly entered and was seen rigging his Finn in the dinghy park.

The initial briefing from principal race officer (PRO) Kathryn Clark, made it very clear we would be racing and that she had belief in the forecast that wind would appear after midday.  Boats were picked up and towed to the start area. Shortly after all boats arrived, the course was set and five to six knots of south south-westerly breeze filled in. A cleverly biased start line, favouring the pin end spread the fleet across the line.  A strong flood tide helped ensure the fleet stayed behind the start line and all but one boat got away cleanly. Starting at the committee boat Martin Hughes tacked off early into what looked like stronger, unfavourable tide, closely followed by Tim Carver and Mark McDonald. At the first windward mark Martin had a 30-metre lead which he held to the leeward mark, but a poor decision not to repeat his first beat handed the lead to others. By the windward mark, Pete McCoy and Tim Carver had taken the lead and were battling for first place. Pete took line honours with Tim second and Nick Craig third.

Race two was started swiftly after the last boat finished, with slight adjustments made to the course to suit the building breeze. Early leaders in this race all came from those who started at the committee boat, including Legend Howard Sellars, and John Heyes, however the downwind speed of Pete McCoy and the upwind speed of both Matt Howard and Tim Carver, put these three in the lead by the second windward mark, with Pete again taking the gun.

Race three was again swiftly underway in much less tide but a dropping breeze. Still it paid to tack early on the committee boat and sail in the stronger tide on the lee bow. Pete McCoy took an early lead and battled with Nick Craig to take line honours, with Matt Howard taking third. These three led the charge home for tea and cakes in the Lobster Quay clubhouse.

Peter Vinton, sailing his 1958 Fairey Finn, must be congratulated for maintaining and sailing his classic Finn with a Needlespar mast and 1970’s Dacron sail.

Saturday evening saw an excellent social dinner combined with the H2 sailors who had been racing alongside the Finns. Following the meal Martin Hughes held an auction of sailing equipment and memorabilia, mostly donated by sailors, sponsors and Finn suppliers. All the money raised is used to support the upkeep of the BFA’s Finnspiration boat, which is owned by the BFA and used to encourage new sailors into the class.

Sunday morning dawned with thick fog in the Solent. This quickly dispersed and a breeze came in early. Boats were launched, and most of the fleet were again towed out towards the Hill Head plateau. After an hour or so of waiting, watching and anticipating, the forecast wind did materialise strongly enough to get the fleet away and AP over A was hoisted for the tow back to Warsash and more tea and cake. Inevitably, as soon as everyone was ashore the forecast breeze picked up for just long enough for someone to say ’we should have stayed out there’, but this was quickly forgotten as the wind died completely 20 minutes later.

Pete McCoy, winner of the Warsash Open event, 2026.

The event was dominated by Pete McCoy, in his 1999 Sydney Olympic Games Finn, with three first places. To all those sailors out there who think you need a new boat to win events, this is clearly not true! Tim Carver was second overall and Nick Craig completed the podium places.

Full results:

The results from the Warsash event counted into the final reckoning for the BFA/North Sails Silver Finn trophy. Seventy-six BFA members participated in the Silver Finn Travellers Trophy, making it another very successful year.  The event comprises nine events across the season, of which the result at the National Championship must be counted. Unfortunately, only seven events were sailed, leaving two only two events that could be discarded. The winners were:

Overall winner and Great Grand Master winner:  John Greenwood

Second overall                                                 Tim Carver

Third overall and first Master                            Pete McCoy

First Grand Master                                            Mark Cooper

First Under 29                                                   Cameron Tweedle

First Legend                                                     Richard Phillips