Navy duo Rick Longbottom and Paul Kinghorne show their version of plain sailing during the world titles in the UK.

Four ADF Tasar dinghies have made up part of the 100-boat fleet that gathered at Whitstable, UK, for the 2001 World Championship.

The teams of Rick Longbottom and Paul Kinghorne, Darryl Bentley and John Spooner, Martin Linsley and Nick Grey, and John Tracey and Peter Nevard formed the ADF Sailing Association squad, sailing against others from England, Wales, Scotland, Australia, Japan, USA, Canada, Holland, Italy and Saudi Arabia.

Arriving in the UK a few days before the championship, the ADF team warmed-up by racing with the Royal Navy in Portsmouth.

Sailing both the RN's venerable Bosuns and their modern high performance RS400 dinghies, the competition was close, but narrowly won by the locals.

In Whitstable, the ADF team moved into unusual accommodation (a 1892 Thames sailing barge) and unloaded the containers that shipped their boats from Australia.

Following preliminary measurement, administration and a familiarisation sail, the ADF sailors completed the championship practise race.

The team's top two finishers in 8th and 16th indicated the high standard of competition to follow. The championship regatta comprised eight races, with the best six results to count.

Conditions were varied, with one race abandoned due to 30-knot winds.

At the time, only nine Tasars were still racing, including three of the ADF boats, but damage was occurring, crews were exhausted and rescue arrangements were at their limits.

On another day, light and variable winds, combined with strong tides, affected competition. Otherwise, conditions were fair and truly testing.

By the eighth and final championship race, USA sailors Carol and Carl Buchan had an unbeatable lead.

With a total of 16 points, they won not only the championship, but the masters' trophy and trophy for the first lady helm. Their individual results reflected Carl's past experience as an Olympic gold medallist.

Second were the Canadians (24pts), third South Australians Craig McPhee and Kevin Kellow (27pts), fourth the Japanese (27pts).

Martin and Nick finished fifth (28pts) and Rick/Paul sixth (52pts) and second amongst the masters; John/Peter finished 25th (123pts) and third in the grand masters; and Darryl/Jake 47th (253pts).

All ADF boats therefore finished in the top half of the largest Tasar fleet for years.

The ADF team received valued assistance with boat and crew transport from principal sponsor, Delta-Eurocar. Other support was received from the ADF Sailing Association, the RAN Sailing Association and Service's Canteen Funds.

The next Tasar World Championship will be held on Victoria Island, off Vancouver, Canada, in mid-2003.

The ADFSA has programmed participation, with team membership open to all Defence members.

Anyone interested should contact their ADFSA representative (Navy, LCDR Paul Baston; Army, WO Dean Johns; and RAAF, CPL Ross Macdonald).

From Tasars to Bosuns

Following the Tasar event, Martin Linsley sailed in and won the UK Bosun National Championship.

Run by the Royal Navy in Portsmouth, this regatta attracted entries from each of the services as well as civilians sailing their own boats.

The Bosun is the dinghy class used by the RAN before it switched to Tasars in 1983.

Whilst few are now found in Australia, more than 2400 Bosuns have been built, most for the RN, which still uses them for basic sail training and for individual and teams racing.