National Solo 2007
URGENT APPEAL, 26th October - some unhelpful person has stolen my RIB from the Creek Car Park at Baston - for full details see link to .pdf file at the bottom of this page. Please circulate to any one you know who might be looking at second hand boats at the moment This week's entry for 'Quote if the Year' " I do 20,000 miles a year, on my own..." C. Cleaves Dates for Visitors in 2007: Spring Open Meeting - 26, 27 & 28th May Regatta Week - 5th to 10th August Autumn Open Meeting - 6th & 7th October Congratulations to Emily Steed who gave birth to Harrison Robert on 23rd September. Emily has forwarded the photo opposite and advises that she and Harrison are doing well. She is looking forward to bringing him down to the club soon. Don't forget your Thermos, Harrison. More new members 2nd Nov. - As the stampede to leave the Yawl fleet and race with the Solos gathers momentum, two new boats were racing this week-end. Paul Ellis launched his brand new Speed Solo for the second winter handicap race, finishing second to Peter Hammond. John Brockwell also launched his immaculate Severn composite, acquired two days earlier, to helm a race for the first time. We look forward to seeing a lot more of these two. Talking of momentum, Charles Thompson has confirmed his determination to make his mark in this class and as his search for a boat continues, he has plans to reconfigure down to optimum weight for a Cumuls mast by the beginning of next season. I am indebted to Julin Meek (4402) for the following two website links which are essential reading for any serious new recruit to the Solo fleet: http://www.thermos.co.uk/products.php?cat=67 http://www.deckchairsuk.com/products.asp?ID=2 Video Clips - I have now subscribed to a video sharing website. Clips from the first Winter Series race are now available on the Handicap page. Video of Chubby's cruicial overtaking manoevre on Alister at the gybe mark during the final race of the Spring Open is available below Claire Clark's race report. Also below, following Chubby's recent seminar, is a clip showing Peter Hammond executing a perfect tack under the Watch House on 27th Oct. Compare with others on the handicap page - sorry Trevor! Solo Open Meeting 6th & 7th October 14 boats entered the event, including four visitors, Dave Sanders & Frank Brown from Papercourt, Peter Fryer from Littleton and Simon Yates from Starcross. Moderate N/W winds and fine weather, provided an excellent week-end's racing conditions. Congratulations to Chubby on winning the event by taking first place in all three races. Trevor Williams used the event as a shakedown for his nearly new Speed Solo (George 2nd?) and we note that it capsizes just as well as George 1st used to! See photo opposite, more below For photographs of Sunday's last race click here For photos submitted by Graham Tapper click here For video clips of Peter Fryer's Solo and Norman & Karen's National 12 click here Following in the wake of David Greening's realisation that there is life after Yawls, there is more news of defections from the geriatric side of the water. Word has it the "Scud" is nearing completion of the restoration of a old, but competitive Dave Gibbens hull for his own use, we note that Paul Ellis has posted an advert on the Solo website & is looking for a nearly new Winder, David Jayne is thinking of purchasing one and Charles Thompson is casting round for a used boat with a very stiff mast! Don't get left behind Geof! Solo Seminar 30th September Chris Cleaves laid on a seminar for us ordinary folk on Sunday 30th September. With assistance from David Greening & Alister Morley, 1/2 dozen of us were taken through the basics of boat preparation and rig set up, roll tacking & roll gybing to race starts and first beat tactics. The timetable which was planned with military precision included a trip round the estuary in Andrew Borne's fishing boat when the basic requirements for understanding tidal gates and the idiosyncrasies of the Salcombe Estuary were explained. This was a well planned and welcome day's tuition & we look forward to putting the lessons learned to good use. One point of order to note, would members of the fleet kindly remember that carrying of stainless flasks is a mandatory requirement under local class rules. For link to photographs click here For perferct roll tack video click here Regatta Week Having missed the regatta this year, I am indebted to Chris Cleaves for his unbiased offerings for this page. Apparently the high spot in the week for many was watching Alister make the tactical decision of the year by running down the Salcombe side of the estuary when 30 other boats realised that the Portlemouth side had the advantage. Alister managed to score more points in this race than he has done all season. Also congratulations to Toby who won both the Junior's Cup in the Yacht Club week and also won outright the Town Regatta for Solos. Meanwhile here is a photo taken in Torbay on Bank Holiday Sunday while I was on a photographic assignment. SOLO OPEN MEETING 26th to 28th May Saturday 26th May The first race got underway in light airs with Mike Ball showing his intentions by opening up a good lead on the opening offwind leg to Yalton, and making no mistakes on the excursion to Gerston and back into the harbour. However, the town-side wind was up to its old tricks and as the Solos found themselves entangled with the Yawl fleet, Ball ran out of luck and was passed by Chris Cleaves, Godfrey Clark and Alister Morley on the penultimate leg to the finish. Sunday 27th May Sunday began with bright sunshine and little wind which encouraged the fleet to hug the Portlemouth shore on the way to Blackstone. However, the best breeze was in the middle of the course and it was Godfrey Clark who braved the flood tide to lead by a comfortable margin at the first mark and sail off to a convincing win. Morley was the best of the rest, chased home by Bill Jago as the breeze gradually backed 90 degrees and increased to full planing strength. The sun shone throughout lunchtime but storm clouds were gathering and the wind was up to force 5 by the time the fleet set off again on a long afternoon race. A beat up to Yalton, back into the estuary and another beat up to Frogmore, down to Saltstone and 3 miles of more hard hiking through the white-capped chop to Widegates. The sun had by now given way to heavy rain and a bedraggled fleet was lead home by Morley, Cleaves and Yates. Monday 28th May With Alister Morley, Chris Cleaves and Godfrey Clark joint overnight leaders, there was everything to play for on Monday's race and it was to be another very breezy one in bright sunshine, with a gruelling beat up the estuary to Gerston and the promise of a white-knuckle ride back to the harbour. Morley was unsurprisingly the first to safely round the top mark where the very low tide left little margin for error as Cleaves, just behind, discovered when he lost precious time with his centre board embedded in a mud bank. Amongst the chasing pack, disaster struck a number of the less fortunate who found themselves capsized and on the mud. A gusty run and beat back up through the harbour saw the leaders fight it out with some high speed planning through the Salcombe Yawl fleet which was beating in the opposite direction. Morley held on to his lead, but as they approached the final gybe Cleaves established an overlap and as they rounded the mark side by side, Morley capsized and handed overall victory to Cleaves with only a short sausage remaining to the finish. Characteristically, Morley was not to be beaten without a fight and secured second place less than ten seconds behind an exhausted Cleaves and well in front of Simon Yates, third and Mike Ball another creditable fourth. At the prize giving held in brilliant sunshine, the cup started its journey back for another year in Chris Cleaves' garage and local helm Peter Edwards was awarded the coveted water colour of Smalls Cove for achieving the highest score in finishing all four races. For photographs of the racing, follow the links below: Photos - Sat 26th Photos - Mon 28th For a Video clip of Chubby overtaking Alister at the gybe mark click here More Photographs Thank you to Stephen Thomas for providing a CD of photos of recent racing. There are some interseting shots of members of the Solo fleet trying their hand at sailing my Tasar, some shots of last year's Merlin week and club racing last summer. Click on the links to enjoy: How to right a Tasar - 12th May 2007 Déjà Vu Alister Morley opened his account for the 2007 season with 'more of same' over the week-end of 13th & 14th January in Teignmouth, by taking overall victory with 2 wins and 3 second places. 19 boats took part in the event which was notable for strong winds and big windshifts on the first day. In the process he also clinched the Western Area Winter Series on the strength of his win at Bristol Corinthians. With characteristic modesty, Alister felt that the fact that he had used different boats might prejudice his chance of winning the series, however the fact that his worst result was a second place was probably an overwhelming justification of the decision to award him the title. New Boats in 2007 There have been some changes over the winter. Tobly Spittle has bought Malcolm Bell's Winder and we welcome him to the fleet. Alister has a new Winder & I've bought his old one. Alister needs a name for his boat - sail no. 4747 - all suggesions via e-mail please, so far we have Mumbo Jumbo ( the clue's in the sail no.!) Chubby may have some other ideas! ( He did, I won't print them) Andrew Borne's boat went off to be repainted, returning in May complete with kevlar sail & Peter Edwards' boat went off to be re-decked in January but also did not reappear until May. We were thus treated to the sight of these two competeing with the Tasar in the handicap class during the spring. Julian Meek joins the fleet having bought Rob Hyde's immaculate Thresher wood boat. Rob hopes to take delivery of his new Speed plastic one in June. We also welcome Roger Pope to the Solo fleet. Roger has bought Solo 3900, a Severn Sailboats composite and will hopefully be competing regularly. No sign of him yet??
Solo Fleet Captain - Adrian Griffin (4587)
Tel: Manager: 01548 842593 / Bar: 01548 842872 - info@salcombeyc.org.uk
