Winter Series Race 2 - Solo

Published 19:44 on 4 Nov 2024

15 Solo sailors gathered for the second race of the Salcombe Yacht Club Winter Series.  Race Officer Malcolm Mackley reversed the usual thinking by setting a course of ever-increasing lengths of leg within the harbour in an Easterly breeze on the ebb, approaching a spring low tide.

Graham Cranford Smith, led Tim Fells and Simon Dobson on a long starboard tack across the tide, heading for the lesser tidal stream amongst the harbour moorings, while Will Henderson led a smaller group initially along the Portlemouth shore.

Cranford Smith led at Crossways but dropped to fourth after his rounding of the X mark, somewhere off the Ferry.  This left the fight for 1st and 2nd between Tim Fells and Simon Dobson, with the latter prevailing on the beats. 

On the penultimate beat Fells stuck to the Snapes side and lost out to Dobson and Will Henderson who made good ground on a starboard lift out of Ditch End.  Fells compounding his errors by a capsize on the final beat to the line.

The final result being Dobson, followed by Henderson and Fells.  David Greening followed in fourth having benefited from a luff fest between Chris Cleaves and Graham Cranford Smith.

By David Greening

Library Photos - Lucy Burn