Autumn Series Race 5 - Solo

Published 15:58 on 6 Oct 2024

With a forecast of gusts in excess of 40 mph out of the south east, the eleven Solo sailors found the conditions more benign behind the shelter of the East Portlemouth shore, in many cases too benign, since most of the wind that reached the estuary in the harbour had a vertical component.

Race Officer Mark Waterhouse had to use plenty of imagination to sort out a course that allowed safe rounding of the racing marks, as the race coincided with a low water spring tide, so included marks X and Z, which confounded the sailors who had mislaid their Salcombe Yacht Club water bottles, the ones that are printed with a course card!

The ROs work was further cut out by a failing sound signal and a lost flag halyard, causing him to send an octogenarian up a ladder, which looked extremely precarious when observed from the water … no doubt a dynamic risk assessment was completed.

The start was random, however John what class shall I sail this week Burn rounded the X mark in the lead in Bullet Train, which subsequently went off the rails in front of the Watch House, earning Burn a nomination for the imminent award of the Capsize Belt.

The fleet found better wind in the Bag with different sailors taking the lead as the wind ebbed and flowed, notable was Simon Ballantine. By the turning mark Z by Saltstone (that is where it could be found), David Greening led from Simon Dobson and Chris Cleaves, who had recovered from an inauspicious start. Burn was also in the mix, until a capsize to windward, no doubt missing the nimble crews that are found at the front of his boats. By mark three Cleaves had taken the lead, there followed a ding dong between him, Greening and Dobson.

After a great race in the Bag, the leaders returned to the Harbour, and following penalty turns by Cleaves and Greening for hitting mark X, Simon Yates, James Greenhill and Robin Hodges joined the leading pack.

Dobson worked to the town side, picked up a gust and planed into what appeared an insurmountable lead, with Cleaves in pursuit. Greening rounded mark 3 in 6^th but was first of the bunch to get out of the tide and sailed under the pack.