Sailing Club Series, Race 1 - Solo Report

Published 20:11 on 21 Apr 2024

For the opening race of the Salcombe Yacht Club Sailing Club Series, there was a good turnout of twenty one Solos. 

Race Officer Malcolm Mackley set an excellent course considering the tricky East North Easterly force three breeze and made the most of the limited amount of water that was available, by sending the fleet to Gerston by way of Crossways, then Blackstone to Y followed by a rounds of Millbay and Crossways over a neapy flood tide.

There was plenty of competition for pole position off the Portlemouth shore at the start, Simon Yates, Graham Cranford-Smith and Will Henderson making speedy getaways, whilst a few of the regular front runners struggled to find clear lanes.

By Gerston Henderson led Yates with Bill Jago in pursuit.  Henderson led most of the fleet to the Saltstone shore, whilst Yates and Jago carved a lonelier furrow to leeward.  At Tosnos Yates led Henderson and Jago.

By the exit of the Y mark into Yalton Creek, Henderson had established a good lead over Yates and Jago, and set off toward the Yawl trots, whilst Yates, Jago and the rest of the fleet headed for the Portlemouth shore.  For a while this looked like Henderson may have made a costly error, until his pursuers ran out of wind off Fishermans and had to cross over the tide to the Town to find more wind.

By this stage Henderson led Jago and Yates to the finish, with Simon Dobson holding onto the fourth place that was his for most of the race.

By David Greening 

Photos By Lucy Burn