Spring Series - Solo Race 1

Published 18:27 on 10 Mar 2024

The start of the Salcombe Yacht Club Spring Series saw a small but select group of Solo sailors to the starting line.  Those who did not turn up had no doubt succumbed to the weather app forecasts of winds in excess of thirty knots, however the hills on the eastern shore of the ria offered the fleet protection and the greatest challenge turned out to be departure and arrival at the slipway on a spring low tide, with some early season takers for the Capsize Belt.

Race officer Will Henderson, set a course that made the best of the prevailing conditions, keeping the fleet contained between the Crossways and Mill Bay marks for the first couple of laps, and then between a buoy off the Ferry Inn and Millbay for the final laps.

First off the line were Tim Fells, Olly Turner and David Greening, who rounded the windward mark in that order.  Bill Jago, who got stuck in a hole on the start line, planed into the mix on the first run by going it alone along the Salcombe shore, and took the lead on the penultimate beat into the X mark, whilst Tim Fells dropped back to third and Olly Turner worked himself past Bill to take the gun.

It was a challenging but enjoyable sail, but all were grateful to the RO for not binning the race too early

By David Greening

Photos - Lucy Burn