Summer Series. Solo Fleet Race 7. Cleaves prevails.
Published 12:03 on 5 Aug 2024
The dramatis personae of the Salcombe Solo protagonists on the 3rd August, are recognisable to anyone who might have observed a SYC Solo club race in say, 2010. Most of the fleet are firmly superannuated and long-standing Soloistas. True, there have been additions and sad departures. John Burn, for example who claims to not have seen the Everly Brothers live, after a brief Solo tenure, has moved to the Yawl fleet. There, if anything, the average age is even higher. Ollie Turner, edging towards his fortieth remains part of the Youth Division, along with William Wall and young James Greenhill. They are the future, and the fleet is certainly in safe hands with them.
And despite the mostly chronologically challenged demographic, the racing remains just as vibrant and amusing as ever it was. Anyway, none of the Squad turned out on the 3rd August for the last of the Solo Summer Series.
Instead, thirteen pensioners/boomers arrived in the start area this day. We were greeted by a briskly flooding tide and at that point, a schizophrenic breeze. One moment a Northerly component, next a Southerly. This presented race officer Mike Hicks with a conundrum which he resolved by deciding on a beat to Mark 2 off Millbay, against the tide. Then a long run to Mark 7, Gerston. He followed this by a return to Mark 2, then Mark 5 at Saltstone to, as it proved, a finish. Good call.
It being summer, Salcombe Harbour was busy with many moored yachts, SUPS and swimmers. A yacht in particular was anchored slap on the line at the left-hand end, which added to the excitement.
Even to the uninitiated, the best tactic was clearly to start hard on the beach which resulted in considerable congestion. Simon Dobson and Gavin Stevens managed this best and were well ahead by mark 2. Meanwhile Cleaves had returned to re-cross the line, there having been an individual recall and he now brought up the rear.
Dobson and Stevens extended a handy lead carried by the tide, all the way to Mark 7. Cranford Smith caught and overtook Stevens en-route there. Reasons unclear. The leading trio were at this point relatively untroubled. However, it would be a mistake to believe that this could not change. So it proved.
As the race wore on Dobson stretched into a further lead by the return to Saltsone. But this was not to reckon on Cleaves. He by this point had emerged from the main pack and with an inexorable 0.1knot speed advantage and the Jaws sound-track, slowly ground down the leaders. Yates too, was also in the rear-view mirror. Yates however often favours extreme beach crawling, presumably much at the expense of his foils, which as a tactic works not always.
As it transpired, Dobson did not have a fabulous time getting past the tidal gate at Ox Point. Here Cleaves and Cranford Smith caught up and exchanged the lead several times. Cranford Smith took a higher line on the exit from the Bag which initially looked promising. But Cleaves relied on low mode and his very considerable bulk to drive off and reach the East Portlemouth shore first. Fair play to him. In the distance, the S flag was flying briskly from the race hut in a by now, solid twelve knot breeze.
Cranford Smith and Dobson briefly traded places in the gruelling short tacking fest against the foul tide off Ditch End. At the gun, Cleaves from Dobson from CS. Yates, a solid fourth. Gavin Stevens, a very noteworthy fifth.
To be fair, (and in this enlightened age unbelievably, being fair is actually a thing), Cleaves did sail very well indeed. He dug himself out after a poor start. In the process of his first place, he overtook everyone in the fleet. Given that all sailing has raced in Salcombe for years and themselves are fast on their day, this is an achievement. And he also secured a well-deserved summer series win. Which obviously, is completely intolerable but, we just have to deal with it.
Well done Chubby.
There: said it.
GCS
