The Barney Greenhill Solo Open 2025
Published 11:58 on 12 May 2025
A bumper turnout of twenty seven sailors turned out for the Salcombe Yacht Club Solo Open meeting over the weekend of the 10th and 11th June. The higher turnout and increased quality of the fleet could be attributed to the shift away from the Salcombe Yawl weekend, which allowed some of the helms to have a foot in both camps.
Saturday saw a East North Easterly in the high teens, gusting through to thirty miles per hour in the closing stages of the second race, over a flood tide. Race Officer Ian Stewart wisely set windward leeward courses in the harbour, ignoring the temptation of subjecting the fleet to the vagaries of the Bag.
With strong winds to Tim Laws liking, in the first race he rounded Crossways in first place, a lead which he extended as the following pack fought out for the minor placings, eventually John Burn broke free of the pack to control second place, with Simon Dobson holding onto third.
Of note was Ross Borne rejoining the Solo fleet, albeit briefly when righting Iain McGregors capsized boat, a great service from the Safety team, and no doubt this will be welcomed in the future by the fleets aging demographic.
Once again Tim Law revelled in the increased breeze in the second race, and this time Tim Fells emerged from the pack to become a contender in second place, with Will Henderson sailing the downwind legs effectively to emerge in third, to the sound of multiple capsizes when several of the fleet capsized trying to manoeuvre in knee deep water off Mill Bay.
Sunday dawned with a downpour and the fleet reflected on how miserable a Sunday must be at home if sailing in sheeting rain and little wind was a better option.
The rain knocked out most of the forecasted wind, so when the fleet got away, the fleet was split between a group working the Portlemouth shore, and another on the Fairway boundary trying to beat against the tide to make the windward distance mark. The result was that regular visitor Mark Maskell made the X mark on a long tack from the Portlemouth shore, and sailed a flawless race to take first place, whilst several contenders either got stuck off the Fairway, or were swept down tide at Crossways, these included Burn, Dobson and Henderson. Tim Law managed to salvage a fifth place, which was enough to secure him the meeting.
With a flood tide under the start of the fourth race, the PRO flew the first General Recall flag of the weekend and consequently a Black Flag for the recall. In what proved to be a close race, with the fleet compressing at the end of the first run to Blackstone, John Burn emerged in the lead with Fells and Dobson in pursuit.
This result left Law and Burn tied on seven points, with Laws two wins giving him the event for the third time, from Burn with Commodore Tim Fells in third place.
The Barney Greenhill Picture, for perseverance went to Mark Sanken.
At the prize-giving Tim Law thanked the Race Team for running an excellent event, the safety teams, bar, catering staff and sponsor Barney Greenhill for making it such a great weekend.
By David Greening
Photos - Lucy Burn
