Winter Series Race 4 - Solo
Published 20:23 on 18 Nov 2024
Fifteen Solo sailors turned up for the 4th race of the Salcombe Yacht Club Winter series, possibly encouraged by a forecast of the wind shifting to the west and increasing. The reality was a light westerly gradient wind that never reached the harbour, and a very light easterly breeze bouncing off the Portlemouth shore.
Due to the mill pond conditions and an hour of spring ebb tide remaining, the Race Officer, Phil King widely set a port handed X mark off Fishermans as the windward mark, which would allow competitors to overstand the mark to make their rounding in the foul tide.
Commodore Tim Fells reserved his place by holding his boat on starboard tack whilst standing on the beach, while the rest of the fleet struggled with the tide and lack of wind, and he held the inside position up the beat, rounding the windward mark with a considerable lead, at which point he then remembered to pull his rudder down.
Chris Cleaves managed to find some wind more offshore. Rounding the windward mark ahead of Enterprise light wind specialist Dan Bridger, with Will Henderson behind.
On the downwind leg to Millbay, Tim Fells was now duking it out with the two Merlin Rockets which started ten minutes previously, while his pursuers hunted every trickle of wind that might be available, mindful of the possibility of being swept past the mark.
By the return leg the tide had eased, and to the fleets unanimous relief the shorten course flag was raised. Tim Fells taking the win, followed by Cleaves and Bridger.
The fleet awaits to see if Fells claims average open meeting points as he now travels to compete in the ARC.
By David Greening
Photos Lucy Burn
