Solo National Championships Feltham 15/20 August
Ten Solo sailors from HISC took part in the Nationals held at Felpham. There were 12 races over the six days; with barely any time spent sailing with the wind under 15 knots, the week’s racing was very challenging. In some of the races, the wind was up to 25 knots and the seas built up in the shallow water just off the club to give some sensational reaches and challenging gybes. On returning ashore, it was great to see the youngest Felpham members, up to their necks in the surf, ready to catch the boats.

It was a tough man’s week with Finn sailor Matt Howard dominating the event and leaving past champions Charlie Cumbley, Jamie Lea and Jim Hunt fighting for the lesser places.

The strength in depth of the Hayling fleet showed through as we won the coveted National Solo Team Trophy for the first time since 1982; congratulations go to David McGregor, Ian Pinnell and Steve Chiverton, although Nick Rawlings and David Sayce both scored well enough to have contributed to the win should they have been needed.

Steve Chiverton also won the Plate Series for the best placed sailor who has not scored highly in previous nationals.

Barry Blaydes dominated the golden oldies to win the Septimus trophy.

Sarah Mitchell, in picture, was the second lady.

David Moseley, Dave Sanders and Bill Ingram enjoyed their week.

Hopefully the Solo Nationals will be coming to HISC in 2013.

Weekend 31 July/1 August
Pennant 4 - QEII Personal Handicap
The Pennant races and the QEII are run concurrently; the three races counting for both events. Finishing times are used to recalculate the finishing order based on each competitors personal handicap.
A shifty westerly faced the fleet of 20 starters on Saturday. Tim was first around the windward mark, followed by Nick and Chris and they held this order for the first triangle. However, on the long run back to Lowles, Tim became engaged with Itchenor keels boats and Chris came through to the lead. There were big shifts on the beat back to the finish. Chris held the lead, but Tim worked his way back past Nick. Ted was the big winner in the shifts; having banged the right hand side, he sailed past most of the pack to become the overnight leader of the QEII.
There was less wind on Sunday and a terrible scramble on the line at the committee boat end. Tim came out best followed by Cliff Wiles who was in great form, challenging Tim on the reaches. Although Nick was past Cliff by the finish, Cliff had done more than enough to secure a win on his personal handicap. Race Officer, Greg Lamb, got us away for the second race of the day with minimum delay. This time the boats were spread down the line as the wind shifted about, but as the flag came down it decided to blow only at the committee boat end. Once again it was Tim who was away followed this time by Bill Shepherd. As they reached back to Sandy, Tim called up his Wind God and planed away to a 3 minute lead while the others wallowed and watched. Bill held his second to the finish, despite the efforts of Nick and David Moseley who was having a better day after his capsize on Saturday. Bill was the winner of this race on personal handicap.
So, Tim won the Pennant Series with 2 wins while Nick was next with a second and a third and Chris was third with his first and a sixth. Tie breaking was required for the QEII with 3 boats on five points. Bill’s win in Race 3 secured him the trophy from Tim and David. As usual, Ted and Bill had their  personal fight, the handicapper not having dared favour one over the other. Ted made fourth overall on 8 points with Bill fifth on 10 points. Bob Smith excelled himself finishing all three races, finishing 12th on handicap and being back in the club in time for beer and lunch.

QEII Full Results

Weekend 24/25 July
On Saturday we started with downwind legs from the club line to Astra. Tim was the only boat to get clear at the start while all the others were packed together at the rounding marks. On the first time beating to Dunes Nick was into a clear second place and on the second beat David McGregor began to play catch up. On the final legs to the finish David went into sprint mode, passing Nick and giving Tim a scare on the line.
Sunday was a great day for those that liked reaching. After the Committee Boat had had a rope cut away from its prop after laying the windward mark, it steamed down wind to lay the start. Only it did not go down wind. The first mark could be laid from even the leeward end of the start line, and Nick got to it first closely followed by Tim and then Barry and Chris. After down wind legs to Astra, on the only beat of the day to Dunes, Tim well judged the switch of  the current to the ebb on the mark and nipped through Nick. However, on the next run , in the patchy wind, Nick was back into the lead. After that, it was Tony that made best use of the continuous fetches and reaches to cruise past many into second place, just behind Nick.
 

Weekend 17/18 July
While the Internationals 14’s were sailing the POW in the bay on Saturday, after two days blown off, 13 Solos started their race with a beat along the Thorney shore against the tide. Tim rounded just in front of Barry before the start of a series of Zigzags back to Thorney. Each beat got harder as the wind rose, but there was no S flag to ease the pain. Nick came through to take the lead on the second beat and then Chris Powles on the third, while Tim and Barry continued to fight it out. The 14’s lost over 50% of their fleet as the wind rose to over 20 knots. The Solo fleet did only slightly better as 5 found the lure of the shore too great at the end of the second beat.
The wind had decreased a bit on Sunday,was blowing  from the south west and the harbour was empty of water. A “round the harbour marks” race was scheduled so after the starting beat, the course was first to Channel and then to Dunes before finishing at the club. Nick could be seen in the lead after the first mark and then continued round the harbour unchallenged. Tim soon appeared in second place with George, Chris and Andrew all trying for third. Chris mastered the others by the finish.

Dell Quay Dash - Tuesday 14 July
11 Solos took part in this year’s dash with Peter B and Chris W in the support RIB and others making their way by cruiser to the lunch! The pursuit start was in four blocks at one minute intervals and the race was a straight dash from HISC to DQSC.. First away was David C on his own, then the pack; next were the heavies and finally the light fliers. Dave Sanders soon broke away from the pack and chased David down. Heavy Bill S also showed some initial reaching speed and was into the back of the pack by the entrance to Thorney. By the start of the Itchenor reach, Dave was past David, the heavies were still nibbling at the pack and the light fliers were on to the heavies. Through the Reach and round the corner to the Chichester Basin, the lead was still being fought for, while the others chose a variety of courses for the best tide and wind options There was no beating from start to finish. At the finish Dave still prevailed over David while Ted G, also from the pack was third. Keith G of the light fliers was already up to fourth and was progressing. As for the heavies!!

Weekend 10/11 July
The Saturday  race started 1st time in a strong ebb tide Chris, David and Tim where fighting to get 1st to Calvert. Chris was leading, but near the mark he had to take avoiding action from a slow moving day boat under motor/sail with trailing fishing line, this let David round 1st. After a run against the tide over the Winner to Copyhold and then to N Pilsey the order  was Tim, David, then Chris at the start of the run to Channel against the strong tide. Keith and Tony started to catch up and all rounded Channel close together. It was back to N Pilsey and then another run against the tide. David opened a gap with Tim and Chris close together until Chris covered his air from Keith who was steaming up behind putting them both in the tide, allowing Tony to sneak through. David rounded Channel 1st followed by Tim then Tony, Keith, David M & Chris all in a gaggle. On the beat to the line a few places changed and at a shortened finish at Calvert, the result was David, Tim, Tony, then Chris. ~ This was clearly a tidal gate race so getting out of the tide was at a premium and thus the wiser Tony was the winner here ~ (Chris 4656)
On Sunday the fleet struggled to get off the line that had a strong pin end bias as well as being the tactical choice for the beat. After two general recalls and a black flag we were finally away and Tim demonstrated the point by starting on the pin, going left to just short of the lay-line to the windward mark and rounding with a clear lead. However after he gybed at the gybe mark, David McGregor just bore away on to the better wave angle for this leg that proved to be a run. By the leeward mark, David was close to Tim and went through to the lead on the next beat. The pair remained first and second to the finish, while Chris gained places steadily and came through on the last beat to the finish on the club line.

Weekend 3/4 July
This weekend will be remembered for its long races. About two and a half hours on Saturday and two hours on Sunday with winds up to 25 knots. Those that did both days will have slept well on Sunday night. On Saturday, the start was near the Thorney Channel with a one sided beat to SW Pilsey, reaches to Channel and back, a run to Thorney, beat to SW Pilsey, run to Thorney, beat to SW Pilsey, reach to Channel and back to the finish. Barry Blaydes lead for most of the race, pulling away from those chasing him on the beats but being closed down on the broad legs. At the last rounding of Thorney 4 boats tried to round together, with shouts between Nick Rawlings and Tim Randall, then Chris Powles ending up doing turns. Barry came out best, but as the last beat ended, David Sayce appeared from out of the tide on the Thorney shore to take the lead. Nick powered after Barry on the last two reaches and his fitness prevailed.
On Sunday, the race was over a similar course but the wind was stronger. The fleet was tightly packed at the first mark, Dunes. Nick was round first, while Barry capsized avoid Greg Swift who rounded second. The course included a tricky beat round North Winner, heavily congested with cruiser traffic, on the way to Calvert. Somewhere round here, Robin Gadd was seen undertaking a 720 which included a swim, with more to follow. Chis Powles eventually passed Greg but could not close down Nick, with Nathan Rushin finishing fourth.

Weekend 26/27 June Start of the Summer Season
A weekend of strong tides and light winds. On Saturday the southerly breeze threatened to flick to the southwest but did not do so, thus the beat from east of Mill Rythe to Sandy held true. However, as the ebb got underway the leg to Gardner became a struggle to make progress and the two laps took about 1 hour 45 minutes. Nevertheless the lead was a duel between Nick Rawlings and Chris Powles all the way to the finish with a cruiser denying Chris his last chance.
Sunday was a gambling day. Beating from Gardner to Sandy, when did you venture out to cross the ebb off the club? Mike Brown got it all wrong, going from a lead off the start to the depths of the fleet. Once again it was Nick that got it right, together with Chris Powell. This pair continued clear of the rest with Steve Chiverton in a lonely third.

Weekend 12/13 June Pennant Series
 The Pennant weekend proved eventful.  Saturday saw a fitful north-westerly wind fade to nothing for the start.  Steve Chiverton and David Mosley popped out of the start and tacked on to port clear of the fleet only to sail into a whole and watch Keith, Nick and Tim pull clear.  At the first mark it was Nick, Tim and Keith and where Tim was heard calling ‘no room’ to a Fourteen Inter.  The order at the front stayed the same until the last mark, South West Pilsey, on an excellent course set by Ian Pinnell on a strong falling tide with not much water left in the Harbour.  As Nick and Tim arrived at SWP for the final beat to the line the wind faded once again, pushing them out in to the foul tide.  In the process Tim passed Nick, but Keith picked up a zephyr as he approached SWP, crossed ahead and comfortably held Tim and Nick off for a well earned first place. David M was fourth and Robert Hack fifth.

Sunday dawned with a gentle south westerly, but no race officer for Medium, Slow, and Solo fleets.  A stand in Race Officer was found and a course set.  An error on the course was corrected but with no signal ashore.  Some picked it up early, others just before leaving for the Committee Boat start north of Channel.  The upshot was that almost half the fleet were late getting to the start line but the stand-in Race Officer started on time to the angst of those still heading for the Committee Boat.  Nick and Tim arrived seconds before the start and were the leaders at the first mark, Sandy, following a one sided beat against the strong tide up the Mengham shore.  On the ensuing two reaches to the leeward mark Nick and Tim battled it out.  They arrived at the leeward mark locked together.  Tim tacked first with Nick immediately applying a tight cover on the tack to the Gate.  Tim tacked again passing  Nick’s transom looking for an advantage on passing through the Gate and the tack across to the Mengham shore.  However, both were surprised on reaching the Gate to receive finishing guns as no shortened course signal had been flown.  The exciting race was thus unexpectedly curtailed and the finishing order was Nick first, then Tim followed by Chris Powles who nipped through to leeward ahead of David M who had not realised the course was shortened.  The usual large fleet of Solos (20+) were well spread at the finish and the approaching Handicap fleets were stopped also with no shortened course signal.

Amid the finishing hooters three class were flags flying, the Solos who had finished early noticed the Solo flag come down and reappear with a hoot to signal the start sequence for the second Sunday race.  The later finishers, at least those lucky enough to finish before the start of race two, were still trying to work out the flags and hooters when they noticed Solos lining up to start and realised that we were off again.  Gasping for breath they joined the fun leaving only one or two still to finish the first race.

At Sandy in a strengthening wind Nick was well clear with Tim second, closely followed by Steve and David M.  Steve sailed the best course to Gardner below a huge Cruiser and got to second.  Tim re-passed Steve down the second reach and once again joined battle with Nick.  Nick still lead from Tim at the Gate and put a close covering tack on him across the tide.  Steve had closed up at the Gate and took advantage of the opportunity to pass Tim.  Nick and Steve pulled out on the fleet and were well clear at Sandy.  David M, Rob Hack and Chris Powles tacked up the Thorney shore and made big gains arriving at Sandy just behind Tim and Dave Moody who had used the Mengham shore.  Following the run to the leeward mark and the beat to the finishing gate the finishing order was Nick, Steve, Tim, David M and Dave M

The overall leading results were Nick, Tim, Steve, David M, Chris, Rob and Keith. 

Weekend 6/7 June Tyler Trophy
We had 37 entries for our open this year,  the 50th running of the Tyler Trophy, which included 3 ladies, 2 from HISC. The experts of the national Solo fleet came in force; 5 out of the top 7 in last year’s nationals arriving to fight it out in Hayling Bay. 20 boats from the home fleet took part, augmented by two more HISC sailors who changed to their Solos (Ian Pinnell and Judith Massey). Race Officer Greg Lamb and his team worked hard and ran 6 excellent races over the two days. On Saturday, we were in Bracklesham Bay so we could slide back into the harbour with the tide as the 4 to 10 knot wind died away. On Sunday, we sailed in Hayling Bay with the wind increasing to gusts of over 20 knots in the last race. Those of us who made it to the end will long remember the tremendous reaches on the final lap, surfing down the building waves.
After Saturday’s race, it seemed that a HISC boat might be able to win the Trophy back for the club. Ian Pinnell had secured two firsts and lead overall. Andrew Voysey  had shown he could yet hold his own having gained a third.  Nick had a 5th and Tim, a consistent two 8ths and a 9th.
The stronger wind on Sunday reshuffled the pack at the front. Charlie Cumbley won race 4 and followed this with a couple of 2nds to secure the Trophy for another year. Matt Howard won race 5 and finished 2nd overall, while Jim Hunt won the last race and was 3rd overall with Ian Pinnell finishing 4th overall.
The club fleet battle was won by Tim in 9th, just ahead of Nick at 10th. Andrew Voysey was 13th, Steve Chiverton 15th and Robert Hack 16th.
There was the usual excellent tea after the prizegiving  - the hard working trolley dollies doubling as pourers.

Weekend 29/30 May
After sailing was blown off on Saturday, 17 boats signed on for the mini olympics held on Sunday. Roy Barnes and his team on Kusi provided us with excellent racing, a challenging start line and a tight course in Stocker Lake. Four races were sailed in quick succession and there was never a dull moment. Indeed there were rather a lot of un-dull moments; two broken masts, unfortunately, a broken forestay, a snapped halliard, one or more near broken heads and a rudder jumping off its pintles. (“I thought I put the retaining pin in, but maybe I didn’t”). The results were tight, with Nick Rawlings (1,1,3,3) just beating Chris Powles (4,2,1,2) on tie break. Nathan Rushin (2,5,4,1) came third, narrowly beating George Gyngell (3,3,2,4).

Weekend 22/23 May
Rather a confusing weekend! On Saturday we expected a harbour start and a sail out into the bay, but the course set for all classes was around the harbour. We tried to get our course changed, but ended up with a change for the fast and medium but not for us. As the first fleets lined up on the club line, the fog rolled in and the RO put up AP over H. “Races not started are postponed. Further signals ashore.” After a delay all the courses were changed. Some Solos did not realise as no L flag was flown. Should it have been? Anyway we had a good race round the harbour with Tim Randall and Nick Rawlings fighting it out clear of the fleet and Roy O’Donnell leading the pack behind them until Ken Tomlins slipped through him on the last leg.
The course on Sunday was set for a southeasterly but as we were on the beaching launching the sea breeze set in and up went flag L. We trudged back up from the low water mark to learn that new instructions were on the committee boat. Getting these was a challenge, reading the small writing whilst avoiding the melee. Apparently, these instructions were changed after first posting and this caught out Ted Gadd. Anyway, Mike Brown and Tim Randall lead at the inflatable laid towards the harbour entrance and the long trail against the tide back to Astra began. As we got there the wind died and places were gained by those such as Andrew Voysey, who had a personal puff to take him past the becalmed pack. Tim was well clear in front, but his navigation failed him as he missed out Gardener. At some stage we were finished, a rather painless process as nobody seemed aware that it had happened!

Weekend 15/16 May
Saturday was the Glynn Charles Memorial Pursuit race and there were 10 Solos among the 140 competitors. The breeze was basically from the West, but full of holes and shifts. After a short beat, Barry Blaydes rounded first and led to Channel. Nick Rawlings passed him to leeward on the long reach to East Head and pulled further away by Park. But on the beat back to SW Pilsey via Ellanore, Barry found his way back and was just ahead of Nick at the mark, but with the faster boats  on their heels. Nick found the wind first on the way to Marker and managed to stay with the leading pack. The wind filled in strongly for what became a mad dash to the line. Nick finished 6th and Barry 20th.
On Sunday, the beat to Sandy against a strong flood tide split the fleet. The choice of the Winner Bank paid handsomely. Tim Randall rounded in the lead and swept away on the tide, not to be challenged to the finish. Stephen Chiverton rounded second, followed by Barry who chased Steve down the harbour and managed to pass him on the beat back to SW Pilsey. Others were piling up behind on the next two reaches and four Solos rounded Lowles in close order. The beat back to the finish had the added challenge of spotting the finishing line and Nick Rawlings finally came through to take second.

Weekend 8/9 May
The northeastly wind continued for another weekend and it had not got any warmer. With no committee boat available we started on the club line south on both days. Sailing on starboard into the beach under the club house was an interesting challenge, especially for those who had benefited from Tracy’s coaching session on starting on Saturday morning. On Saturday, Tim Randall and David Sayce pulled away from the rest of the fleet on an interesting beat with the tide to Thorney. David chased Tim relentlessly and there was only a boat length between then at the finish after two laps.
We sailed the same course on Sunday, but this time the beat was against the tide. The fleet split after the start, with those keeping to the right making substantial gains over those on the extreme left. Nick Rawlins came out best followed by Nathan Rushin and David McGregor. Tim Randall had opted for the left and was well back at Thorney. The second beat provided more opportunities allowing Tim to get up to second by the finish.

Pennant Weekend 1/2 May
David McGregor wins the Gerald Bell Memorial Trophy
Saturday’s race was a duel between Nick Rawlings and Tim Randall. On each downwind leg, Tim closed right up but Nick defended his position like a Formula 1 driver on a twisting track. On each beat Nick pulled clear and then held the lead to the finish. Behind this pair, the rest of the fleet battled it out including having to sail through or round the start of 40 RS200’s and dodge the threatening behaviour of the Itchenor keel boats. Chris Powles took third and 18 of the 19 starters made the finish.
The forecast for Sunday was cold with a blustery northeasterly. On the day it was very cold and very blustery. In Race 1 David McGregor lead on the beat from Dunes to Peacock (yes Peacock), but Chris passed him during the long reaches against the tide. By Channel, David was back in the lead and held off Chris and David Sayce to the finish at Dunes. As the bulk of the fleet ran down to the last turning mark, the wind shifted to the north and gusted up to 25 knots flattening a number of unwary sailors. After the finish there was a rush of frozen Solists back to the beach but 5 remained for the second race. David won again, giving him the trophy. David Sayce was second, placing him third overall, with Nick second overall.

Weekend 24/25April
After a general recall, the fleet set out from N Pilsey, via Dunes, to go out to race round the cans in the Bay on Saturday.. As the fleet passed Treloar the search was on for a mark laid somewhere to the South East, but as it was about a mile offshore it took a bit of finding. After a tour round the bay it was back out to the West Pole beacon before a long run back to finish at the club. Rather a long day out, but the conditions were great and 19 Solos completed the course. Nick Rawlings lead the way round and Steve Chiverton would have had second but for a capsize at West Pole.
Sunday was scheduled as a long harbour race and this is what we got. After visiting Channel, the fleet made its way to East Head. Andrew Voysey ignored conventional wisdom and went a different way to the rest of the fleet and established a huge lead. However, on his way back from Astra to Dunes he got lost. As the fleet returned to Astra the wind dropped and strengthened again resulting in much place changing. Sarah Mitchell came through to third behind David Sayce and Nick Rawlings, but got into a twist on the final beat to the finish and dropped back.

Weekend 17/18 April
Starting on Saturday at near high tide on the club line, 20 Solos beat to Treloar and then sailed two long reaches to East Head and Mill Rythe. Nathan Rushin lead for the first two legs, but Robert Hack’s leeward track to Mill Rythe helped him get the lead. After the beat to Sandy, Robert looked well clear. On the run back to Mill Rythe, David Sayce relentlessly closed on the leaders and started the last beat in the lead. In the tacking duel to the finish, David prevailed and Nathan found an opportunity to get back past Robert.
There was no wind on Sunday morning and the discussion was whether the volcanic ash would affect the sea breeze. Well something did because when we started 2 hours late, the wind remained light and patchy. After a running start with the tide Nick rounded Mill Rythe in the lead and was not challenged. Andrew Voysey followed him round, although Tony Catchpole, who had found the best track over the west mud on the first beat, gave him a run for his money. 

Weekend 10/11 April
21 Solos set off from the club line to the first mark outside the harbour on Saturday. The sun was shining and a light sea breeze encouraged the good turnout. David Moseley arrived at the mark first, but rounded the wrong way. Robert Hack slipped round and bore away onto the long run against the tide back into the harbour. The pack behind him let him sail in peace while they fought to protect their wind from those behind. Tim Randall finally broke into second place while a bunch rounded SW Pilsey 4 abreast and having to dodge the Itchenor keel boats. Nick Rawlings chased after Tim on the remaining harbour legs and caught him on the line.
A cold variable northwesterly faced the fleet on Sunday, but 22 were on the starting line to beat to John’s Folly. The shifty wind spread out the fleet and Nick Rawlings rounded first, closely followed by Mark Allerston and Peter Hickson on their first outings of the year. Although Nick lost the lead on the down wind legs, first to David Moseley and later to Stephen Chiverton, his windward speed was enough to recover the lead at the end. Tim Randall, after a poor first beat, steadily closed up to finish third.

First Pennant Weekend 3/4 April
On Saturday, the race started off on an excellent line near Channel with a beat to Freddie Brooks. All 14 boats were spread along the line and started well. On the long first starboard tack, Nick Rawlings sailed high and fast and crossed Chris Powles who was the first to tack. Although slightly overstanding, Nick rounded just ahead of Chris with a small gap back to Tim Randall. Tim closed down this gap on the next two marginal planing reaches in some reasonable waves. By the next windward mark, Nick was well clear and Tim was second. These 3 held their positions on the next lap to the finish.
A cold brisk northwesterly and an empty harbour faced the fleet on Sunday morning. Racing was delayed an hour until things improved and the first of the two races got underway. The order quickly settled to Nick, Chris and David Sayce, although Chris had a brief look at the lead on the second beat. The first race finished at the windward mark and by the time we had run back to the second committee boat for the start, the sequence for the second race began without delay. The first three at the first mark were the same and in the same order, but this time David showed his reaching speed to gain the lead at the end of the next two legs. However, the beats took their toll; Nick was leading again after the next one and Chris scraped through to gain another second place on the last.
Overall:- Nick Chris, David, Barry and Greg Swift

Weekend 27/28 March
Tim Randall had arranged a coaching session on the Saturday and 14 helms took advantage of this excellent session run by Tracy Jacobs. The day included a briefing prior to going afloat, lots of work on the water, then a post briefing that included video footage that showed undeniable evidence. There was a normal race for 6 boats that could not make the coaching and this was won by David Sayce.
On Sunday, Race Officer Ted Gadd, set an excellent harbour course and 14 boats were ready on the line. On the first beat to Sandy, the breakers on the Winner suddenly  loomed threateningly ahead. While some bore off to close on Mid Winner, Bill Ingram sailed out to sea before crossing the bank on a gap and rounded Sandy well in the lead. After a reach to Treloar, there was a long run giving plenty of practice in the waves down to Johns Folly. Tim Randall now led on the beat back to Calvert and Nick Rawlings popped up to second by the mark. The race continued with two visits to Runway, before a finish on the club line. Racing remained very tight throughout the fleet with some very close finishes.

Weekend 20/21 March
The season has started! Well Saturday was about as miserable a day as you could imagine with driving rain and poor visibility. Nevertheless, 8 Solos set off from the club line to Treloar. Nick Rawlings demonstrated the advantage to be gained by rounding the ‘windward’ mark without a tack and disappeared to be unchallenged. The rest rounded in a pack behind him. It looked as though new fleet member Steve Chiverton would secure 2nd, but Chris Powles reeled him in and nipped past on the final leg.
Sunday was much nicer with the sun shinning brightly, but the wind died away. After a short delay 13 boats fetched away from the club line to SW Pilsey. David Sayce and Robert Hack sailed away from the fleet to East Head as the wind died again. On the return to SW Pilsey, those that chose the East Head route gained considerably; as there was no E flag flying we could enter the new exclusion zone with impunity! On returning from Mill Rythe, chaos set in as Sandy emitted endless sound signals and flew un-interpretable flags. Many thought the race was shortened and stopped. Others did various other things. Not a day for celebration!

Weekend January 30-31st
Winters at Grafham
Report from Steve Chiverton, one of our newest members!

Having bought a new Boon solo just before Christmas, I have obviously been keen to try it out.  In the Mengham Winkle it was clear that I needed to get a bit more boat handling practice and the weekend before the Winters I spent some time on the water tacking and gibing until I was happy that I was at least not going to fall in!
The thought of going to Grafham with snow and icy winds forecast made me delay a decision to go until Friday lunchtime.  When the club finally put the entry form up on the website it made up my mind.
Early Saturday am it was cold but not frosty and just before Guildford I was passed by another solo so I didn’t feel that I was alone in my crazy decision. Around St Albans there was snow on the road and the M11 was closed and the A1 certainly hadn’t been gritted.  However, any thoughts of turning back were scotched by the south going lanes being closed.
At Grafham it was cold but no snow on the ground and there was beautiful sunshine and a 10-12 knot breeze blowing NW down the lake.  3 races were scheduled with the plan for them to be back to back and all credit to the race team they did exactly that with an absolute minimum of turnaround time

58 eager solos unsurprisingly led to a couple of general recalls before the black flag came out.  It remained in force for all the races and meant that we got away first time in all the following starts.
For me, having come from sailing a keelboat for the last 4 years, getting a feel of not stalling the boat and getting fast off the line was a problem which I didn’t crack until the last race.
In the first race, having not made a good start, the second beat was good as I was on the left of the course as the wind went left and I made up good ground so that I was in the middle of the fleet by the finish.  Not many places seemed to be gained on the downwind legs; everybody seemed to be pretty good at getting the most out of the small wavelets available.

The second race was not good. Again I made a bad start and didn’t get in synch with the shifts and was in the back third of the fleet not having made up much ground.  I was finding that at 86 kg with a D+ and a North ST1 sail I was not pointing as high as the lightweights with flatter sails when it went light, which it was for most of this race.

I finally made a decent start in the last race, got clear air, went up the middle of the course and found myself close to Charlie and Andy Davis.  I was about 14^th at the gybe mark but had a bad second beat and dropped back to finish mid fleetish.
Watching Charlie, he was certainly using a lot of mainsheet tension with a very closed leech, perhaps more so than his rivals.  On reflection, I wondered if I could have had more plate down; I had tended to stick to LV*.  That might have given me more lift.

I certainly had a great first solo open meeting; rule observance was good, the racing very tight and on the whole, gentlemanly.  I didn’t stay around for the prizegiving. I was keen to get back to Hayling before the next big freeze so I was delighted the next day to see on the class website that I was the third veteran.  Together with David MacGregor finishing 10^th, Hayling was well represented in the report in Yachts and Yachting.

I can’t wait until the season starts properly at Hayling again - at least the sea won’t be as cold as Grafham..

*For those as ignorant as me - Leading edge Vertical

Thursday January 21st - and the First Working Party

It was a gloriously sunny morning  - really lucky considering the awful days before and after - and, although cold to start with, coats were soon being abandoned along the route. Here is a picture of the problem - massive build up of sand covering the wooden  ramp - which is buried somewhere between the road roll and the ‘scrubbing posts’ - which is then undercut by the next tide  forming  an un-negotiable cliff! . This was a Solo Special aimed at resurrecting the Wooden Ramps. We decided that it would be best to completely lift the whole section  for various reason - Parts were broken where the Bob Cat had run over it! - It needed realigning because of the shape of the beach  - Part of it was buried three feet down - and lots of space was needed for future Bob Cat manoeuvres! Pictures courtesy of Ted. We had a work force of  nine able bodies including Ted on the Cat. Initially, the main problem was undoing the knots - note for future reference - one turn round the chains is sufficient - 2 turns takes half an hour to undo!  Two thirds of the way along and time for the cake - Chocolate devil’s food filled with grape jelly and only gently dredged with sand. Getting near the sea and Ted had to take over so that by the end of the morning  - 12 noon to the dot - the area looked a bit like a moonscape - but the whole ramp was neatly stacked up by the sand barrier ready for sorting and mending. Tony (in the red hat), well wrapped up, then went for a sail - up to Bosham and back. Barry went to a meeting about Chimet at the RNLI with Peter Glasby (chair) and Ian Mitchell ( who writes the web site) and some commercial bodies together with people from the Harbour Conservancy - and Jane - back on site - lifted the black gridding in Aisle No 2 West ready for this pathway to be concreted.    Click here for further work projects-Work Parties