Selden 53rd Solo National Championship & Nation's Cup - Preview

by Will Loy 30 Jul 2015 09:25 BST 1-7 August 2015

Generously sponsored by Selden

Only two days until battle commences at the 53rd Solo National Championship which also incorporates the Nation's Cup (previously the World Championship). The Class has a rich history and many champions whose names will live on forever in the Role of Honour list in the N.S.C.A yearbook and etched on the Kempner Challenge Trophy. There are many stories of daring, disaster, failure and success, each one has enhanced the reputation of the National Solo and the titles are desired by many but attained by few. Boyhood idols such as Alec Stone, Richard Lovett and John Conway Jones have been the catalyst for dreams to become reality for those that followed them. Roger Gates, Geoff Carveth and Ken Falcon were rich in talent and drove the fleet to better themselves. Andy Bond, Jamie Lea, Jim Hunt and Dan Vincent pushed the Solo sailor to new levels of expertise in boat handling and technique. Matt Howard, Andy Couch, Andy Davis and Charlie Cumbley are the modern day heroes, their prowess around the boat and on the course has set a higher benchmark for those that read about their success. While the National Solo continues to provide an exciting one design platform and the class association attracts big fleet racing across the UK it will continue to produce exceptional future champions.

The Sponsor

Selden are our title sponsor and they need no introduction. Possibly the most successful spar Manufacturer in Europe, their D+ section has proved the weapon of choice for the top Solo sailor for the past 10 years. Selden have been extremely generous with their prizes and the NSCA are very grateful.

The Venue

East Lothian Yacht Club will host the Championship, the pretty seaside town of North Berwick is an idyllic setting and the Solo Class have visited twice before in 05 and 09. Jamie Lea was first to take the title here in the Winder/Cumulus/North SM8 followed by Charlie Cumbley in 2009 in the successful Boon/Selden D+/North laminate ST1. Charlie is currently in Poland for the OK worlds and will return to defend his National title having won it at Hayling Island in 2013 and Brightlingsea in 2014. Only Falcon, Carveth and Hunt have won the title three times in succession. The venue provides a stern challenge if the wind blows. I asked Charlie Cumbley for his thoughts on how he approaches a championship:

• Forecast - Is there a weather system that will effect the days breeze, increasing/decreasing, backing/veering.

• Rain fall - head right into the cold air from above? Clouds - head towards them... thunderstorms etc. etc.

• Localised topography - hills, headlands, narrow channels causing increased current, dark land matter that will warm up quickly and start a thermal seas breeze, water temperature, you only need 2-3 degrees of difference between water and air temp to start a thermal system going, assuming the gradiant breeze is offshore.

• Current - tide times, flow direction and probable location of the race course in relation to this.

  All these factors you can research before you even go afloat so you can have a picture of which side of the course you would likely be favouring before any localised wind shifts are thought about, in reality 75% of the time I already know which side of the course I want to go before I hit the race area, whether I am correct or not is another matter!

  Allow yourself plenty of time to get to the race area, the big sea champs are often held a lot further offshore than regular events/club racing so don't be afraid to get out there and start learning about the race area.

  I have a routine I stick to for all my event races. firstly I get to the committee boat, often if you are close hauled or running to the race area you can get some compass headings pencilled into the brain. Once at the boat I sail upwind for 10-15 mins tacking every couple of mins to get the variance in headings according to the shifts. This also allows you to get the setup dialled in for the first beat, I then bear away and run back to the committee boat, by this time there is usually a start line laid so I get a good transit, if there is no land behind the pin end then try and get a reverse transit from the pin end to the committee boat, anything to help get your bearings on a long line. I always get a transit and if there is a general recall repeat the process so its just part of the pre race routine.

  Once I have the transit I check the line bias, then I can firm up the first beat strategy, if I want to go right but there is pin bias or vice versa how do I deal with it, take the bias and hope I nail the start and can tack early? (high risk) or start at the unfavoured end and tack immediately? or trust my transit and start in the middle, usually ahead of the fleet around you if you nail a transit and there is always a midline sag and then work my way to the side I want? decisions decisions.! In the final minute before the start it does not matter if its a 100 boat fleet as you are only racing the guy to windward and leeward of you, these are the 2 immediate boats you need to nail to get off the start line, its all about jockeying for position keeping as close under the boat to windward to make their life hard whilst opening a nice gap to leeward to accelerate into, but beware to protect this as if you open a nice gap someone will see it and come and join the party! Then you just have to be aware of rogue elements, usually early on in a big event there is some idiot reaching down the line with their boom banging off your forestay oblivious to any rules (don't be that idiot!!!).

  10-15 seconds to go it;s about accelerating whilst watching your transit. Be confident in it, and as long as you have done it correctly, ignore the calls from around you saying you are over! Their loss, your gain! having said that in 7 nationals i have done I have had an OCS in every one! You could argue you are not trying enough if you don't get one!

  Once off the line its about putting your pre race strategy into action, stick to your guns and what you think should work, as there is nothing worse, getting frustrated as the boats heading the way you wanted to cross you miles in front after you got distracted and went the opposite way to your plan.

Andy Davis is one of the favourites and has been in the thick of it in the Merlins at Salcombe, the strong winds keeping the fleet on their toes throughout the week. I asked Andy for some key features of North Berwick:

The sailing area is superb. It has plenty of scenery so when your not doing so well it can take your mind off it.

When the wind blows from the east large waves build enough to lose half a solo in the troughs. This makes for good surfing conditions so make sure your well practised as good wave sailing can give you a good edge.

North Berwick is on the south side of a wide estuary, the Firth of Forth. The coast faces due north, and prevailing gradient winds are from the west or south-west, while easterlies are the next most common direction.

Although North Berwick faces north, the sea breeze comes from the east. The sea breeze will develop depending on the strength of the opposing gradient wind, a westerly or south-westerly morning wind of up to a Force 3 is likely to give way to a sea breeze around noon. A stronger westerly is more likely to persist.

The tide floods east-west and ebbs in the opposite direction. Only occasionally does it run at more than a knot and is stronger the further from the shore you are.

The main tactical questions you need to ask yourself is, when the tide is ebbing and the sea breeze is in, the tide is with you on a beat, so do you go right for the wind as the sea breeze veers through the afternoon or left to the stronger tide? Or, in a westerly wind with a flooding tide helping you, do you go left to the convergence that exists near the shore or right into the stronger flow? The answer varies from day to day and from hour to hour.

There is plenty of space up at the boat park but down on the shore it will be congested. Make sure you leave yourself plenty of time to get out to the race course.

Since returning this year the sand has washed away in the bay compared to when we were there last. Large rocks have appeared so keep right close to the harbour wall on your way out. Once you go round the corner of the harbour keep about 25- 50 metres from the harbour and spit, don't stray to far left as again there are large rocks. It's certainly worth taking a look at the beach at low tide and work out where you are going to sail out and come back.

More than just a two horse race

It looks like a healthy entry for the event with just under 70 pre-entries and the list is full of talent. Andy Tunnicliffe is sporting a sail cut by himself and has proven speed with his victory at WPNSA in June. Mike Sims is due the biggest title to add to his list of 'major' successes and with his back op just a bad memory will not be daunted by the physicality of a 12 race six day format. Stable mate Andrew Wilde has shown good form in 2015 as has Chris Brown, back to his best in the P&B Poulson hull. Olly Wells has shown some sporadic form but there is no doubting his talent, last seen stuffing pasties in Salcombe in a bid to gain some much needed ballast. The P&B jockey is one to look out for. Pete Mitchell, North Sails stable mate to Cumbley is as fit as a butchers dog and will be in the mix. His Dad, Dave, a long time Solo campaigner with the strength and resolve of a lion will be looking to top ten but if things fall right could be in the medals. Ian Hopwood, ex top rugby player – tough and resilient, Nigel Davies – Awesome straight line speed and no idiot on the downwinds. These are just some of the contenders, apologies if I have not named you but you will get your chance next week.

The Selden National Championship and Nation's Cup begins on Saturday which is measuring day. One of the many features of the Solo is the implementation of a fairly rigid one design hull shape but with a huge choice of spar, sail, foils, equipment and layout. There are also around half a dozen builders who produce high quality hulls, fully fitted or bare, ready for the owner to fit out to their own spec. The N.S.C.A and the R.Y.A work with suppliers to the benefit of all.

Media

The Class have been incredibly pro-active in ensuring coverage via reports, photography and video is as good as it can be. There will be daily reports and video interviews from North Berwick so look out for the days' highlights from Sunday onwards.

Many thanks to Selden and to Noble Marine who support the N.S.C.A to help make it one of the most successful singlehanders in the UK.