Solo Open at Royal Windermere Yacht Club

Royal Windermere Solo Open © Catherine Richardson

Royal Windermere Solo Open © Catherine Richardson

Nick Hornsby wins the Royal Windermere Solo Open © Catherine Richardson

A flight down Windermere by the last remaining airworthy Vulcan bomber provided a highlight to an otherwise fairly tedious afternoon on the lake during the Solo Open Meeting of Saturday the 10th October.

Sixteen Solo sailors, one local and fifteen visitors, spotted a fitful ripple of wind in Bowness Bay, and in a burst of enthusiasm which collectively and successfully overruled experience, ventured into the Northern basin of the lake in the early afternoon after the windlessness of the morning had caused a postponement of two hours.

Race Officer Steve Bewsher, in a noble effort to get a result for this, the penultimate round of the Winder sponsored Northern Series, set a course and started a race. That there was only one triangle sailed, and that 5 boats were timed out for failing to finish, or even be near the finishing line within 20 minutes of the winner, speaks volumes. A halt was called to the whole proceedings, and the fleet struggled back to the Club.

Solo Class Association Northern Region rep., Nick Hornsby from Hollingworth, leading by example, won from Owen Whitehead also from Hollingworth in second and Ian Armstrong from Burwain in third.

Later, during prize giving, an attempt was made to suggest that the flypast by the Vulcan bomber, and a Steam-launch rally had been arranged specially for the visitors; plans were made and dates exchanged to repeat the experience next year; Mars Bars, (other forms of chocolate coated confectionery are available) were awarded to winners in age-related and distance-related categories and to those unfortunates who had failed to register a result; and bottles of wine, (other forms of alcoholic beverage are available) were awarded by Marie Thomason, wife of the Commodore of the Royal Windermere Yacht Club to the winners, and Nick Hornsby thanked the organisers in the appropriate manner.

It is to be noted that Solo sailors, a cheerful and friendly crowd, are quite prepared to travel to Open Meetings and 'have a look and see' in the face of the most challenging of weather forecasts, an attitude for which the organisers of such events are extremely grateful.

Overall Results: