Solo Open at Bristol Corinthian Yacht Club

Solos at Bristol © Chris Appleton

Solos at Bristol © Chris Appleton

Uniquely, much of the boat parking at BCYC is under cover: an unheard of luxury. They take their boat care seriously round these parts.

What with being chronologically challenged and being an erstwhile member of this club your correspondent submits that this is a legacy of BCYC's long and illustrious connection with the Enterprise and Merlin Rocket classes. In the olden days, when the men (at least) smoked pipes, racing dinghies were lovingly crafted by the Rowsell Brothers, Avacraft and the like. Sadly such beautiful Sapele steeds are long gone. A purview of the boat shed inventory revealed instead an ocean of FRP of doubtful aesthetics, in toasty cossetted existence when most of their brethren at clubs elsewhere shiver out in the cold.

Cold it was too on 16th April when the Solo fleet joined the Lasers, Oks, and Bytes for three races back to back at this excellent four fleet single-hander jamboree. A brisk Northerly is not an ideal direction for BCYC nestling as it does to the South of the Mendips and Cheddar Gorge. But this is what we got. From side to side did the 3-4 breeze flick with notable socialist tendencies as the day wore on.

Twelve Solos made it to the line; five BCYC Solos were extricated from the boat the sheds joined by seven visitors. Those who inexplicably had better things to do with their day, missed a lot of fun.

Captain Nicholas Fisher joined us at the pin-end for race one and the whole fleet tacked promptly onto port on the gun in response to a late shift. We all were pointing almost directly at the top mark. Cranford Smith looked in good shape as he diced with Simon Jones for honours at the first windward. But they didn't account for Captain Fisher who picked up a rare enough righty. It seems he hung on to port at the top of the beat, when the rest of us had long lost faith.

Jones and Cranford Smith eventually prevailed during lap two with CS eventually establishing a decent lead. Possibly unassailable but he didn't allow for the monkey puzzle of shifts and reduced pressure prevailing in the area of the windward mark. Jones sniddled this with just the downwind legs of the trapezoid course to finish. Cranford Smith gained an overlap at the leeward but Jones had the edge in the final showdown taking the win by a boat length: somehow. Capt. Fisher was a solid third.

Race two needed a complete re-ordering of the race track to account for the un-forecast left shift so there was a pause in proceedings. Jones with a thousand yard stare, disconsolately ate his crisps. It was still cold.

Next start Cranford Smith prevailed leading from start to finish nailing the first shift, with a lengthening lead. Meanwhile Jones fought off Mark Tinker who found personal breeze up the right side of the beats. Tinker looked very good and he won out. Jones third, Mark Tinker second. Cranford Smith first.

Tinker started well in the final race and gained the first mark in good shape. Yet another monster left hander left those behind in a bad place on the final starboard tack to round. Cranford Smith hit the (ruddy) buoy and took the do-si do. The prospect of catching Jones and Tinker faded and with it for him, the meeting. Well done Jonesy.

Many thanks to BCYC and the race team for inviting us and laying on a very nice event.

1st Simon Jones (Teign Corinthian) 2pts
2nd Graham Cranford Smith (Salcombe Yacht Club) 3pts
3rd Mark Tinker (BCYC) 4pts