XOD Central Solent Champs at Royal Southern Yacht Club

The fleet approach the leeward mark on day one of the XOD Central Solent championships © Simon Russell

Rounding the leeward mark on day one of the XOD Central Solent championships © Simon Russell

24 XODs took part in the Central Solent Championships hosted by the Royal Southern Yacht Club between 22nd & 24th July. This event is an annual warm-up event for Skandia Cowes Week where the class is once again the biggest fleet with 79 entries.

A light sea breeze gave good racing on the Friday with three windward-leeward races being held. Race officer David Arnold set good courses with an offset mark laid at a variable distance from the windward mark to ensure fair runs in the strong spring tides.

The first race saw a close tustle for the lead in the first lap until Mike Fitzgerald’s ‘Kathleen’ broke away to take the win from Jonty Sherwill in ‘Astra’.

The second race saw a good start from John Long on ‘Thalia’ who went on to win the race with ‘Kathleen’ second and David Oddie’s ‘Magic Dragon’ third.

The final race of the day saw the beginning of a run from Dave Lindsay on ‘Caprice’ after a disappointing first two races. ‘Thalia’ came in second to lead overnight.

The slog back to the club was hard going against the ebb tide but eventually everyone managed to get a tow from various craft down the Hamble river.

Saturday dawned windless and with the strong spring tides the fleet was held ashore waiting for the wind to build. Much use was being made of the Brambles post WAP site checking to see if the wind was building but every time a disappointing 3 knots was being displayed. The race team abandoned racing for the day at around 1.30pm which of course prompted the wind to build with a nice 12 knot sea breeze…

Saturday and Sunday couldn’t have provided a bigger contrast with heavy rain and winds gusting to 32 knots out in a choppy central Solent. The vast majority of the fleet decided to hang back with Skandia Cowes Week so close leaving a hardy few to contest racing in the relatively sheltered Southampton Water.

‘Caprice’ continued her run taking races four and five with ‘Astra’ taking a third and a second.

A few more boats made it out for the final race of the day with conditions abating a little. ‘Kathleen’ came back to form to win the final race.

Overall, Dave Lindsay on ‘Caprice’ was the worthy winner of the event and took the beautiful ‘Lass’ trophy. Second was class newcomer Jonty Sherwill on ‘Astra’ with Mike Pascall & Dave Tabb on ‘Zoe’ third.

Many thanks to the event sponsors; North Sails OD for a 50% off voucher on a suit of sails for the first placed boat, Hyde Sails who generously donated a number of kit bags ,T-shirts & caps and Holt who donated shirts, Pro-lube, course cards and deck wash.

Overall Results: