Please select your home edition
Edition
Henri-Lloyd Dynamic Range

Solo Open at Bough Beech Sailing Club

by John Reed 7 Jun 2017 09:36 BST 27 May 2017
Solos at Bough Beech © Martyn Smith

Bough Beech Sailing Club in the heart of the stunning Kent countryside hosted a solo spring open on the 27th May. The open was quite an event with a morning of strong winds, force 5, and champagne sailing conditions in the afternoon as the wind abated a bit.

The Club welcomed 25 entries with nine visitors and we had expert race officers in the form of John Clementson and Guy Marks. Two races back to back in the morning and the afternoon were planned, and our race officers kept the meeting sharp and timely with very little waiting between races.

A 'P' course was set using the length of the reservoir, and in the first race, the fleet got away first time. Mark Stone and Richard Southern showed their tactical knowledge and rounded the windward mark first and second followed by the pack, with the shifting wind it was the shifts that made the most difference. Elliot Marks normally to be found in a Laser but in a borrowed boat for the day was going well until a swim at the leeward mark put paid to his race. Indeed quite a few found the conditions difficult and called it a day after the first race. In the end the pattern was being set for the meeting overall, with Steve Ede 2nd and Tim Lewis 1st. However the Bough Beech contingent were on the pace with John Reed 3rd, Nick Marden 5th, Mark Stones 7th and Richard Southern 8th.

A depleted fleet stayed afloat for the second with 18 boats still on the water and battle ensured. Once again Mark Stones was fastest off the blocks rounding first, again with Richard Southern close behind. It was getting pretty windy by now, the decision was whether to gybe at the bottom mark or tack around. Plenty tacked around but those that did not risked swimming and some did. Three of our nine visitors Steve Ede, Tim Lewis and Jarvis Simpson were to count 1,2,3 but again the Bough Beech contingent were very close, John Reed 4th, Jon Hill 5th, Richard Southern 6th.

Everyone re energised at lunch and were out again for the slightly more moderate conditions, actually champagne sailing. Again it was reading the shifts and getting a good start. Interestingly the race office commented afterwards that the mid line sag was noticeable, although it did not feel like that on the line! The best at reading the shifts was Tim Lewis, however the Bough Beech contingent stuck together like a club race and Nick Marden was top Bough Beecher in 5th, with Tim Lewis, Jarvis Simpson and Andrew Boyce filling the other top positions.

The final race was once again a speedy affair, and probably most noted for the inward small cheer that went up when the race officer shortened, not because the racing was not good, it was, but exhaustion was starting to play a part after nearly 4 hours of hard hiking and planning conditions. In fact although Steve Ede had got away the the rest of the fleet were very tightly bunched, with a small distance between first and last, and Andrew Boyce leaping upto third in the last 100 yards having gone the furthest right after the leeward mark.

Congratulations to the winners, Steve Ede (overall), Tim Lewis (First Master), and Nick Marden (First Grand Master)

Overall Results: (top 8)

1st Steve Ede (Ardleigh Sailing Club)
2nd Tim Lewis (Island Barn SC)
3rd Jarvis Simpson (RYA)
4th John Reed (Bough Beech Sailing Club)
5th Andrew Boyce (Papercourt)
6th & Grand Master, Nick Marden (Bough Beech Sailing Club)
7th Jon Hill (Bough Beech Sailing Club)
8th Mark Stones (Bough Beech Sailing Club)

All in all a great day's racing, marked out by how close it was, a fact noted by the race officer. After an hour's racing the fleet was often only separated by yards at the finish.

Related Articles

HD Sails Scottish Solo Travellers at Loch Venachar
A seriously breezy event amongst the beautiful Trossachs hills In the lead-up to this event in the HD Sails Scottish travellers series I was worried that sailing on an inland loch amongst the beautiful Trossachs hills in mid-summer meant that we would struggle with light and shifty winds from every direction. Posted on 1 Jul
Solos at Chipstead
20+ knots blowing down the lake for the Southern Series and Thames Series event Four races took place over the day with clear blue skies, in, gusty, shifty wind conditions 20+ knots blowing down the lake. Posted on 30 Jun
Xalient Solo Nation's Cup at Lake Como Day 4
The final day of racing at Circolo Vela Bellano So, to the final day of racing and there would be three races planned before a prize-giving reception which would be held at the Palasole Pavilion later this evening. Posted on 25 Jun
Xalient Solo Nation's Cup at Lake Como Day 3
Social evening proves universally popular with every seat taken Before I get into the action from day 3, first a quick recap on the previous evening's Italian themed Solo social which took place in the shaded area of the nearby Palasole Pavilion. This must have been a popular choice as every seat was taken. Posted on 25 Jun
Xalient Solo Nation's Cup at Lake Como Day 2
Pin end starts and taking the left the order of the day The night had been sultry, and not in a Monica Bellucci kind of way, though I would have happily discarded my pyjamas in her presence. The skies had become overcast as the sun fell between the mountains on the western horizon. Posted on 24 Jun
Xalient Solo Nation's Cup at Lake Como Day 1
Sunshine in Italy after a storm hits on the day before I awoke to the unfamiliar roar of an engine turbine as it throttled up, the local ferry utilising a hydrofoil system that, from the estimated weight of the beast, required as much thrust as the flux capacitor could give her to hit 88 miles an hour. Posted on 23 Jun
Xalient Solo Nation's Cup at Lake Como Day 0
Circolo Vela Bellano continues to welcome Solos through its gates Circolo Vela Bellano, nestled on the banks of the eastern side of Lake Como continues to welcome Solos through its gates in readiness for what is effectively the European Championship. Posted on 21 Jun
Solo class Midlands Area event at Shustoke
Would bringing the event forward a month change their wind fortunes? It had been 11 months since the last Solo class open meeting at Shustoke SC which saw very light and at times non existent wind. Would bringing the event forward a month change our wind fortunes? Posted on 17 Jun
Xalient Solo Nation's Cup at Garda preview
With 63 entries and counting, it promises to be THE biggest Championship of 2025 There is only one Solo event in Italy this year and given that every other class has decided to go to Lake Garda, the venue of Lake Como ensured we got a big fleet and with 63 entries and counting, it promises to be THE biggest Solo Championship of 2025. Posted on 14 Jun
Scottish Solo Championships at East Lothian
Charlie Brecknell wins after steadily improving over the last few seasons The HD sails Scottish Solo championship was held as part of the North Berwick regatta on June 7/8. It was an opportunity to sail on the same waters where the Solo National Championships will be held in early August. Posted on 13 Jun