HD Sails Solo Traveller at Loch Ard Sailing Club

David Parkin wins the draw during the HD Sails Solo Traveller at Loch Ard © Ross Watson

Saturday 5th October saw the last of the 2019 Scottish Solo Travellers, sponsored by HD Sails at Loch Ard. This is a small club right in the heart of Scotland which, as the club proudly remember, is where Shirley Robertson began her sailing career which culminated in Olympic glory.

The forecast for some days had been showing a F2-F3 Easterly and that is exactly what we got with the gusts and lulls seldom going out of that range. There was a good turnout of 17 boats coming from several clubs with a creditable 6 from CCC Bardowie. The chat in the changing room was about the excuses for absence from Kevan Gibb and Patrick Burns - fair to say the fleet was not impressed. David Sword has been out all season after a knee injury and was back for the first time - attracting some comment as to how much slimmer the break has left him!

The course for the first race can best be described as challenging. The start line was very heavily biased to the pin end and the windward mark could almost be laid in one tack. The next leg was pretty similar as well. Start Gibson came off the line best and held this to the finish with lots of place changes behind him throughout the fleet. He was followed home by Keith Milroy and Malcolm Worsley.

After a hopefully polite chat with the race officer the line and course were changed for the second race with a windward/leeward course. This time the beat was a good one down the length of the loch. The second race was much closer with plenty of battles taking place. At the front Tony King and Stuart Gibson were in contention. Down the second run Ross Watson took the lead by going closer to the north side. Tony King was soon back in front and held on for the win. Second was David Sword showing his speed is still there in his first outing in his Solo this season after his knee injury. Willie Todd sailed consistently and took third.

In the third race Tony King stamped his authority and led all the way round being followed by Stuart Gibson and Keith Milroy. The wind for this race was a little lighter at times but was just as shifty on the P shaped course. As it turned out the first three in the final race were the top three overall.

Over the season Stuart Gibson was a convincing winner of the HD Sails Scottish travellers. First in the silver fleet was David Parkin. The prize for the furthest travelled over the season went to Tony King who has driven up from Bassenthwaite SC several times. The big prize of the season is a 50% voucher for a new sail courtesy of our sponsors HD Sails and sailcloth supplier Contender UK. The winner is drawn from all those who have attended at least four events over the season. This year there were 11 eligible sailors and the lucky winner was David Parkin - just reward for his efforts as Scottish Solo rep over the last few years as he steps down!

Overall Results: