Solo Thames Travellers at Island Barn Reservoir Sailing Club

Solos at Island Barn Reservoir © Nick Marley

Solos at Island Barn Reservoir © Nick Marley

Solos at Island Barn Reservoir © Nick Marley

Well, it was one of those days that if you were on the duty team and positioned on the safety boat at windward mark you knew you would be busy. Not because you would be rescuing overturned boats. Instead as the light wind kept shifting from anywhere between the south and the west you had a busy day moving the windward marks to get as near perfect first beat at the Island Barn Reservoir SC Solo Open.

With a forecast of next to no wind 11 Solo sailors turned up to the club ready to rig and sail. The course was set and after toying with a postponement of the start, suddenly a bit of breeze arrived and the race team and sailors rushed onto the water to get going.

In what only the race officer could think was eagerness to get going, about 9 of the 11 boats decided to be on the course before the starting gun had gone. So, the general recall flag was raised along with two extra hoots from the committee boat's gun. Everyone returned back to the start but the scene had been set, despite the light winds it was going to be a day of very competitive sailing.

For the first race the race officer set just two laps due to the light winds. Clearly a few boats had not looked at committee boat as on the last lap they rounded the final mark and started to head back upwind instead of going to the finish line. Having travelled all the way from Brightlingsea SC, Jarvis Simpson was fully aware that he should bear off to the finish line and was rewarded with winning the first race just ahead of Papercourt's Frazer Hayden. It looked like Godfrey Clerk was going to be third but suddenly he turned around to take a penalty giving Paul Playle the third place.

The wind managed to hold up for the morning and the afternoon just enough for the races to get 2 or 3 laps per race. Paul Playle, Godfrey Clerk, Jarvis Simpson, Frazer Hyden and Steve Jones battled for the podium places with each of them sharing the top 3 places of the remaining races. However, with two firsts and a second place Godfrey replicated his 2003 IBRSC Solo Open by taking the overall first place. Second and third places were so close with both Fazer and Jarvis finishing on 7 points, but with his second place in the first race Frazer just pipped Jarvis in the overall standings.

As the sailors packed up whilst the wind duly dropped to nothing allowing everyone to enjoy some cream teas and scones looking out over the reservoir as the prizes were awarded by Peter Halliday, IBRSC Solo Fleet Captain.

Overall Results: