Please select your home edition
Edition
Feb-Nov23 Leaderboard Lasdrop2

Solo class April Series at Hayling Island Sailing Club

by Mike Lennon 29 Apr 2024 16:08 BST April 2024
Wednesday night start of the Solos at Hayling © Sarah Mitchell

The Solo class has historically enjoyed a good following at Hayling Island and the start of 2024 is no exception with several brand new boats and new faces in a mixture of new and used boats.

After several weeks of self-supported tuning days pre-season, with some attracting 8 boats, the racing started proper with the club's first "Pennant weekend" of 2024. These are stand alone race weekends. The solo class always gets it's own fleet start and after some close racing in very mixed conditions, a dominant display from Alex Butler taking the minimum points score possible. Martin Frary eased into second and Alec Powell sharing the podium champagne in third. Class stalwart Nick Rawlings edged out Mike Lennon and Nick Peters to take the leather medal. Class President Guy Mayger joined the fun on Sunday only and despite playing near the front with a second and sixth had to carry a 21st.

19 boats enjoyed the opening event which set up the April series consisting of the remaining April Sundays with 2 races scheduled each week.

Sunday 7th nearly didn't happen due to high winds, but 4 boats braved the condition - Alex Butler continued his winning ways with Mike Lennon second - next was Nick Rawling followed by Nick Webb. The second race was abandoned.

Sunday the 14th was shifty and light which brought Alec Powell to the front in both races. Alex Butler hung on to collect two seconds with Richard Harding and Paul Lewis collecting a third each.

Sunday the 21st was another wind fest with a shifty north easterly coming and and going. Despite the big boy condition again Alex Butler who is at the lighter end of the scale took the first win of the day with Guy Mayger in second and Martin Frary in third. Race two was a little lighter but certainly more shifty and gusty, Alec Powell took this one despite capsizing in a mighty down draft. Mike Lennon took second with Alex Butler in third.

So on Sunday the 28th things were wide open, but Alex Butler took the first win sliding down the inside of Mike Lennon on the last run. Guy Mayger took third. The condition ranged from a shifty north west to west south west and back making course setting tricky. As a result a lot of port was sailed, not really allowing for many tactical option upwind so, more place swapping was going on down wind. In the last race Guy Mayger showed his speed to take easy victory with Mike Lennon fighting off another late lunge down the inside from Alex Butler.

20 boats did at least one race with most weekends having 10 to 15 at the start.

Alex Butler won the series from Alec Powell after some shenanigans at the finish line of the last race which saw a near collision between them. Lennon took third with Mayger forth and Richard Bailey fifth.

All of Hayling's Sunday results can be found at hisc.co.uk/media/17688/april-series.html

Related Articles

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
Solo Eastern Championship at Brightlingsea
Bright sunny skies and a light easterly wind greeted the sailors Bright sunny skies and a light easterly wind greeted the Solo sailors at Brightlingsea for the Eastern Championship. Posted on 11 Jun
Solo Eastern Travellers at Norfolk Broads
3 competitive races as part of the NBYC Dinghy Weekend The Norfolk Broads Yacht Club hosted the latest Solo Eastern Travellers event on the 7th June. The growing club fleet welcomed visitors from various East Anglian clubs and 11 boats contested three competitive races as part of the NBYC Dinghy Weekend. Posted on 11 Jun
Solo Southern Championships at Lymington Town
Club put on a weekend that will be remembered for many years to come Well, what a weekend, those that made it were certainly treated to what Lymington Town Sailing Club and the western Solent really has to offer! Thank you, your put on a weekend that will be remembered for many many years to come! Posted on 10 Jun
Salcombe YC Sailing Club Series final race
Despite the drenching, it was a fantastic afternoon on the water With winds forecast in excess of 30mph all week, ten hardy Solo sailors made it to the starting area, and despite the conditions seeming sailable most chose to wait until the preparatory signal by using the comparative protection of Smalls Cove. Posted on 9 Jun
Allen Solo Midlands Series at Draycote
Some sizeable shifts kept competitors on their toes Draycote Water Sailing Club, Act 4 of the Midland Big Lakes series hosted its Solo Open Meeting on Saturday 7th June, supported by CB Trailer and Covers, welcoming a strong and competitive fleet of 14 boats from clubs across the Midlands and beyond. Posted on 9 Jun
Solo and Laser open at Middle Nene
After a more than a 15 year break, these classes are together again After a more than a 15 year-long break, Middle Nene SC has re-introduced the joint Open Meeting for the Solo and Laser (ILCA) classes, and 19 competitors from MNSC and Cransley SC made the most of the near-perfect conditions on 31st May 2025. Posted on 3 Jun
Solo Western Series at Chew
A westerly has the ability to dunk the unsuspecting At last! Gone are the fickle and variable north easterly winds to be replaced by a punchy and vigorous westerly and anyone that knows a Chew westerly will be grinding their teeth with thoughts about it's ability to dunk the unsuspecting. Posted on 2 Jun
Solo Southern Area Circuit at Bough Beech
Good tactical racing in the Weald of Kent The National Solo Class Association (NSCA) Southern Area Circuit travelled to Bough Beech Sailing Club for their annual open on 24 May. Bough Beech reservoir is situated in the Weald of Kent enjoying 400-acres of water. Posted on 27 May
Singlehanded Regatta at Hayling Island
Finns, Europes and Solos don't let the forecast put them off a glorious weekend Day one Charlie Bradshaw held the fleets on shore for an hour on Saturday morning, a fair amount of hope but an early strong easterly can have a detrimental effect on a sea breeze here so there was certainly a little trepidation in the fleet. Posted on 26 May