HD Sails Scottish Solo Travellers at Dalgety Bay Sailing Club

Race 3 - HD Sails Scottish Solo Travellers at Dalgety Bay © Ian Renilson

Dalgety Bay Sailing Club hosted the final round of the HD Sails-sponsored Scottish Solo Traveller Series on 3 October, with 11 boats in attendance from as far afield as St Mary's Loch and Chanonry SC - separated by only 210 miles.

The fleet was well fed before racing with bacon, egg and veggie rolls on offer at the club. Ian Baillie was in multitasking mode, organising the event while also competing. There was some hope that he might therefore be a little less focused on the water. This proved optimistic.

The wind was a brisk 11-18 knot westerly, backing as the day progressed. Race Officer Peter Taylor set a sausage-triangle-sausage course. There was no need to pass through the start line on windward leg, opening up the beats and making the strong tidal current an important tactical factor.

Alastair Stevenson was quick out of the blocks in Race 1 in his new boat, but the biggest gains went to those who avoided the stronger current offshore and followed Baillie inshore on port. Baillie rounded the windward mark ahead of Malcolm Worsley and Keith Milroy.

Race 1 downwind - HD Sails Scottish Solo Travellers at Dalgety Bay - photo © Ian Renilson

At the first leeward mark, boats tacking onto starboard to clear their air became more exposed to the stronger current further out, allowing Ben Yeats to move into second. Charlie Brecknell, meanwhile, steadily recovered from being buried in the pack while familiarising himself with a boat kindly lent by Kevan Gibb.

Baillie won in style. Meanwhile Yeats had headed off right expecting another lap and had to reach back down to the finish, allowing Brecknell through for second. Worsley and Stevenson completed a close battle behind.

Race 2 produced the closest racing of the day. Yeats had the best start at the committee boat end and shortly tacked onto port to shadow Baillie up the beat. The pair were first to the windward mark and traded the lead several times throughout the race, while Brecknell made gains in the middle part of the race by going further inshore on the beat.

For the short windward sprint to the finish, Baillie won from Yeats by less than a boat length. Brecknell followed in third, with Milroy fourth and Roddy Henry fifth.

With two wins, Baillie had already secured the event before the final race, leaving the main battle for second overall between Brecknell and Yeats. Milroy was still in with a chance if he could secure the race win and other results went his way.

Charlie Brecknell - HD Sails Scottish Solo Travellers at Dalgety Bay - photo © Ian Renilson

Brecknell controlled that start and took the lead from Baillie on the first run. Yeats passed Baillie for second by the end of the first run, while Brecknell steadily extended his lead and seemed particularly good at carrying his power through the lulls. Milroy challenged Yeats for second place on the third beat, but a short hitch left to clear his air allowed Baillie back through to third.

Brecknell took the win from Yeats, Baillie and Milroy, with Andrew Hewett in fifth place. Overall victory went to Baillie, with Brecknell second and Yeats taking third place.

Once ashore, the fleet was treated to some very welcome soup provided by the Baillie family and served up by Patrick Burns, along with plenty of end-of-season prizes kindly supplied by event sponsors HD Sails.

The event also brought the 2026 Scottish Solo Traveller season to a close, with further congratulations to Ian Baillie, overall winner of the 2026 HD Sails Scottish Solo Traveller Series.

A big thank you to Dalgety Bay Sailing Club, the race team and everyone who helped ashore and afloat, and to HD Sails for their continued sponsorship of the Scottish Solo Traveller Series.

Ian Baillie, overall winner - HD Sails Scottish Solo Travellers at Dalgety Bay - photo © Ian Renilson

Overall Results:

Prizegiving - HD Sails Scottish Solo Travellers at Dalgety Bay - photo © P Burns