Solo open meeting at Maidenhead Sailing Club

Solo open meeting at Maidenhead © Jennifer Heward-Craig

Solo open meeting at Maidenhead © Jennifer Heward-Craig

Solo open meeting at Maidenhead © Jennifer Heward-Craig

There's wind in them there Solo sails

The twenty-three competitors who arrived to compete in the Maidenhead Sailing Club Solo Open held on Sunday April 15 2018 breathed a sigh of relief – unlike the previous week, there was wind!

Nine visitors and fourteen local sailors (including three women and one very brave junior) took to the waters of Summerleaze Lake, some for their first Open, others as part of the regular Thames Valley series.

Race one saw the full contingent on the lake, making the most of the force two east south-easterly. However, being Summerleaze Lake, the wind turned in a more southerly direction, forcing a change of course to keep the first leg as a beat.

After a clean start, Fraser Hayden (Papercourt) was first around the windward mark, closely followed by Godfrey Clark (Fishers Green) and the rest of the fleet, but by the second mark, the boats had spread out, with the more experienced sailors well ahead. The wind continued variable, changing speed and direction, which spread the fleet out even more. As the race was shortened, the wind dropped, leaving Hayden to take first and Clark second. The battle for third was resolved close to the line, with Steve Jones (Littleton) sneaking across ahead of Andrew Wilson (Maidenhead).

After lunch, the wind increased to a force four, making for some lively racing. Hayden was first across the line, but the traffic jam of boats at the first windward mark forced him down to seventh and let Tim Wade (Spinnaker) get clear of the fleet. By the end of the second lap, Clark had got ahead, but Hayden had made up lost ground to be third at the leeward mark. He continued his comeback by taking a higher line than the rest, leaving him clean wind to the windward mark, and giving him the inner line at the mark ahead of Clark. After that, he was not headed, and crossed the line first, ahead of Clark and Wade.

A number of retirements meant only seventeen boats raced the last race, hard on the finish of Race two. Everyone got cleanly away, but with the wind changing direction again, the boats made the windward mark with only one or two tacks. Terry Palmer (Upper Thames) was the surprise lead at the first mark, ahead of Lewis and Wilson. The first four boats broke away from the spread out fleet, getting well ahead.

Solo open meeting at Maidenhead - photo © Jennifer Heward-Craig

Some confusion at the second windward mark – the leading boat not only went around the mark, but he then inserted another. This led some of the following boats to ignore the true course, and go around the 'new' mark. They then had to go back and sail around the true mark (this despite having sailed the course with no problems for the first lap). Hayden, having already secured first overall, decided that going back was a sail too far, and retired, leaving the field open to others to secure the minor placings. Palmer extended his lead, taking line honours, with Lewis getting ahead of Clark for second.

After a protest, and the totting of totals, Fraser Hayden was first overall, two points ahead of Godfrey Clark, with Tim Lewis third. Stas Lawicki (Papercourt) was first in the Silver Fleet. Local Maidenhead sailors didn't miss out - Joanne Barnes was Ladies Champion, while Tom Knight was Junior Champion.

Solo open meeting at Maidenhead (from left to right): Fraser Hayden (1st); Stas Lawicki (1st – Silver Fleet); Tim Lewis (3rd); Joanne Barnes (Ladies); Godfrey Clark (2nd); Tom Knight (Junior) - photo © Jennifer Heward-Craig

Overall Results: