Solo class April Series at Hayling Island Sailing Club

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