Scottish Solo Travellers at Newburgh Sailing Club

by Stuart Gibson 21 Sep 2014 23:33 BST 20 September 2014

19 Scottish Solos, sponsored by sailingfast.co.uk, competed in their penultimate traveller series regatta at Newburgh Sailing Club on the River Tay.

Race 1 started with a 2-3 mph wind and an incoming tide which kept most competitors shy of the line, not wanting to have to sail back against the tide if they were over. Stuart Gibson and Hamish Whyte were first through the line and led the way to the first mark. Stuart rounded first closely followed by Hamish and then Andy Hutchison who had closed the gap as Stuart and Hamish had virtually stopped running against the incoming tide.

A slow run to the gybe mark ensued and then a broad reach to the leeward mark. The wind had gone lighter and the race officer in her wisdom shortened the course at the leeward mark. First to cross the finish line was Stuart and then Andy who had managed to pass Hamish a few boat lengths from the line.

With fingers crossed, slack water and very little wind the race officer pressed on with the start sequence of the second race. First to cross the line was Hamish closely followed by Stuart who both managed to tack on the shifts and scrape around the windward mark just as the tide was starting to turn. The other boats were not so lucky and the race became very stretched with Hamish and Stuart now beating back down the river with the tide and the others running against the tide to the windward mark.

Stuart managed to squeeze past Hamish on the run/beat and led around the second mark into a new building wind and yet another beat. Stuart managed to stay in front to the finish with Hamish taking second place and Sandy Day third, who closed the gap on both on the way to the finish.

A mention must go to Hamish for persevering in the third race and actually managing to get to the windward mark, when all but three boats did not manage to cross the start line, only for the race to be abandoned as he did so.

Final overall results were Stuart (first) from Hamish (second) and Robert Signer (third) who was consistently 4th in both races.

Many thanks to Newburgh Sailing Club for their warm welcome, excellent catering and good race management in spite of the fickle conditions.

Overall Results:

Pos	Sail No	Helm	Club	R1	R2	Pts
1	5157	Stuart Gibson	Bardowie CCC	1	1	2
2	4832	Hamish Whyte	Forfar	3	2	5
3	4856	Robert Signer	Loch Ard	4	4	8
4	5107	Andy Hutchinson	Perth	2	9	11
5	4984	Sandy Day	Bardowie CCC	9	3	12
6	5209	David Parkin	Aberdeen & Stonehaven	7	5	12
7	5010	John Cameron	Newburgh	6	7	13
8	5289	Simon Richards	Newburgh	8	10	18
9	5512	J Allen	Newburgh	5	14	19
10	5009	D Chisholm	Newburgh	15	6	21
11	4460	Duncan Robertson	Aberdeen & Stonehaven	13	8	21
12	4963	Don Jamie	Bardowie CCC	10	11	21
13	4502	Walter Mouat	St Andrew's	17	12	29
14	3889	Mike Lidwell	Cove	12	17	29
15	4237	P Low	Newburgh	11	DNS	31
16	2256	C Todd	Newburgh	19	13	32
17	5447	Nigel Ford	St Andrew's	16	16	32
18	4865	M Ramwell	Newburgh	18	15	33
19	5011	R Horner	Newburgh	14	DNS	34