Solway Yacht Club's Big Launch 2025
by Ian Purkis 14 Apr 15:37 BST
12-13 April 2025
The beautiful Solway coast as the backdrop shortly after the first Sunday start of the season - Solway Yacht Club's Big Launch 2025 © Margaret Purkis
After what seemed like a long winter, but with spring sunshine warming Kippford, the Club started a very busy weekend. A large crane had arrived and with the tide filling the creek alongside the pier, the crane started lifting the larger yachts, one at a time, from their winter berths ashore back into their more natural salty element.
Meanwhile, the season's dinghy racing was also getting under way out in the bay. A very light wind and calm sea meant it was a slow start but the 2024 Club and Cadet Champion, Toby Iglehart, soon showed he was intent on continuing where he left off last year.
He was now sailing with an ILCA 6 rig, a step up from his ILCA 4 in 2024. Also in an ILCA 6, Finn Harris showed he wasn't going to make it easy for Toby giving chase in both races. Club Commodore, Scott McColm made up the top three in his Finn with Steve Gaughan and his crew, Struan Ducker, the first of the double handed boats in their Osprey.
That evening the Club launched its 2025 social programme, the evening starting with the Commodore welcoming members and guests. Ian Purkis followed, giving a short presentation on the project to upgrade the clubhouse facilities to include a fully accessible changing, showering and toilet room suitable for wheelchair users, along with other beneficial uses. Another delicious Spring Supper was then served, thanks to Social Secretary, Liz Train and her team.
The formalities concluded with a fundraising raffle and invitation to members to pledge donations to the project, rounding things off.
Sunday and the action resumed. Whilst the sunshine continued there was now a stiffening, chilly breeze from the Southwest. Race Officer John Broadbent set an interesting course with two long beats. Making a welcome return, Dewi Williams joined the fleet in another ILCA 6 along with Ida Iglehart in her Topper.
First race of the day was particularly competitive with multiple changes of the lead. Toby Iglehart had caught the early leaders but an error at the second mark set him back quite a long way behind Finn Harris and Dewi Williams, both sailing in close company with the Osprey, the crew Struan Ducker working hard on the trapeze to control the powerful boat. Approaching the leeward mark for the first time, Dewi got it just right in the inside position with the three ILCA6s rounding together, Dewi emerging with a narrow lead.
Meanwhile Ida was going steadily in her Topper further back. By the downwind leg on the final lap the Osprey had powered ahead and was seemingly heading for line honours in style but, at the final gybe mark, Steve and Struan had a spectacular capsize, dropping them from first to last on the water. This resulted in Toby, who'd now caught and passed the others taking the win with Dewi a well-deserved and popular second.
Race two on Sunday followed a similar pattern at the front with Toby making it a clean sweep, four wins out of four, demonstrating how good he is in both the light stuff and when it blows. Finn crossed the line to take second followed by the rest.
Spring Saturday Series:
1st Toby Iglehart (ILCA6)
2nd Finn Harris (ILCA6)
3rd Scott McColm (Finn)
4th Steve Gaughan & Struan Ducker (Osprey)
Spring Sunday Series:
1st Toby Iglehart (ILCA6)
2nd Finn Harris (ILCA6)
3rd Dewi Williams (ILCA6)
4th Scott McColm (Finn)
5th Steve Gaughan & Struan Ducker (Osprey)
6th Ida Iglehart (Topper)