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Solway Yacht Club Open Day at Kippford
On one of the best days of warm sunshine so far this year and with a light southerly wind two hundred visitors aged from 3 to many over 80 years of age came from all over Scotland and other parts of the UK to Kippford on Saturday. They were here to enjoy one of the best Solway Yacht Club Open Days in recent times. A warm welcome was given by club members to all visitors who wanted to sample the club’s facilities both on and off the water.
Kippford has been described by the Kippford Village Association as a “Hidden Gem” and seeing it from the sea shows this scenic village at its best. As the incoming tide of the river Urr laps gently onto the shore the many high contrast features of the seafront buildings are shown off at their best.
Boat rides out into Rough Firth, past Rough Island even towards Hestan Island, were available in a large sailing cruiser, rigid inflatable boats (RIBs) and not least the Club’s sailboats powered only by the wind. These included Dinghy types such as Toppers, Picos. Fevas, a Buzz and a Bahia. Boat names of these include “Picoboo”, “Nightfeva”, “Discofeva”, “I think I have a Feva” and Charlotte”.
After sailing, for those who went out in boats and also for those who did not go afloat a great welcome was made to one and all in the Clubhouse. Here they enjoyed tea, coffee, soft drinks and a delicious variety of home-made cakes showing off the excellent baking skills of many of the Club’s members.
On Friday 10th, a number of members had also completed an on and off the water Royal Yachting Association (RYA) Safety Boat course. The weekend’s sunshine and fair winds allowed for maximum on water time to test out the background theory and give the boat drivers and their crew the necessary valuable experience to complete this important qualification. Thanks are given to the instructors April Whitely, Alan Gilman and Julian Stanning. Congratulations are due to Simon Blissett, David Reilly, Emma McRobert, Andy Adair, Katie Bishop, Richard Bishop and James Bishop.
On Saturday May 25th 11 large yachts and powerboats – the Solway Yacht Club’s “Solway Armada” will sail or motor over to Whitehaven for a special social weekend at Whitehaven Marina.
Another important further event for the Club this year will happen on the weekend of May 25th and 26th. This is the honour of hosting a country-wide competition open to all owners if Finn dinghy boats north and south of the border. That weekend the Club will also celebrate its 120th anniversary of existence. This will take the form of a special Regatta and social event in the evening.
Given the success of this year’s Open Day next year’s Open Day is being looked forward to with much enthusiasm
Report by Robert Dinwiddie and images courtesy of Becky Davison and Emma McRobert
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High Tide and Hot Pursuit!
Images by Richard Bishop
Despite an early tide in Kippford, the Solway Yacht Club still had time to hold their popular annual Spring Pursuit race. Held over 90 minutes, the slowest rated boats start first, progressing to the fastest last, the winner being the race leader at the 90-minute point. With the tide still rising and little wind, Race Officer and handicapper, John Broadbent, unexpectedly set an up-river course to the first turning mark before the fleet set off down the estuary to a second mark out in the bay.
First away was Cadet Lucy Leyshon, leading the fleet in her Topper on reaching the first mark, followed by 2023 Cadet Champion, Toby Iglehart in his ILCA4 Laser who took the lead shortly after and held it until he reached the moored yachts. At the 20-minute point, the Firefly of Ian and Margaret Purkis got past and stretched their lead out into the bay but with less than ten minutes to go, the Flying Fifteen of Colin Filer and Jamie Gascoigne, closely followed by the Finns of first Stewart Mitchell and the Keith Veasey were all coming into contention, the four leading boats virtually “mast abeam” although quite spread out. At the second turning mark, the Filer/Gascoigne Flying Fifteen was first round, just ahead of Mitchell second, followed by Veasey and the Purkis crew, finishing in that order, but the Firefly lucky to hold on to fourth with the fast-closing Osprey of Steve and Linda Gaughan right on their tail as the 90-minute finish sounded.
Regrettably racing the following day was abandoned with flat calm conditions.
The Club’s Open Day is this Saturday 11th May starting at 12.00 midday, when the Club looks forward to welcoming the local community to sample the delights of all types of boating in our beautiful surroundings.
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Photos by Emma McRobert
There was quite a buzz about Kippford at the weekend seeing the start of the cadet coaching and racing. Whilst there has been some club racing over the last few weekends, this weekend was all about the cadets.
The fair winds and sunshine made for great conditions for a group of five 9-11 year olds. Under the watchful eye of RYA Senior Instructor April Whiteley, the cadets took to the water in Picos; two in a boat to build on last year’s skills and blow away the cobwebs. They progressed well over the course of the weekend all sailing by themselves on the Sunday. One cadet said, “I capsized the boat, but it was fine, April believed in me, which gave me the confidence and determination to get the boat upright myself”.
The sun continued to shine on Sunday and the racing kicked off for the more advanced cadets. It was great to see the friendship forged over the last few years, rekindled within minutes. Organised by Training Officer, Emma McRobert, the cadet series is aimed as a steppingstone towards the main racing series and to ensure there is an element of fun to racing. A “buddy” system was introduced where cadets had to work with each other, thinking about the course, their start, talking tactics, learning and supporting each other on and off the water. After a short briefing 12 boats made their way out to the start hut. The coaches were able to observe and take notes during the racing to provide a valuable learning debrief back off the water.
There are four dates in the series and a theme for each. Sunday’s theme was mark rounding with ribbons and Haribo’s attached to one of the marks; making cadets focus on their approach and rounding. With a variety of boats taking part there is a handicap system, so even if you are first over the water, you must wait for the race results! But there is more to sailing that just winning the race, so a points system has also been introduced for sportsmanship, putting their skills into action and progression…points could also be deducted! Making sure there was the fun element, and all can be played for, even if you aren’t having your best race. A fantastic start to the series, and we can’t wait to see what the season brings for these fantastic kids. A huge thanks to everyone who made this happen. Next race day is 8th June, more sunshine please!
In the meantime it’s the Club’s Open Day on on Saturday 11th May 2024 when the Club looks forward to welcoming the local community to sample the delights of all types of boating in our beautiful surroundings.
Photos by April Whiteley
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Solway Yacht Club’s Easter Eggstravaganza
All over the Easter weekend, the Solway Yacht Club launched its 2024 sailing season. With both on shore challenges and competitive racing on the water, in weather that varied from low temperatures and strong winds to warm spring sunshine, Easter 2024 had just about everything.
Cadets Fun Day:
First off on Good Friday, the cadets started the season by taking part in the brand-new local RNLI 200 Walking Quiz throughout Kippford. In the very mixed weather conditions the Cadets stayed positive, racing against one another. This was the trial run of our lifeboat’s quiz which will be available for everyone from the Lifeboat Shop. The cadets’ completed answer sheets have been handed in to the RNLI for marking, with the winners to be declared later. The quiz is one of three compiled by the local RNLI, comprising of short, medium, or long courses around and in the hills above the village. After the cadets did the short course, it was Easter Eggs all round and good wishes for those taking part in racing over the following two days.
Competitive sailing 2024 launched:
Saturday dawned foul with strong bitter-cold wind and the promise of better weather later. The Easter series of five races was under the expert eye of Race Officer John Broadbent who set challenging triangular courses in the bay. A couple of crews never launched given the conditions while two others had a capsize or broken gear before even reaching the start.
A clean start to race one by those that did make the line, didn’t last long. Only a few seconds into the race and close in-shore, toe-strap failure on the RS Vision of James Bishop and Noa Crowley pitched James backwards in the cold salty stuff followed by the inevitable capsize. Taking avoiding action, Scott McColm in his Finn narrowly avoided both a collision with the capsized Vision’s mast and the very close-by rocks. However, Stewart Mitchell in another Finn and the welcome return of Alec Glendinning in his Laser Vortex led the fleet before another gear failure, this time to the Vortex, forced his retirement and a pit stop back at the pier. Not too far back the Cadets Finn Harris and Toby Iglehart were having the first of several closely matched races in their ILCA4 (Laser 4.7s). This was Iglehart’s very first sail in the 4.7 having moved up a class from his previous Topper.
Race two and a depleted fleet again had 2023 Club Champion Mitchell continuing from where he left off, disappearing into the distance. By Race three the sun was now shining and the wind dropping, and both Glendinning and the Bishop/Crowley crew had returned, the latter switching to a GP14 for the rest of this series. Really enjoying his first ILCA4 sailing, Iglehart now got the better of his fellow Cadet Harris to take second in the race.
Day two of the series and Easter Sunday welcomed wall to wall Spring sunshine but still with a now gusty Easterly blowing straight down from over the nearby hills. The non-starters and retirements from day one joined the fleet together with several additions making for a crowded start line. Again, the Mitchell Finn and Glendinning Vortex led the fleet with a big gap between the leaders and a gutsy Lucy Leyshon sailing hard in her Topper to a strong fourth overall never far from the rest. Iglehart now really going well, again got the better of Harris in the ILCA4 while Keith Veasey was 6th in the second Finn beating McColm in another Finn into 8th, the two split by James Colbeck in another ILCA4. A better result for Bishop/Crowley GP14 was spoiled by the jib sheet coming loose, handing 9th place to the Firefly of Ian Purkis and Ida Iglehart.
Race five and for once Mitchell was one of two boats over the line at the start so were recalled, starting late but soon off giving chase but Mitchell was still OCS, spoiling what could have been a clean sweep of five out of five wins. Nevertheless, it was congratulations all round but “Sail of the Eggstravaganza” had to go to Toby Iglehart finishing second overall.
The Club’s annual Open Day is now not far off on Saturday 11th May when the Club looks forward to welcoming the local community to sample the delights of all types of boating in our beautiful surroundings.
Article by Ian Purkis - All images by Margaret Purkis
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Down for the first time in 50 years, and four hours later, back up!
A well-known local landmark along Rough Firth in Kippford, the Solway Yacht Club’s Race Officer’s Box mast, had stood for over fifty years marking the end of the Club’s start and finish line. However, its rigging was showing its age and while previous minor maintenance had been done off a ladder, more substantial work was needed that required it at ground level. Made of a heavy metal section that was once part of a large ocean-going yacht, lowering it safely without a crane was potentially tricky. After careful preparation and in fine early Spring sunshine, a team of experienced members were briefed, and work started, rigging temporary ropes at key points secured to the shoreline rocks.
Saturday morning visitors to Kippford then watched the mast slowly lowered before coming to rest on trestles set up to receive it. Once down, the team set to, checking the fittings, most in surprisingly good condition, and replacing fewer than anticipated. With new shrouds fitted and securing bolts replaced, it was time to raise it once again. The process was reversed and with the help of one particularly strong member, seemed easier than anticipated. Shrouds were then secured, and the halyards safely fed and cleated inside the “Starting Hut” ready for the new season, starting over Easter. The team then enjoyed a well-earned break with one or two younger ones looking forward to doing it all again in another fifty years!
Ian Purkis
Mast Team Leader
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Recently, the club had need of a repair to a fixed VHF radio. A search of the internet revealed a number of companies but all wanted around half the value of the set just to look at it. Fortunately, a mountain rescue pal put me onto Willie Macpherson of Highland Signals Ltd. and they agreed a no fix no fee job. As it happened, it was not a big job but, even so, the price of £25 (plus VAT and carriage) seemed very reasonable indeed. They even threw in a new fuse holder and some connectors. Everything came back looking very neat. Their email is
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The club came away from the RYA Scotland Awards evening with one direct success and one indirect.
The trophy for Club of the Year was brought home to Kippford and the honour was all the sweeter when you consider the quality of the other two clubs on the shortlist; Royal Northern and Clyde YC and East Lothian YC. East Lothian now head for London as a shortlisted club for the UK awards and we wish them well.
Our one time cadet captain Jock Wishart was successful in the competition for Performance of the Year. Jock took the trophy with his Commodore's Cup team, who went to Cowes and came back not only victorious but very clearly the top team. Jock was kind enough to mention the club in his acceptance speech.
One thing we learned was that, should you be at a Burns Supper and Jock is addressing the Great Chieftain o' the Puddin Race, you'll hear and see a lively address; just keep out of claymore range! See Jock in full cry on the Facebook page.