SOLENT RACING
SOLENT RACING
Image: Sam Kurtul
A few people claim to dislike racing in the Solent, because it’s such a tricky place. It’s true that it has strong tides, complex wind patterns, lots of leisure and commercial traffic, choppy water, and ever-changing conditions - but, for many sailors, it’s the complexity that makes Solent racing such a rewarding challenge. Windward-leeward courses set in areas of no tide and with steady winds may create a ‘fairer’ race course but they can become repetitive and limited in their challenge. Boat speed and tactics are highlighted but strategy, navigation, and boat handling get much more of a test around Solent courses. The ideal, of course, is to enjoy and learn from both. Fortunately, the Solent offers plenty of locations that allow a variety of courses, even windward-leeward courses in areas that enjoy some tidal shelter. Consequently, this wonderful, sheltered area is home to a rich mixture of events, including racing for dinghies, small keelboats, cruiser-racers, and handicap and level-racing for larger racing yachts. Most racing from Cowes for example, and there is a huge amount of it in all types of boats, takes place in the central Solent but courses can also be set in the eastern and western Solent, depending on conditions. The Hill Head Plateau, just to the east of the Brambles Bank, is a favourite place for race officers to set windward-leeward courses as it benefits from shallow water for easy mark laying and the tidal shadow of the bank to its west. Sometimes, though, race officers forget that there are other areas in the central Solent that can be even better for windward-leeward courses in some combinations of wind and tide. The area inshore and to the northwest of the Thorn channel, and the area to the east of Osborne Bay under the Isle of Wight shore, can both be good alternatives, as can close under the mainland shore, inshore of the north channel around the Brambles. In this section of the Solent Handbook you’ll find some general information on Solent racing, including types of courses, how racing is organised, getting involved, finding crew, and preparing for racing. For more information ask at your local club and check solenthandbook.com.
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solenthandbook.com
