SORC Offshore Series 2025 - Week 1
by Don Forster 14 May 21:09 UTC
Don Forster in 'Memory Maker' heading to Weymouth - SORC Offshore Series week 1 © Simon Mitchell
Don Forster (Memory Maker) reports on the SORC Offshore Series which kicked off last weekend.
Race 1 - Saturday – Cowes to Weymouth
A fleet of 16 boats, predominantly solo with the odd double-hand, gathered in stunning sunshine and building breeze from the east. Both starts got away cleanly and set about running down the Solent, initially against the tide, most electing for the building eddy inshore.
In Class 2 a battle commenced between Rob Macgregor’s Mustang 30 Dark Horse, George Isted’s SJ320 Furiosa, First 31.7 Memory Maker (Don Forster) & Hustler SJ30 Freedom (Tom Lee), with the chasing pack close behind.
Steadily the front three pulled away, playing the tide and shifts towards the Hurst Narrows. From Hurst to Bridge saw a significant veer to the SE and gusts to 18 Kts. Keeping the boat upright and staying high enough to avoid the Shingles focussed the mind and induced some clenching!
The leg across to St Albans was a pure joy, good breeze, full sun and high boat speeds. Memory Maker clung on to Furiosa, with the pair steadily pulling distance on the lower rating Dark Horse until Memory Maker did the decent thing, broaching long enough to allow Dark Horse to surf past at 11kts. Rob’s grin lasted to the prize giving!
The excitement was only to build with Furiosa choosing to gybe off, tight into the cliffs, initially gaining but then having its own drama. This left Dark Horse and Memory Maker battling it out as Weymouth Bay really turned on the style, with full sunshine and 20Kts.
Line honours were taken by Ed Sneddon’s Farrier F36 Solan Goose. Memory Maker pulled out on Dark Horse but not enough on corrected. As these boats finished Weymouth Bay turned up the wick again to a fully fresh to fruity 25 Kts and lumpy sea. Stephen Schofield’s J111 Mustigo flew an ‘ambitious’ sail plan (his words) until his large spinnaker rearranged itself into two small ones. Tired bodies with wide grins attended the informal prize giving on the pontoon, followed by dinner, tempered only by an early start and prospect of windward leg home.
Results:
1st – Dark Horse, Rob Macgregor
2nd – Memory Maker, Don Forster
3rd – Freedom, Tom Lee
Race 2 - Sunday - Weymouth to Solent
The 7:30am start seemed to follow on from the evening’s social very quickly indeed. Noting the forecast of dropping breeze later in the day, the Race Committee set the finish at North Head, just outside of the Solent. The fleet set off into 14-18 Kts from the NE initially, with 3 hours or so of fair tide. The beat was a challenging affair with lumpy seas, a persistently right shifting wind, eventually going all the way round to SE, oscillations in between and large changes in pressure keeping everyone busy.
Memory Maker elected for the left side of the beat early, followed by Dark Horse, the pair of X332s, Pyxis (Kirsteen Donaldson) and Felix (Christoph Friedrich) initially showing well. Memory Maker hit her stride, revelling in the conditions, steadily pulling away from Dark Horse and managing to sail significantly higher than the fleet to leeward.
The decision of when to tack into St Albans was critical, particularly with the expected right shift.
Mustigo made up for Saturday with an impressive line honours display, but not enough on corrected time. Memory Maker followed David Bright’s A31 Kitty over the line in the dropping breeze to take her maiden bullet in class and overall.
Results:
1st – Memory Maker, Don Forster
2nd – Kitty, David Bright
3rd – Pyxis, Kirsteen Donaldson
Postscript
This has been my first experience of Solo racing and SORC. I could not have been made to feel more welcome, the social and camaraderie side is better than I imagined. Solo racing is a challenge, no doubt about that, however I have found it hugely rewarding.
Full results: www.offshoresolo.com/race-results