Ferry Marina Solo Inland Championship at Grafham Water Sailing Club - Preview
by Will Loy 31 Aug 15:05 UTC
6-7 September 2025
Ian Houston won the Solo Inlands in 1993 © NSCA
We are just one week away from the penultimate major event of this Solo season and the Inland Championship at Grafham Water is arguably the biggest event of the year if you are salt water intolerant.
I have probably written more Inland Championship promos than I have had capsizes so the chances of me plagiarising myself are high, I will therefore dig deep into my own personal memories of this event and hope that the readers do not bother to check up via the excellent Y&Y class page.
1983 Grafham Water hosted the class for its inaugural Championship, I was one year away from attending open meetings and was still getting to grips with my Vauxhall Chevette, though women still eluded me.
Geoff Carveth in 'Bungler'(Lovett) won the event with three firsts from Craig Moffett in Gail Ellen (Beckett) and Ian Houston in the famous Custard Tart (Lovett), the 63entries confirming that an Inland Championship would be popular. Incidentally, Colin Dobner finished 24th in 3178, a Beckett which had design input from Mervyn Cook of British Moth fame and this boat would end up in my hands for the 1984 season. 3178 was called Metrognome, a play on Mervyn's stature and the hull's rocker shape, a propensity to rock and roll, the by-product.
The newest build was 3392 owned by a P.Geary who finished 35th.
1984 Queen Mary Sailing Club hosted the Solo class, it was sunny and the wind was almost non existent on day 1. Fortunately, some wag at Heathrow Airport had chosen a flight path right over the reservoir, the jet wash from 747's and Tristar's dropping bombs of pressure across the course and keeping everyone on their toes.
Geoff Carveth, racing 3286, resplendent in red, white and blue took the title back to Littleton S.C, 2-1-3-1, his winning distance in one race, over five minutes. Roger Gates, Paul Hemsley, Richard Goodenough and Martin Payne completed a star studded top five. I managed a 7th in race 1 and retired from race 2, setting a trend of erratic score lines which I would maintain for the rest of my career.
Simon Cray was in the newest build, an Utterly 3406 in which he would win the National Championship at Brixham the same year, albeit using a weight jacket!
1985 Back to Grafham Water, 62 entries, good breeze and a roque hot air balloon all contributed to the weekend which was won by Richard Goodenough in his Lovett 'Vindaloo' with Nick Yeoman and Craig Moffett completing the top three. My two top ten finishes spoilt by two in the thirties.
3423 was the newest build, a Beckett owned by the great Craig Moffett.
1986 The fleet visited Oxford S.C. and with 80 entries and a fresh breeze we were set for an epic weekend. I cannot find any full results but Martin Lambert won the title, tied on points with Tony Thresher, the final race win securing the overall victory with Ian Houston, Chris Avery and Peter Gibbard completing the top five. Incidentally, Thresher was racing his own build, 3464 which would later be owned by Malcolm Gandy, a competent sailor but untouchable downwind in that super fast Thresher.
Newest build was 3483, owned by P. Nicholson.
1987 Bala in North Wales was the venue, the drive in my Cortina Mk V was a real road trip and it is true, there are more Sheep in Wales than humans. The breeze blew down the lake for two days, the locals did not speak English and the winner was Andy Bond in his family built Severn Sailboat 4-2-3-9 (composite build) from Jon Clarke in the High Performance Sailboat 3-11-2-4. Robin Webb won two races but an 8-11 destroyed the legends dream of the title by just a quarter of a point third overall still an awesome achievement in a youthful fleet of 72. I had also upgraded to an HPS hull which had minimal rocker, the scoreline of 6-13-7-7 got me to 8th overall and sweetened the long drive south.
Robin Webb was in the newest build 3524, the hull was varnished and it looked striking with black spars.
1988 Chew Valley hosted the fleet of 75 and I remember it being a very tricky weekend with light winds which blew across the lake, never a good direction. Graham Bond won the event from Ian Houston who was OCS in the final race, all very tense. Ian Barker, Nick Yeoman and Peter Brook in a Young build completed the top five, this boat would later be involved in a Shergar type mystery which I will save for another time.
Ian Mitchell's 3568 was the new build but since he recored DSQ DSQ DSQ DSQ I assume his Harmony Wood Solo was un-measured?
1989 Grafham Water, 107 entries and a mixed bag of conditions saw Ken Falcon take the title in emphatic style with four bullets. He was lying 20th with just a run to go in race 1 but the leaders mistakingly took a hitch to a spreader mark allowing a raft of boats to sink under them. Ian Walters, Martin Payne, Andy Bond and Martin Lambert completed the top five. 20-15-24-4 saw me finish 12th overall in my Young Brothers build 3513 complete with McWilliams laminate sail, the only one in the fleet at that time. I also remember dropping my tiller extension in one final tack to the line while covering Lambert for third in the last race.
This was also the event that resulted in a class ban after the bar had been broken into on the Saturday night. You know who you are and its never too late to put your hands up.
Chris Avery was racing the newest Solo in the fleet, 3640, presumably a Thresher.
1990 Oxford was a pretty epic Championship, windy and 113 entries, nuff said. Geoff won all four races in the famous Lovett 3300 (Dick Batt was second at the 1985 World Championship) from Simon Childs and a youthful Jim Hunt.
I had upgraded again to Peter Brooks Thresher 3604, resplendent in snapdragon yellow with black anodised spars, Milanes foils and Performance sail. After capsizing on the line in race 1 I managed to post 11-6-104-17, the race 2 result was after leading Carveth for two laps before capsizing on the run. It still stings.
Ian Houston's Beckett 3715 was the newest Solo in the fleet.
1991 Rutland Water hosted the Solos for the first time and 116 entries reflected the interest in this venue, the cool, windy weather providing a stern test for everyone. Carveth took the title in the Gerry Ledger build with Falcon and Houston completing the podium places and this was despite a DNF in race 1 after his rudder failed.
I had upgraded (again) to a new Thresher 3768, the scoreline of 10-6-3-9 reflecting how nice and breezy it was! I do remember leading race 3 on the Sunday morning with Ian Mitchell, looking back to see Carveth a good 200 yards behind with just one long beat to go. By the finish I could no longer make out his sail numbers, he was that far ahead!
The newest build was Geoff's Ledger Solo 3776.
1992 Draycote Water provided the battleground for 103 competitors and although there was no racing possible on day 1, Sunday's light winds allowed for three tense races. Falcon took the win in his Beckett from Houston, also in a Bob Beckett build. Andy Bond (Severn), Carveth (Gosling) and Hunt (Holt GRP) completed a star studded top five,
3844, a Crawshaw build was the newest Solo, owned by J. Beagley and finished 77th.
I was between boats and women so borrowed 3790, a Crawshaw and finished 8-35-41 and 21st overall. Saturday night in Earlsdon with Jon Clarke destroying any chance of a top ten result.
1993 We returned to Rutland Water and 94 competitors enjoyed good breeze despite an inclement forecast, Houston was on fire in his new Gosling, taking a brace of bullets on day 2 with Carveth, Thresher, A. Bond, McMillan, Hunt and Falcon filling the top seven places, Cliff Crawshaw therefore did well to be eighth!
I did not attend but would have relished beating that line-up!
The newest build was 3907 owned by Jim Hunt and built by Severn Sailboats.
1994 Rutland Water, 84 Solos and a new winner in the form of Graham Scott of Wavelength Sails fame. The bendy rig with fuller roach was taken from his experience in the Contender class and this innovation in rig control, utilising the traveller (which we hardly used) was a game changer, especially for the lighter helm. Ken Falcon, Tony Cook, Jim Hunt and Tony Freer completed the top five places, Freer was racing Solo 1370, a Stone build circa 1960's, what a performance.
3955, a Severn Sailboat owned by Graham Bond was the newest build and 13th overall.
1995 Rutland Water 82 entries, three bullets for Jim Hunt and a race win for Harvey Hillary, announcing himself to the class. Andy Bond, Dave Mitchell, Steve Ede and Allen Burrell completed the top five but it was all about Hunt in the Severn Sailboat, matched with his own design of sail that took the plaudits.
I was between relationships and boats again and had borrowed my dad's Holt build 186, finishing 48th with a score line I will not bother to share.
The newest build was 4015, a Gerry Ledger build in the hands of Alan Husk who proved money does not guarantee success, he was three places ahead of me!
So that is the first thirteen years of Inland Championship history, full of good memories and painful one's but these experiences are what give purpose to our lives, I would suggest you hitch your Solo up and come and make some of your own, starting next weekend at Grafham Water.
We have an amazing prize which, with the EOS will be well worth the journey.
NSCA Vice President and Sponsorship guru Paul Davis writes;
"Over many years the Solo's have been very lucky to have many supporters of the class, from the usual suspects of the builders, sail makers, numerous chandleries, mast manufacturers, fittings manufactures, the various clothing companies, Noble Marine, Life Jacket Skin Protection, Tunnocks and we cant forget Mr Patrick Burns and KLG Estates for countless unforgettable PARS Swag. The list goes on and on and without them the class wouldn't be what it is today, so a massive thanks goes to them.
Its not everyday you can announce something like this, but within the class we have some characters and some very generous people, and this is something amazing to announce and what I will say first is its certainly going to be worth it to be in it!
We have the Inland Championships just around the corner, and the End of Seasons on 15th November, and I'd like to announce the title sponsor for both events is Ferry Marina.
This is not your usual sponsor, but we are very lucky to have them as they have offered up a raffle prize that's one not to be missed. For those who do not know who Ferry Marina is, then you need to look them up or find our very own Chris Bunn in the boat park and say thank you.
Ferry Marina have very generously offered up a 3 or 4 night stay in one of their house boats (up to a four berth) as the raffle prize, it is based up on the Norfolk Broads. So if you fancy a romantic few days away or a trip exploring the Broads with the family, then this is for you, and will certainly get the brownie points in ready for 2026.
I hear your all asking how do we win this fantastic prize, well, like I said you've got to be in it to win it so if you enter the Inlands and attend, you get your name in the hat but if you enter and attend both the Inlands and EOS, you get two entries in the hat for this very special raffle. The winner will be drawn at the EOS Prize Giving (Draycote Water, November 15th). Both events are expected to be well attended soget your entries in and with Ferry Marina sponsoring both, it gives many of you a chance to win. So with that, lets make these last two North Sails Super Series events of 2025 count and end the season on a high, ready for what 2026 has to offer!"
The NSCA media team will be on location and provide unrivalled WhatsApp coverage so why not join the Super Series WhatsApp community and follow the off and on water action via your phone.
You do have to join before the event to ensure you can view all the postings, if you are late, you lose!his event forms part of the North Sails Super Series aFM logo trans.jpegnd do not forget, enter the Inlands and EOS gets you two tickets in the raffle (you must start a race to be considered as an entrant).