SSA - Chesapeake Soling Fleet – Spring Series

written by _Unkown _USA  on  April 16  of  2024 and read by 229

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The Chesapeake Soling Fleet kicked off the 2024 sailing season with the Severn Sailing Association Spring Series on April 13-14. After a long and not so kind winter for frostbiting, the fleet consisting of 9 (yes 9) registered boats was ready to get out on the water. But mother nature was not ready to give up that easily. Saturday greeted the sailors to steady winds of 25-28 kts with gusts up to 40 kts. All were inclined to chalk the day up on the water as a loss but used the time wisely to continue our planning for the Soling North Americans to be held at SSA May 8-12. Sunday's winds began with a wimper but steadily built to beautiful south westerly breeze to provide the 7 competitors with a marvelous day of sailing on the Bay.

Race 1 - Started in a 12-knot breeze and had all competitors hanging in on the first weather leg to make the first mark rounding interesting as there was a significant current to contend with. USA 798 (Dize) rounded first and did not look back to finish first with USA 852 (Thomas) finishing second and USA 831 (Will Turner) finishing third.

Race 2 – Saw the wind starting to build to 15-18 kts as well as the wave heights from the southerly fetch of the breeze up the Bay. The RC was a bit anxious to get the second race started and caught half the fleet significantly late for the start. USA 798, 852, and newcomer 1852 (Ian Berke) started at the gun. This turned into a 3-boat match race with Dize rounding first at the weather mark. For the remainder of the race, the three continued to hold their positions to make it a very close race. With only a slight downwind lead at the finish, Dize was nosed out (per the RC video) by Thomas by less than 2 inches at the finish with Berke in third.

Race 3 – The breeze built slightly to 15-20 kts and everybody got back on the correct starting clock. USA 857 (Karin Campia Olsen) had a great pin end start and kept going to the left side of the course. This appeared to be the correct strategy as she rounded the weather mark first with USA 798 rounding second on her heels. USA 798 with a better spinnaker set and early jibe on a course to the leeward mark, was able to get ahead down the leeward leg. With the fleet spread out, the newcomer Ian Berke in USA 1852 made it a race, USA 798 covered his every move to record another first. USA 852 (Thomas) finished third.

The podium positions went to Dize – First, Thomas – Second, and Berke Third. See results for all finishes.
Complete Results


We also used KWINDOO to see how the system worked. Links to the racing on KWINDOO are available.
Kwindoo Tracking

At this moment we have 9 SSA boats registered out of 17 teams to participate in the North Americans. We are busily planning and looking forward to our Soling friends attending SSA to make the North Americans one of the remembered and talked about events of 2024.
2024 North American Microsite

2024 NA Champs Teaser by Felix Kling






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