News - 2012

16:27 Wednesday 15 Aug 2012 Sue Pelling/CWLSolent Sunbeams move with the times

To celebrate the launch of a recently adopted glassfibre version of the Solent Sunbeam, one of the new boats is on display along the Parade, near the Royal Yacht Squadron.

The Solent Sunbeam, designed by Alfred Westmacott in 1923, is a one-design dayboat, traditionally built of wood but recent developments in the class has led to a new glassfibre version being adopted. There are five of the new glassfibre boats here at Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week racing on equal terms with the older boats.

The development within the class began several years ago when the rising costs of new builds reached a level that was unviable for the majority of owners. This led to an experimental new glassfibre boat, built by Mark Downer at SM Structures, being trialled at Cowes Week in 2010.

The idea was to produce a boat that could be built for less, but raced on level terms with existing wood boats. Roger Wickens who owns Molly, the new boat on display on the Parade, and who is sailing his old boat Danny here this week, said it was a big step but something had to be done. “We needed to do something about declining fleet numbers, and work out how to attract new-comers to the class. We thought the risk of not doing anything exceeded the risk of not having a go at trying to develop a glassfibre hull.”

After a successful evaluation period, the new glassfibre version was adopted. “We were so thorough in making sure the glassfibre version was absolutely on level terms with the older boats, we are now satisfied the racing is totally fair.”

To endorse this claim, Wickens and his wife Jacky are currently leading the fleet in their 74-year-old boat Danny beating all five brand-new boats also racing here at Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week. They won the first three races and took second on Tuesday, which puts them in a clear 12-point lead at the midway point of the regatta.