2009 A record 17 Solos attended the Bloody Mary proving that the Solo media machine could convince anybody that racing in artic temperatures was a good idea. NSCA membership is £18, Severn Sailboats were selling their Solos as complete composites or as a kit for the owner to build and you could buy a Chris Brown combo for £590. Dan Goodman and Viince Horey competed in a blustery Battle of the Classes, Goodman sixth while Horey went swimming. Winder, JJ Boats and Gosling( built in ply-foam-ply) displayed their respective builds at Alexandria Palace. The Winters was won by Jim Hunt but the headline was Cumbley capsizing at the gybe mark. 66 Solos attended the Spring Championship, Cumbley, Brown and McGregor completing the podium. The Selden D+ was the dominant mast section, Boon and Speed hulls the weapons of choice. The Dutch class were really pushing the Solo ideology, Claar van Der Does was a witty and enthusiastic Chairman and batches of Winders and Speeds were making their way across the North Sea with some regularity. The Dutch have a long history with the class but many of the fleet raced vintage Solos that had been pimped to within an inch of the rules, the modern FRP package provided instant performance and matched with their natural athleticism, the fleet flourished at a much higher level. Tjebbe Swart was the stand out sailor, fiercely competitive and with an eye for detail, his fixed rudder unit was as light as a feather. Jim Hunt (below) had put together a training DVD with the NSCA some years before and this was still selling like hotcakes, whether he gained commission from each sale is shrouded in mystery. What is not in doubt is that his youthful looks would forever be encapsulated in the DVD format.
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