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Articles by Ian Purkis
Scottish National 12 Championship at Solway Yacht Club Original
Scottish National 12 Championship at Solway Yacht Club by Ian Purkis 14 Sep 19:52 BST As the Class's 90th anniversary approaches its season's conclusion, many of the National 12 fleet joined local members at the Solway Yacht Club in Kippford for a weekend of championship sailing for the superb Scottish Daily Express Trophy.
National 12 Burton Week 2026 at Shoreham Sailing Club, sponsored by Bloodred and Allen - Day 3 Original
National 12 Burton Week 2026 at Shoreham Sailing Club, sponsored by Bloodred and Allen - Day 3 by Ian Purkis 1 Sep 10:33 BST Following a superb 90th Anniversary Burton dinner at the Sussex Yacht Club, and with squally weather overnight, crews arrived ready for another day of exciting sailing. The forecast was for strong winds of 20 knots but dropping progressively over the day, PRO William Warren had delayed the scheduled start time the previous evening, anticipating better conditions later.
Kippford Week and Kippford RNLI Regatta at Solway Yacht Club Original
Kippford Week and Kippford RNLI Regatta at Solway Yacht Club by Ian Purkis 18 Aug 08:21 BST Lots of sun, sea, lots of tide, not much wind but even an "inspirational" solar eclipse After the fun of the Club's Cadet Week, it was time for more open competition of Kippford Week. With crews travelling to Kippford from as far as Aberdeen and the English Midlands, they joined the locals on Sunday 8th for the week's briefing. An early tide on Monday meant only one race was planned.
Cadet Week 2026 at Solway Yacht Club Original
Cadet Week 2026 at Solway Yacht Club by Ian Purkis 3 Aug 17:31 BST Lots of sea, wind, mud and fun! The wind and fun started before Cadet week proper even got under way with the serious young racers getting plenty of practice in on the previous Sunday. It was windy and challenging but with a broken mast to report on a Club boat, it was good practice, nevertheless.
National 12 Class celebrates 90th Anniversary at Royal Harwich Yacht Club
National 12 Class celebrates 90th Anniversary at Royal Harwich Yacht Club by Ian Purkis 24 Jul 01:14 PDT 90 years of Development, Innovation and Delight The National 12, the Class that started mass dinghy racing and sailing from 1936 with the launch of Uffa Fox's Uffa-King design N1 Gipsy inspired a great many to get into dinghy sailing.
National 12 'Naburn Paddle' at Yorkshire Ouse Sailing Club Original
National 12 'Naburn Paddle' at Yorkshire Ouse Sailing Club by Ian Purkis 14 Jun 19:03 BST It may not be the biggest open event of the year, but it is certainly one of the oldest, first sailed for in the late 1940s for the Yorkshire Ouse Sailing Club's "Naburn Paddle" trophy. For the third year running, windy conditions with vicious gusts swirling round the willows greeted crews arriving at the Club.
Solway Yacht Club opens new fully accessible disabled clubhouse during annual Open Day Original
Solway Yacht Club opens new fully accessible disabled clubhouse during annual Open Day by Ian Purkis 18 May 11:44 BST On top of another day of competitive racing, the club had chosen this day to formally open its new fully accessible disabled clubhouse facility.
Solway Yacht Club launches the 2026 season into a gale Original
Solway Yacht Club launches the 2026 season into a gale by Ian Purkis 6 Apr 18:46 BST Sailing gets a blast from Storm Dave! After being laid up over the winter, members were keen their yachts back on the water, whether cruising to distant parts or close racing round the Rough Firth and the Solway. As Easter approached, the ominous forecast of Storm Dave drew closer.
Solway Yacht Club welcomes the RYA Scotland Disability Awareness Training to Kippford Original
Solway Yacht Club welcomes the RYA Scotland Disability Awareness Training to Kippford by Ian Purkis 23 Mar 09:58 GMT Members representing all the sailing clubs across the South West of Scotland, as well as members from the host club, gathered on the 21st March to participate in RYA Scotland’s Disability Awareness Training.
National 12 Class 90th Anniversary - Preview: a new sponsor and an exciting, special year ahead
National 12 Class 90th Anniversary - Preview: a new sponsor and an exciting, special year ahead by Ian Purkis 3 Feb 11:56 PST 1936 was a turning point in the history of yachting and dinghy racing; the National 12ft Class was born. In 2026 the Class is celebrating its 90th Anniversary, first with a special stand at the upcoming RYA Dinghy & Watersports Show and the Class has a new National series main sponsor for 2026, Blood Red.
Solway Yacht Club's Prize-giving party for 2025 Original
Solway Yacht Club's Prize-giving party for 2025 by Ian Purkis 19 Jan 22:26 GMT As is now customary, the Club held its annual mid-winter party, celebrating everyone who had participated on and off the water during the previous year, whether dinghy racing, support crews manning safety boats, cruising in bigger boats, or just helping the Club.
Building work under way at Solway Yacht Club to bring significant accessible improvements Original
Building work under way at Solway Yacht Club to bring significant accessible improvements by Ian Purkis 18 Nov 12:02 GMT Thanks to a substantial grant from the Dumfries and Galloway Coastal Benefit Fund, serious building alterations are now well under way to create a fully accessible changing, showering and toilet facility within the main Clubhouse at Solway YC. The Club's project has also enjoyed funding from donors locally and further afield in Scotland making it all possible.
Kippford Week and RNLI Regatta 2025 at Solway Yacht Club Original
Kippford Week and RNLI Regatta 2025 at Solway Yacht Club by Ian Purkis 17 Aug 18:23 BST With a strong entry from sailors from around the UK, it was particularly pleasing to have many recent SYC Cadets moving up to the faster fleets, along with one GP14 crew from Sweden and Australian visitors, all arriving to enjoy great sailing on the "Scottish Riviera". After Cadet Week when the tides were early, Kippford Week followed a fortnight later with late tides.
Solway Yacht Club Cadet Week 2025; great fun learning and close competition Original
Solway Yacht Club Cadet Week 2025; great fun learning and close competition by Ian Purkis 29 Jul 07:14 BST With an unusually late Tuesday start, necessitated by tide times, almost seventy young people gathered at the Solway Yacht Club for the annual Cadet Week. Monday was spent with onshore activities before the evening briefing covering the activities afloat to follow.
Solway Yacht Club working party 2025
Solway Yacht Club working party 2025 by Ian Purkis 9 Jun 23:56 PDT June 7th marked a significant milestone in the Club's long-term development, starting a new project to open our sport to all. A working party of members, age from young Finlay (11) and others rather older, and led by the Commodore, Scott McColm, carried out a range of tasks.
Challenger Open Scottish Championships 2025 at Solway Yacht Club Original
Challenger Open Scottish Championships 2025 at Solway Yacht Club by Ian Purkis 13 May 06:15 BST Making a welcome return to Kippford and the Solway Yacht Club, Challenger crews and their "buddies" arrived on the "Scottish Riviera" in almost Mediterranean sunshine before getting registered, rigged and ready for an early tide on Saturday.
Fun on the Solway with Easter Eggstravaganza and challenging River Races
Fun on the Solway with Easter Eggstravaganza and challenging River Races by Jo Harris (Solway YC Cadet Officer) and Ian Purkis 21 Apr 22:24 PDT Three days of sailing in wind, rain and sun made Easter 2025 a great one for all Solway Yacht Club sailors while the powerboaters joined in the Easter Day sunshine, one returning on Sunday after a particularly successful fishing trip.
Solway Yacht Club's Big Launch 2025 Original
Solway Yacht Club's Big Launch 2025 by Ian Purkis 14 Apr 15:37 BST After what seemed like a long winter, but with spring sunshine warming Kippford, the Club started a very busy weekend. A large crane had arrived and with the tide filling the creek alongside the pier, the crane started lifting the larger yachts, one at a time, from their winter berths ashore back into their more natural salty element. Meanwhile, the season's dinghy racing was also getting under way out in the bay.
Solway Yacht Club Winter party and Prize-giving celebrating 2024 Original
Solway Yacht Club Winter party and Prize-giving celebrating 2024 by Ian Purkis 20 Jan 09:10 GMT Celebrating the past year, the Club's now annual mid-winter party had a real racing highlight that pitted sailing skills (of sorts), with Cadets and senior members battling it out for line honours, but more below. Held in a packed Kippford Village Hall, it followed on from the RNLI's SOS Soup and Sandwiches lunch.
Kippford Week 2024 at Solway Yacht Club - big waves and at least some sunny sailing
Kippford Week 2024 at Solway Yacht Club - big waves and at least some sunny sailing by Ian Purkis 12 Aug 00:16 PDT As with the Solway Yacht Club's Cadet Week a fortnight ago, the Kippford RNLI Regatta and the main Kippford Week were brought forward by a couple of days, enforced by this year's tide times. A mixed forecast of sun, rain and wind promised very varied conditions all week, while competitors were arriving from many parts of the UK, joining local club members.
Solway Yacht Club Cadet Week 2024 Original
Solway Yacht Club Cadet Week 2024 by Ian Purkis 29 Jul 16:13 BST Thanks to the tide times, the Solway Yacht Club's Cadet Week 2024 in Kippford started a day earlier than usual with the welcome and briefing on Saturday evening. Young people, families and friends from many parts of the country as well as further afield were greeted by Jo Harris the Club's Cadet Officer, Commodore Scott McColm, Training Officer Emma McRobert and briefed by the racing fleet Principal Race Officer Stewart Biggar.
Solway Yacht Club's Easter Eggstravaganza Original
Solway Yacht Club's Easter Eggstravaganza by Ian Purkis 1 Apr 18:01 BST All over the Easter weekend, the Solway Yacht Club launched its 2024 sailing season. With both on shore challenges and competitive racing on the water, in weather that varied from low temperatures and strong winds to warm spring sunshine, Easter 2024 had just about everything. Cadets Fun Day First off on Good Friday, the cadets started the season by taking part in the brand-new local RNLI 200 Walking Quiz throughout Kippford.
Solway Yacht Club launches into 120th anniversary year Original
Solway Yacht Club launches into 120th anniversary year by Ian Purkis 29 Jan 14:02 GMT A very busy Village Hall in Kippford first hosted the great RNLI SOS lunch before handing over to the Yacht Club for their annual Prize-giving party, celebrating everything achieved in 2023 and looking forward to the new season. After introductions from the Club's new Commodore, Scott McColm, his immediate predecessor Scott Train summarised the achievements and highlights from 2023.
Exciting Results from the Solway Yacht Club Autumn Open Spectacular in Kippford
Key points: The Solway Yacht Club Autumn Open Spectacular took place in Kippford, with participants from various locations. The event included races in the Finns, International OKs, ILCAs (Lasers), and National 12s classes. John Mackie, Ivan Burden, and David Kitchen were among the winners in their respective classes. The Solway Yacht Club recently hosted their Autumn Open Spectacular, inviting several leading racing dinghy classes to participate.
Solway Yacht Club Autumn Open Spectacular
Solway Yacht Club Autumn Open Spectacular by Ian Purkis and Stewart Mitchell 3 Oct 04:51 PDT Several leading racing dinghy classes were invited to Kippford for the Club's big late season Open leading to a strong entry including Finns, International OKs, ILCAs (Lasers) and National 12s. Crews had arrived from the Highlands to the English South Coast and everywhere in between.
Solway Yacht Club's Adventure Day Leaves Cadets on a High
By Ian Purkis via sail-world.com, Key points: Solway Yacht Club held a successful Adventure Day for its cadets, featuring a variety of activities both on and off the water The event included cruising yachts, dinghy racing, and an expedition to Hestan Island Cadets enjoyed the opportunity to explore the island and appreciate the beautiful views The Solway Yacht Club recently held its Cadets Adventure Day, featuring a variety of activities both on and off the water.
Solway Yacht Club Cadets Adventure Day Original
Solway Yacht Club Cadets Adventure Day by Ian Purkis 5 Sep 11:24 BST Fun in the Sun: competition and adventure, afloat and ashore At last! Late summer sunshine and pleasant breezes to welcome much action and activity on and off the water in Kippford, and ashore on Hestan Island.
Kippford Week 2023 at Solway Yacht Club Original
Kippford Week 2023 at Solway Yacht Club by Ian Purkis 7 Aug 14:19 BST Fun in the sun and sheltering from the storm Kippford Week 2023 will go down in Solway Yacht Club history as a week of contrasts. Unlike the dawn to dusk sunshine of 2022, Monday dawned grey and overcast with frequent rain showers and a forecast of strong winds. Another strong entry promised close racing, with many from far away, including a Flying Fifteen crew from the West Indies, entered under the Antigua Yacht Club burgee.
Solway Yacht Club Cadet Week 2023
Solway Yacht Club Cadet Week 2023 by Ian Purkis 24 Jul 04:12 PDT After a weekend of near gales that forced the cancellation of the Hestan Island Race and the final races in the Spring Series, the wind dropped, the sun came out and fifty-five smiling young faces from 8 to 21 arrived to join the annual Cadet Week in Kippford. As now well established, participants were split into complete beginners, improvers groups, coached racers, and the hot-shot racing fleet.
Scottish Flying Fifteen Championship at Solway Yacht Club
Scottish Flying Fifteen Championship at Solway Yacht Club by Ian Purkis 19 Jun 23:24 PDT After weeks of early summer sunshine and balmy winds, all seemed promising for one of Scotland's premier yachting events, this year hosted by the Solway Yacht Club. Generously sponsored by Sulwath Brewers in Castle Douglas, the fleet of these fast elegant keelboats arrived in Kippford from all over the UK and Ireland ready for an early start on the tide on Saturday.
Sun, fun and close racing; Solway Yacht Club Cadet Week 2022 Original
Sun, fun and close racing; Solway Yacht Club Cadet Week 2022 by Ian Purkis 30 Jul 14:30 BST Third time lucky! After two years of no Cadet Week 2020, and a severely Covid restricted Cadet Week 2021, finally it was almost back to normal for 2022. Fifty cadets plus a similar number of volunteers, instructors, safety crews, race officers, galley staff and pier helpers were rewarded with a great week, all but one day in warm sunshine and mostly favourable winds.
National
National "Outstanding Contribution" RYA Award for Solway Yacht Club's Willie Patterson by Ian Purkis 6 Dec 14:42 GMT RYA Outstanding Contribution Award for Solway YC's Willie Patterson © Paul Wyeth / RYA Willie Patterson of Dumfries, one of the Solway Yacht Club's leading members was presented with the RYA's national "Outstanding Contribution" Award by the Princess Royal in a glittering ceremony in London last weekend.
Kippford RNLI Regatta Day 2021 at Solway Yacht Club
Kippford RNLI Regatta Day 2021 at Solway Yacht Club by Ian Purkis 25 Aug 18:06 BST 22 August 2021 Usually one of the highlights of Kippford Week, this year bad weather forced the original RNLI Regatta long distance race date to be postponed to Sunday 22nd August. With all entry fees being donated to the Kippford RNLI, it was particularly important the race wasn't lost to the weather.
Solway Yacht Club June Open Original
Solway Yacht Club June Open by Ian Purkis 15 Jun 14:44 BST 12-13 June 2021 Paul Hignett at full stretch in his winning Lowrider Moth during the Solway Yacht Club June Open © Nicola McColm From International Moths to the Laser Grand Prix and both the Olympic Finns and the National 12 Scottish Championships; all in one weekend! If variety is the spice of life, the Solway Yacht Club's June Open meeting had it all.
Solway YC's online 2021 season launch and the Club's poignant connection to Uffa Fox and 'Coweslip' Original
Solway YC's online 2021 season launch and the Club's poignant connection to Uffa Fox and 'Coweslip' by Ian Purkis 12 Apr 07:49 BST The Regatta at Kippford in 1898 © Rev. Bill Holland collection Despite the ongoing Covid restrictions still preventing in-person gatherings, the Club went ahead with an online season-opener to coincide with what should have been "Craning-In" day, traditionally followed by the Fitting Out Party in the Clubhouse.
Solway Yacht Club 'virtually' launches the 2021 sailing season
Solway Yacht Club 'virtually' launches the 2021 sailing season by Ian Purkis 22 Feb 04:29 PST 27-28 February 2021 Solway Yacht Club set for the virtual RYA Dinghy Show © vfairs Presented with a golden opportunity by the annual RYA Dinghy Show moving online, the Kippford based Solway Yacht Club is delighted to be launching its own stand on 27th February.
Solway YC celebrates the prize winners from a very short 2020 sailing season
Solway YC celebrates the prize winners from a very short 2020 sailing season by Ian Purkis 25 Jan 15:17 GMT 23 January 2021 Solway Yacht Club Virtual Prizegiving © SYC Planned over twelve months ago when hardly anyone had heard of Corona virus, the Solway Yacht Club in Kippford still managed to hold its mid-winter prize-giving party on 23rd, celebrating the previous season's Club winners.
Solway Yacht Club Bumfreezer Series
Solway Yacht Club Bumfreezer Series by Ian Purkis 19 Oct 23:37 PDT 17-18 October 2020 Coming up to the start, moments before the flag drops, overall winner Stewart Mitchell (far left) gets it almost right at the "pin end" of the line while Gordon Daly and Jane Gascoigne (nearest) during the Solway Yacht Club Bumfreezer Series © Solway YC Fickle winds as the 2020 sailing season ends, almost before it started Continuing to carefully follow the Government's Covid regulations, the Solway Yacht...
Catherinefield Windows RNLI Regatta at Solway Yacht Club
Catherinefield Windows RNLI Regatta at Solway Yacht Club by Ian Purkis 7 Sep 22:22 PDT 5-6 September 2020 After the long months of lockdown and the cancellation of the 2020 Solway Yacht Club Cadet and Kippford Weeks, and after a patient wait, the latest Scottish Government Covid-19 precautions permitted a controlled and limited resumption of competitive sailing.
Solway Yacht Club Championship Weekend
Solway Yacht Club Championship Weekend by Ian Purkis 16 Sep 22:13 PDT 14-15 September 2019 While there is still the Solway Yacht Club championship to settle, this weekend saw the final Open events in Kippford with the magnificent Scottish Daily Express National 12 Championship trophy, first awarded in 1953, up for winning.
Solway Yacht Club Championship Weekend
Solway Yacht Club Championship Weekend by Ian Purkis 17 Sep 06:13 BST 14-15 September 2019 While there is still the Solway Yacht Club championship to settle, this weekend saw the final Open events in Kippford with the magnificent Scottish Daily Express National 12 Championship trophy, first awarded in 1953, up for winning.
Kippford Week and RNLI Regatta 2019 at Solway Yacht Club
Kippford Week and RNLI Regatta 2019 at Solway Yacht Club by Ian Purkis 5 Aug 22:59 PDT 29 July - 3 August 2019 The National 12 of Mark and Anna Simpson chasing hard on the Vortex of Alex Glendinning in sparkling Solway during Kippford Week 2019 © Becky Davison A week of mixed sunshine, showers and winds from nothing to "sailing perfect" produced another year of challenges for sailors young and not-so-young for the Solway Yacht Club's main event of the year.
Kippford Week and RNLI Regatta 2019 at Solway Yacht Club
Kippford Week and RNLI Regatta 2019 at Solway Yacht Club by Ian Purkis 6 Aug 06:59 BST 29 July - 3 August 2019 The National 12 of Mark and Anna Simpson chasing hard on the Vortex of Alex Glendinning in sparkling Solway during Kippford Week 2019 © Becky Davison A week of mixed sunshine, showers and winds from nothing to "sailing perfect" produced another year of challenges for sailors young and not-so-young for the Solway Yacht Club's main event of the year.
Solway Yacht Club scoops 'Club of the Year' Award
Solway Yacht Club scoops 'Club of the Year' Award by Ian Purkis 22 Jan 03:19 PST 19 January 2019 Solway Yacht Club scoops the 2018 RYA Scotland Club of the Year Award © Marc Turner / RYA Scotland At RYA Scotland's glittering Awards Presentation event on Saturday evening, Solway Yacht Club from Kippford won the prized 'Club of the Year' Award 2018. The members present were thrilled, delighted and almost in disbelief when the Club was announced as the winner.
Solway Yacht Club scoops 'Club of the Year' Award
Solway Yacht Club scoops 'Club of the Year' Award by Ian Purkis 22 Jan 11:19 GMT 19 January 2019 Solway Yacht Club scoops the 2018 RYA Scotland Club of the Year Award © Marc Turner / RYA Scotland At RYA Scotland's glittering Awards Presentation event on Saturday evening, Solway Yacht Club from Kippford won the prized 'Club of the Year' Award 2018. The members present were thrilled, delighted and almost in disbelief when the Club was announced as the winner.
Kippford Week 2018 at Solway Yacht Club
After the near perfect weather during The Solway Yacht Club's Cadet Week, barely days ago, how things change. Despite much of the South still sweating it out in hot sun, low pressure systems, sweeping in from the Atlantic produced gale force winds and high seas in Galloway, greatly restricting organised sailing and racing.
5 Castles Inter-Schools Team Racing Regatta 2018
The annual 5 Castles Schools Regatta, held on Friday 15th June was hosted once more this year by the Galloway Activity Centre on Loch Ken. It combines a Team Racing Regatta for experienced young sailors with a separate opportunity for others to try a variety of different water-sports.
Solway Yacht Club Cadet Week celebrates 60 years with another bumper year!
With over sixty young sailors from complete beginners to experienced racing crews, Solway Yacht Club's annual Cadet Week launched on Saturday 14th July. After months of planning led by the Club's new Cadet Officer, Mrs Joanne Harris, this year unusually - to make the best of the predicted tides - ran as a Saturday to Thursday event, rather than the previous format of a Monday start day. Although there wasn't the unbroken hot sun of previous weeks, good weather was forecast and duly arrived.
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