Fleets
Whatever boat you sail, you'll find good racing at Lee on Solent Sailing Club.
We have a number of fleets that are particularly popular with our members and would therefore encourage you to consider these before buying a boat.
Our Club Races regularly see a large fleet of RS400s, RS Aeros, Phantoms, Blaze, Contenders, ILCA and Solutions crossing the line, usually accompanied by one or more 2000's, RS 600s, Europes, RS 200s, Toppers and 49ers.
See below for a description of our largest fleets and to meet our Fleet Captains.
RS 400 Fleet
With a large amount of RS400s currently berthed in our compound and often > 50% turnout on the start line, Lee on the Solent Sailing Club has one of the largest and most active RS 400 fleets on the South Coast.
The secret of our success? A friendly, helpful membership combined with strong class racing events. Tuesday evening's racing is the event of the week - and definitely one not to miss.
The RS 400 is fast, beautifully built and attracts great sailors. The powerful rig and high-volume hull suit medium to heavy, often mixed, teams.
RS Aero Fleet
In 2014 the Aero burst onto the dinghy scene as a lightweight, nippy challenger to the Laser. At LOSSC, the fleet has grown steadily and is now one of three supported fleets. The four rig sizes make this suitable for youths, ladies and guys. At LOSSC the 6 rig is the most popular, but 9s, 7s and 5s can also be seen on the water. The fleet members provide mutual support, motivation, advice and tuning tips.
You are welcome to sail any race with your chosen size rig, but please bear in mind that you will be in different classes if you change during a series, a different sail makes a different boat!
We've hosted well-supported open meetings and organised training with outside specialists.
If you are looking for an exciting, lightweight, single-hander and a friendly, competitive fleet, come and join us at LOSSC.
Phantoms
A very popular fleet at LOSSC, the Phantom has evolved since its inception in 1971 to a refined single-hander with a stiff, lightweight epoxy hull with carbon spars. The powerful sail drives the boat well in light conditions and the adjustable rig allows you to efficiently depower when the breeze is up making the Phantom a great boat throughout the wind range.
It has proved to be a popular single-handed dinghy, recognized now for its sleek design, excellent performance and competitive racing scene from club level to national competitions.
The Phantom Dinghy class offers sailors a thrilling combination of performance, speed, and versatility, making it a beloved choice among the sailing community worldwide.
Blaze
The Blaze is another new fleet emerging at LOSSC, a popular boat with members and fun to sail. The Blaze was designed in the mid-1990s. It is a powerful winged single-hander with a well-developed 10 m2 sail. Unusually in recent performance designs, both foils are pivoting enabling the centreboard to be adjusted from the wing as well as making it particularly suitable for estuaries and shallow lakes
Contender
An increasing fleet at LOSSC the International Contender is a single-handed high-performance sailing dinghy designed in 1967. It was conceived as a potential successor to the Olympic Finn Class but was never officially adopted as an Olympic class. Despite this, the Contender has thrived.
If you're interested in the Contender or want to learn more, why not pop along and ask our sailors?
ILCA Fleet
The Laser/ILCA is a classic single-handed boat with three rig sizes to suit all abilities and weather conditions.
You are welcome to sail any race with your chosen size rig, but please bear in mind that you will be in different classes if you change during a series, a different sail makes a different boat!
There is a lot of friendly competition and support between the Laser sailors, not to mention the competition with the rival Aero fleet.
Solution Fleet
The Solution is an exciting modern single-handed hiking dinghy designed to provide exciting but manageable sailing for helms in the 65 to 100kg (10 to 15.5 Stone) weight range.
The class is a strict one design; all hulls are a high-tech foam sandwich epoxy vacuum bagged construction. The hull, sails, rig and foils are also strictly one design to control costs and ensure a supplier arms race is not allowed to develop.
The laminate sails are available in two cuts to suit different sailors and a 10% smaller sail is also available for lighter helms and/or heavier winds.
RS 2000 Fleet
With a number of members regularly racing in 2000's, the competition can be great fun for all involved. The sailors all support each other and have a great team spirit on and off the water.
A highly successful dinghy class, the 2000 (formerly the Laser 2000) is a double-hander combining exciting sailing with easy handling that inspires confidence. The 2000 is also well-established as a great training boat, offering the perfect transition from training to more advanced techniques and racing.
RS 600 Fleet
Our small and enthusiastic fleet of 600s can frequently be seen fighting for prime position on the start line, flying passed the rest of the fleet, before being overtaken when they go for an untimely swim!
The RS 600 is a high-performance trapeze single-hander ultra-light, fast and challenging. It has won the enthusiasm of hundreds of single-handed dinghy sailors. It is faster than most two-person boats and is still one of the lightest, most responsive production sailboats around.
Topper Fleet
A great boat for up-and-coming young sailors as well as the more expert helm.
We have six Club Toppers with both training and full sails, so even if you don't have your own boat, this shouldn't stop you from having fun on the water.
FLEET CAPTAINS
RS 400 CLASS CAPTAIN - NEIL BEVINGTON
I joined LOSSC in the mid-1970's with the rest of my family. As a child there could be up to two days a week when I didn't sail.
In the mid-1990's I discovered RS400's and haven't yet worked out why anyone would race anything else.
Although RS recommend a minimum crew weight of 150kg (23.5 stone) there are a lot of much lighter crews racing at Lee, from around 20 stone all up, which can be very fast for a downwind finish.
Sometimes we had 14 of our 15 400's on the start line in the 2019 season.
Now we can count 16 berthed at Lee, so we need you out there we have a really race.
I learnt to sail when I was around 12 years old, I then joined a local sailing club and became a crew in an Enterprise.
A few years later my parents brought me a British Moth which I sailed for awhile and traded up to International Moth.
I then stopped sailing for many years, until I became an owner of a Dart 16, which was so much fun.
I joined LOSSC around 2016 after moving into the area and sailed the Dart.
After a few years I joined the RS400 fleet and am now sailing a Blaze and having the time of my life.
SOLUTION CLASS CAPTAIN - JON STEWARD
I started dinghy sailing on small lake in Yorkshire when I was a teenager, I then moved to the south coast in 2009 and did a couple of seasons with a laser at Hillhead.
I then got into sailing yachts and worked as a RYA cruising instructor.
I joined LOSSC in 2023 and have only been sailing the Solution this season. There's a small - now 10 - but active fleet that I'd like to see continue to grow.
2000 CLASS CAPTAIN - JOHN BEST
I first went sailing when I was 8 years old, which is 63 years ago now. During all that time sailing I haven't completely wasted my time, I sailed in racing various dinghies until the early 80's, when I got caught up in yachts and yachting competitions - 13 years later I realised my mistake and turned up at LOSSC with an elderly Flying Dutchman racing dinghy.
This was quite quickly replaced by two much smarter and faster FD's and then, when my knees gave out, I bought my 2000 in 2004, which I have owned ever since. It is now in its 20th Season. Initially I raced in the UK and France, but for the last few seasons I have raced it locally and at open meetings and championships around UK.
I don't know everything about the 2000, but I know people who do! For my sins I am the Class Association Vice Chairman and Technical Officer. Thus, if you have a problem, if I don't know how to fix it, I'll be able to put you onto somebody who does.
DEVELOPEMENT CLASS CAPTAIN - CLAIRE DARCH
I started learning to sail when my son was 10 years old. I didn't think it was fair that he was having all the fun so I joined in, that was 17 years ago!
At the time I was running a Sea Scout troop in Warsash and decided that if I was taking children on the water, I should learn how to do it safely. So I did a Dinghy Instructor course, which included, Seamanship, PB2, Safety Boat, Safe and Fun and First Aid. I ran scouts for 10 years while also training children at both LOSSC and Warsash sailing clubs. When I decided to leave Scouts I qualified as a Senior Instructor and Race Coach stage 2 and then became the Chief Instructor at LOSSC.
In my spare time, I tried to do a bit of racing but found the long courses intimidating (especially in my daughter's Feva). This inspired me to try and encourage more novices to join so I set up the novice fleet. These sessions are open to anyone who would like to gain more experience, learn the odd tip or two, or just have fun on small fun courses.
Last updated 18:01 on 17 April 2024