Soling
 Class symbol | |
 | |
| Development | |
|---|---|
| Designer | Jan H. Linge |
| Location | Norway |
| Year | 1965 |
| Design | One-Design |
| Role | Designed for the Olympic Games 1972 |
| Name | International Soling |
| Boat | |
| Crew | 2 or 3 |
| Draft | 1.3 m (4 ft 3 in) |
| Trapeze | Droop hiking |
| Hull | |
| Type | Monohull |
| Construction | GRP |
| Hull weight | 1,035 kg (2,282 lb) |
| LOA | 8.15 m (26.7 ft) |
| LWL | 6.1 m (20 ft) |
| Beam | 1.9 m (6 ft 3 in) |
| Hull appendages | |
| Keel/board type | Fixed 580 kg (1,280 lb) |
| Rig | |
| Rig type | Bermuda rig |
| Mast length | 9.3 m (31 ft) |
| Sails | |
| Mainsail area | 15.6 m2 (168 sq ft) |
| Jib/genoa area | 8.1 m2 (87 sq ft) |
| Spinnaker area | Max: 45 m2 (480 sq ft) Min: 35 m2 (380 sq ft) |
| Upwind sail area | 23.7 m2 (255 sq ft) |
| Racing | |
| D-PN | 82.3[1] |
| RYA PN | 914[2] |
| Former Olympic class | |
A Soling is a class of open keelboat designed by Jan Linge of Norway in 1965. In 1968, it was chosen from among many other boats to be the men's triple-handed boat for the 1972 Olympics. The Soling remained an Olympic boat until its final Olympic appearance at the 2000 Olympics.
The Soling is a strong boat designed for any wind and sea condition and is - above all - fun to sail. Fitness, sailing and team skills are basic requirements for successful racing. The boats are made of fiberglass reinforced polyester and are one-design boats originating from an authorized single plug and mould, making competition as equal as possible. Masts are made of aluminium alloy and the best known brand is Abbott, although Proctor, Børresens Bådebyggeri and other brands might be available in the market.
The lifetime of a Soling is long. Those produced in the early days still sail beautifully and some are still in competition (more than 30 years after being built). The average competition life of a Soling boat is considered 15 years making the Soling a perfect cost / benefit boat for racing purposes.[citation needed]
Sails are made of Dacron and the most used brands are: Doyle, North Sails, Elvstrøm Sails, UK-Halsey.
Characteristic for the Soling is the droop-hiking technique.[3][4]
Since 2008 the Soling is one of the Vintage Yachting Classes at the Vintage Yachting Games.
History
The Soling history actually began in the mind of Jan Linge during the late 1950s while he was doing design work and tank testing on a 5.5 metre to be built for a Norwegian friend for sailing in the 1960 Olympics. This friend, Finn Ferner, was a successful businessman and an outstanding helmsman, an Olympic medalist and winner of many international events. Linge had become convinced that a slightly smaller boat with a detached spade rudder and short keel could be a fast seaworthy boat with the likelihood of great popularity – though such features were not allowed under the 5.5 rules. After 1960 Linge completed his design sketches to demonstrate his ideas for promoting a Norwegian national class.
By the time of the 1961 IYRU meetings, the forces for change had organized themselves to seek four new classes – a single hander as companion to the Finn, a two-man keelboat to complement the Star, a three-man keelboat like the 5.5 or Dragon, finally a catamaran. The underlying goals for these new boats were not explicit, but hinted: "high performance" and "popularity" were key words for whatever boat was chosen. The two-man keelboat process started in 1962 under the auspices of the Dutch sailing magazine De Waterkampioen with the announcement of the design competition, to culminate at the 1963 IYRU meetings, and Trials perhaps in 1965. This resulted in the Tempest.
It was the public announcement by the Class Policy Committee (CPOC) in mid-1963 that started events leading to the adoption of the Soling's Olympic status four years later. The American magazine Yachting undertook to accept design sketches for presentation at the November 1963 meeting. "What IYRU wanted was a nice compromise between maximum speed and maximum seaworthiness, with a good measure of both. Obligatory maximum limits and features were:
- LWL: 22 feet (6.7m)
- Draft 4'6 (1.37m)
- Displacement 3799 pounds (1723 kg)
- Sail area 310 sq. ft. (28.8m2)
- Non-sinkable
- Built-in buoyancy
- Capable of racing in open sea conditions
- Open cabin
Linge was determined to develop his version of a three-man keelboat. His next door neighbour, Sverre Olsen (See S.O. + LING) became interested in backing the effort. A wooden prototype was built, for experimenting with sizes and placement of rudders, keels, and rig. Finn Ferner, the champion skipper and Linge's 5.5 client of 1960, became an important skilled partner in this activity. By mid 1965, Linge and Ferner were satisfied enough with their work to manufacture the moulds needed for producing complete fibreglass boats. In November 1965, the IYRU scheduled trials to be held off Kiel during September 1966.
The high performance revolution was underway: The Tempest was given recognition, Catamaran trials were set for 1967, and a 1966 re-run of the single hander event which had had no wind in 1965 was held. During the winter of 1965–66, five fibreglass Solings were built which were extensively sailed against one another during the following summer. This competition was destined to be helpful in the heavy weather ahead at Kiel – chosen as a windy challenge for what the IYRU desired.
The first race was in moderate air, but thereafter for ten of the eleven races, Kiel lived up to its breezy reputation. The final race may have been worth all the rest for the Soling: a meeting of helmsmen gathered in view of the forty knot wind. Not surprisingly, the Committee's desire to race was persuasive. By the windward mark only the Soling was left to sail the course, and so was able to demonstrate her outstanding ability to handle heavy air. The Selection Committee, consisting of chairman British Frank Murdoch, Italian Beppe Croce, American Bob Bavier, Greek Costas Stavridis, British Sir Gordon Smith and German Hans Lubinus was impressed.
Two boats were recommended: Shillalah II, designed and sailed by US Star class Champion, E. W. "Skip" Etchells, and Soling, the boat referred to as "the undersized entry". Several new boats, a fibreglass Shillalah, also a 5.5 and a Dragon to compare speeds, assembled in Travemünde for the second Trials – this time in what became a moderate air series. Again Shillalah was the big winner, but again Soling finished respectably. This time she was sailed by Per Spilling with Sven Olsen and Linge again as crew. Without comment, the Observation Committee recommended Soling alone; this result passed unanimously through the IYRU meetings. The Soling had become an international class.
The 1968 Games in Mexico were held before the Class acquired its Olympic status. Because there was a five-class limit set by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the CPOC had recommended 5.5, Soling, Tempest (its two new boats), FD and Finn – these at the cost of Dragon and Star for the 1972 Olympics. The Permanent Committee was heavily lobbied by Dragon enthusiasts and so dumped the 5.5; in the same process the Star owners forced abandonment of IYRU's Tempest. In April 1969, after this battle, the IOC relieved the pressure on the IYRU by allowing a sixth "event". The IYRU then added the Tempest.
The news of the Trials' results not only assured the Soling's status, but stimulated a building spree: three hundred in 1968 and as many or more in 1969. Elvstrøm became the dominant builder in Europe, particularly after he won the first Soling World Championships off Copenhagen in 1969. One of the best American helmsmen, George O'Day, was given a license to build for the US market, just as Bill Abbott, Sr. (Chief) acquired the Canadian market.
Present day
There are still active and fun Soling class racing, Boston, Massachusetts maintains one of the largest active Soling racing clubs, with highly competitive racing every week through summer and fall.
Events[5]
Olympic Games[6]
| 1 |  Denmark (DEN) |
4 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
| 2 |  United States (USA) |
2 | 3 | 1 | 6 |
| 3 |  Germany (GER) |
1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 4 |  East Germany (GDR) |
1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 5 |  Brazil (BRA) |
0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
 Soviet Union (URS) |
0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
 Russia (RUS) |
0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
 Sweden (SWE) |
0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 9 |  Canada (CAN) |
0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 10 |  Great Britain (GBR) |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
 Greece (GRE) |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
 Norway (NOR) |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| 8 | 8 | 8 | 24 | ||
Pan American Games[7]
| 1 |  United States |
2 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| 2 | Brazil |
1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 3 |  Canada |
0 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 3 | 3 | 3 | 9 | ||
| Event | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 San Juan | United States (US)
|
Brazil (BL)
|
Canada (KC)
|
| 1983 Caracas | Brazil (BL)
|
Canada (KC)
|
United States (US)
|
| 1987 Indianapolis | United States (US)
|
Canada (KC)
|
Brazil (BL)
|
World Champions
Worlds Championship[8]
Worlds Matchrace Championship[9] (Infanta Cristina)
| 1 |  Sweden |
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 2 |  Denmark |
1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 3 |  United Kingdom |
1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 4 |  Germany |
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 5 |  Norway |
0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 6 |  France |
0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 7 | United States |
0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 8 |  Australia |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
 Netherlands |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| 5 | 5 | 5 | 15 | ||
| Event | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 Kingston | United Kingdom (GBR) Stuart Childerley |
Norway (NOR) Herman Horn Johannessen Paul Davis Espen Stokkeland |
Denmark (DEN) Stig Westergaard Jens Bojsen Møller Bjørn Westergaard |
| 1996 Cadiz | Sweden (SWE) Magnus Holmberg Björn Alm Johan Barne |
Denmark (DEN) Stig Westergaard Jens Bojsen-Møller Bjørn Westergaard |
France (DEN) Marc Bouet |
| 1998 Kralingen | Germany (GER) Jochen Schümann Gunnar Bahr Ingo Borkowski |
Norway (NOR) Herman Horn Johannessen Paul Davis Espen Stokkeland |
Australia (AUS) Neville Wittey |
| 1999 Melbourne | Sweden (SWE) Hans Wallen M. Augustsson Johan Barne |
United States (USA) Jeff Madrigali Jim Hartwell Chris Healy |
Netherlands (NED) Roy Heiner Peter Van Niekerk Dirk de Ridder |
| 2000 Cadiz | Denmark (DEN) Jesper Bank Henrik Blakskjær Thomas Jacobsen |
France (FRA) Philippe Presti |
United Kingdom (GBR) Andy Beadsworth Barry Parkin Mason |
Worlds Masters Championship[10]
No more Masters World Championship will be sailed after 2014, because the ISAF allows now only one World Championship per class.
| 1 | Germany |
5 | 4 | 5 | 14 |
| 2 |  Austria |
4 | 3 | 1 | 8 |
| 3 | Canada |
2 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| 4 |  Hungary |
2 | 5 | 4 | 11 |
| 5 | United States |
0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 13 | 13 | 13 | 39 | ||
Continental Champions[11]
North American Championship[12]
| 1 | United States |
9 | 9 | 8 | 24 |
| 2 | Canada |
8 | 8 | 7 | 21 |
| 3 | Denmark |
0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 4 | Germany |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
 Japan |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| 17 | 18 | 17 | 49 | ||
European Fleetrace Champions[13]
| 1 | Germany |
8 | 11 | 6 | 25 |
| 2 |  East Germany |
5 | 6 | 6 | 17 |
| 3 | Denmark |
5 | 2 | 5 | 12 |
| 4 | Austria |
4 | 5 | 3 | 12 |
| 5 | Sweden |
3 | 4 | 3 | 10 |
| 6 | Hungary |
3 | 1 | 3 | 7 |
| 7 | Canada |
3 | 2 | 1 | 6 |
 Ukraine |
4 | 1 | 1 | 6 | |
| 9 |  Soviet Union |
2 | 4 | 2 | 8 |
| 10 | Norway |
2 | 1 | 4 | 7 |
| 11 | Netherlands |
1 | 2 | 4 | 7 |
| 12 |  Slovenia |
1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| United States |
1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | |
| 14 |  Argentina |
1 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| 15 | Brazil |
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| France |
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 16 | United Kingdom |
0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
 Russia |
0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | |
| 18 | Australia |
0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 20 |  Italy |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 44 | 44 | 44 | 133 | ||
European Matchrace Championship[14]
| 1 | Germany |
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 2 | Norway |
1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 3 | United Kingdom |
1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 4 | Ukraine |
0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 5 |  Spain |
0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 4 | 3 | 3 | 10 | ||
| Event | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|---|
| 31 May - 2 June 1993 Kralingen | Norway (NOR) Herman Horn Johannessen Paul Davis Espen Stokkeland |
Input needed | Input needed |
| 1994 | |||
| 1995 Torbay | United Kingdom (GBR) Andy Beadsworth |
Norway (NOR) Herman Horn Johannessen Paul Davis Espen Stokkeland |
United Kingdom (GBR) Stuart Childerley |
| 1996 | |||
| 1997 St. Gilgen | Germany (GER) Jochen Schümann Gunnar Bahr Ingo Borkowski |
Ukraine (UKR) Sergey Pichuguin Dmitriy Yarovoy Sergey Timokhov |
Norway (NOR) Herman Horn Johannessen Paul Davis Espen Stokkeland |
| 1998 Torbole | Germany (GER) Jochen Schümann Gunnar Bahr Ingo Borkowski |
Spain (ESP) Luis Doreste Domingo Manrique David Vera |
Ukraine (UKR) Sergey Pichuguin Volodimir Korotkov Sergey Timokhov |
| 1999 | |||
| 2000 |
South American Championship[14]
| 1 | Brazil |
8 | 9 | 7 | 24 |
| 2 | Argentina |
7 | 7 | 9 | 23 |
| 3 |  Uruguay |
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 16 | 16 | 16 | 48 | ||
Vintage Yachting Games
| 1 | Netherlands |
1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 2 | Ukraine |
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 3 |  Wildcards (NCO) |
0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 4 | Austria |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 4 | Germany |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Event | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 Medemblik | Netherlands (NED) Rudy den Outer Leo Determan Ronald den Arend |
Wildcard (NCO) Steven Bakker Sven Koster Joost Houweling |
Germany (GER) Holger Weichert Laurent Scheel Martin Setzkorn |
| 2012 Lake Como | Ukraine (UKR) Igor Yushko Sergiy Pichugin Dmitriy Yarmolenka |
Netherlands (NED) Rudy den Outer Gavin Lidlow Ramzi Souli |
Austria (AUT) Peter Neumann Rudolf Rager Rudolf Hubauer |
| 2016 Weymouth Bay | Dates to be decided |
National Championships
Class association[15]
After the class became an International class the International Soling Association was founded. This "Owners Club" became a very self-supporting club able to address the main issues of the class. International Soling Class Association Website
Class Presidents
The main strategy of the Soling President has always been: "one-designedness", and creating opportunities that bring club sailors and Olympic aspirants together.
| Period | Country | President | Major achievement |
| 1968–1972 | Denmark |
Eggert Benzon | Initiation of the International Soling Association |
| 1973–1975 | United States |
Jack Van Dyke | In 1972 the Soling had been re-designated as an Olympic Class, looking towards the '76 Games. But the signals at the IYRU were to shape up with better control over the boat's construction, as well as its potential for high cost improvements contrary to the intention of Section 1 of the Class Rules. Van Dyke's previous years with the IYRU helped to make 1973 a watershed year. |
| 1976–1979 | Netherlands |
Geert Bakker | He provided a transition that led the Class from its pioneer days to its pre-eminence as the world's most active and admired three-man keelboat. Geert was elected to the Presidency in 1976, the year he represented The Netherlands in the Kingston Olympics. |
| 1980–1982 | Australia |
Ken Berkeley | Match racing became a regular feature of the Class' European schedule in 1983 when Ken Berkeley (who had just retired) donated a trophy for annual competition based upon experience over several years on Lake Balaton in Hungary and in Berlin. Ken Berkeley recruited a new secretary, Dinny Reed, in 1980 after the death of Eyvin Schiotz who had been Secretary since the early years of the Class. |
| 1983–1986 | West Germany |
Karl Haist | He encouraged The German Democratic Republic (GDR) Soling sailors to become more active in the regular events of the Class and arranged for the first European Championship behind the "Iron Curtain". Karl was particularly concerned to maintain the one-design character of the boat and during his tenure additional templates were introduced to control the shape of the keel. Heike Blok brought forward the concept of an international ranking system and donated the Soling World Trophy. |
| 1987–1990 | West Germany |
Sam Merrick | During Sam Merrick's Presidency the IYRU hierarchy launched a major program to make sailing a spectator sport, part of which was to introduce match racing into the Olympics. Sam persuaded the Class and the IYRU that if match racing were to be introduced, the ideal means was to use the Soling in a fleet/match event and he presided over the establishment of the present Olympic format in which the top fleet racers advance to a match racing final. The number of sails allowed in a regatta was reduced to one main, two jibs, and two spinnakers. Perhaps most importantly, Uli Strohschneider's campaign to make the Soling unsinkable was successful and the Class Rules were modified to require that hatch covers be screwed into place. No Solings with correct hatch covers have sunk since this time. |
| 1991–1994 | United States |
Stuart H. Walker | Walker campaigned successfully to keep the Soling in the '96 Olympics and to continue the fleet/match format Stu established a strong, well organized Technical Committee that included the major builders and which has been successful in openly recognizing and solving problems before they become significant. |
| 1995–1998 | Hungary |
George Wossala | George Wossala, as Vice-President and then President of the ISA, became a major influence in the Hungarian Yachting Association, and subsequently was appointed to several important ISAF Committees. During his reign as ISA President he also strove to improve the status of the Class' club racers, while aspiring to, and achieving, an Olympic berth himself (in the 1996 Olympics). He has also instigated the first Soling Masters' Championship – to be held at Lake Balaton in September 1999 |
| 1999–2002 | United Kingdom |
Tony Clare | After serving as Chairman of the ISA Technical Committee from 1980–1998 and as Vice President (Administration) from 1990–1998, Tony Clare became ISA President in January 1999. He has spent an enormous amount of time and effort over the last 20 years to make the International Soling Association work smoothly and to make the Class and its administration the most respected of all the Olympic classes. |
| 2003–2006 | United States |
Rose Hoeksema | After the discontinuation as an Olympic class after the 2000 Olympics, Rose was able to keep the class together and to make a start of a new Soling strategy. A part of that strategy was to make the Soling one of the Vintage Yachting Classes.
Dinny Reed retired in 2003 as secretary. She was succeeded by Fleur Ainsley and later by Mathias Collins. |
| 2007–1014 | Netherlands |
Johan Offermans | Johan is working to keep the numbers of competitors as high as possible as well as the number of countries involved in Soling sailing. |
| 2015 – Present | Canada |
Peter Hall | Peter have set the following goals for 2015: 1. Better more regular communication between executive and membership. |
References
- ^ "Keelboat Classes". US Sailing. Retrieved 31 July 2012.
- ^ "The RYA Portsmouth Yardstick Number List for 2004" (PDF). Royal Yachting Association. Retrieved 17 September 2012.
- ^ Article by Hans Fogh and commented by Stuart H. Walker on the matter of droop hiking
- ^ Droop hiking made easy
- ^ Olympic results
- ^ More Olympic results
- ^ Sports 123: Sailing: Pan American Games: Soling
- ^ World champions fleet racing
- ^ World Champions Match racing
- ^ Masters Fleet racing
- ^ Continental Champions
- ^ Sports 123: Sailing: North American Championships: Soling
- ^ Sports 123: Sailing: European Championships: Soling
- ^ a b "ISA – International Soling Class -"
- ^ ISA
External links
- International Class Page
- Soling Class World Championship Page
- Soling Class European Championship Page