Lymington XOD fleet Wednesday Series Race 12
by Roy Froud 17 Jul 2014 12:39 BST
16 July 2014
Race officer Ken Hay sent 16 XOD's westward to windward mark C, Colten, in a 13-18 knot SW breeze as the tide started to ebb in bright sunny conditions.
At Colten, N1 Xoanon sailed by Paul Fisher, David Harris and David Carslaw led from the under 21 team of Nik Froud, Henry Lloyd-Williams and Charlie Cox in X72 Venus just ahead of X161 Mayday, David da Cunha and X119 Lone Star driven by the ageless Stuart Jardine. There followed a long run to mark H, Paul Jackson, where the order was Xoanon, Mayday, Lone Star and Venus with X48 XL (Rory Paton) and X192 Persephone (Richard Field) in close attendance.
There followed a long beat with the strengthening tide to mark T, Lymington Bank. Xoanon, Mayday and Lone Star rounded first and set off on a long run to mark G, Bridgefords, against the strengthening ebbing tide. Xoanon, Mayday, Lone Star and Venus, followed closely by XL and Persephone had a difficult and testing time.
The big tactical decision was whether to go into the mainland shore to avoid the tide or go straight to G in what proved to be slightly stronger wind? Xoanon, XL and Persephone took the direct route in the stronger offshore wind whereas Lone Star, Mayday and Venus went inshore. Mayday lost out to Xoanon, Lone Star and XL who rounded Tanners in that order followed by Persephone.
The fleet then beat back to the river mouth and the finish being at the RLymYc clubline where Xoanon who had led throughout took line honours followed by Lone Star, XL, Mayday and Venus.
Top 5 results:
1st Xoanon, Paul Fisher, David Harris, David Carslaw
2nd Lone Star, Stuart Jardine
3rd XL, Rory Paton
4th Mayday, David da Cunha
5th Venus, Nik Froud & Henry Lloyd-Williams & Charlie Cox