Blaze class at Lymington Combined Clubs Regatta

Although together the Lymington clubs can muster a fleet of eight Blazes it is some time since the class association has had a meeting at Lymington and the regatta provided an opportunity for an official class open meeting.

Three local boats and five visitors made up a fleet of eight which was enough for a class start. Once out on the water it became apparent that the conditions were going to be a race officer's nightmare with a fitful south-easterly giving way to an equally fitful south-westerly but forecast to increase later. After an hour's postponement with the course being reset three times the race got underway.

Ian Sanderson took the lead and pointing high was able to lee bow the flood tide to be first to the windward mark closely pursued by Mike Lyons, Rob Jones and Myles Mence. On the downwind legs of the trapezoid course Sanderson continued to extend his lead and Ian Clark joined the pursuing pack. Further back in the fleet Tim Knight was trying out a Blaze for the first time borrowing Peter Barton's boat and Paul Taylor and Bob Yates following on. The ten knot breeze at the start now started to moderate to five knots and by the time the leaders closed with the windward mark for the second time the wind stopped. After half an hour the race was shortened and places awarded according to the order at the last gate.

The breeze then filled in from the north, the northwest and finally settled in the southwest again and the course laid once more. At the start Sanderson took the lead again with Lyons close by on his windward hip, however both overlaid the first mark and Mence took the lead followed by Jones, Lyons and Clark, Sanderson opting to retire with family commitments.

On the downwind legs Lyons hunted down Mence eventually getting past after several attacking duels that allowed Jones to be close enough to attack too. On the next beat Lyons maintained his lead followed by Jones and then Mence the top three finishing in that order. By this time the wind was once again down to five or six knots and as it was teatime two races would have to do for the day.

Supper at the Lymington Town SC was well attended and a band laid on, all were hoping for more wind the next day.

However Sunday dawned with little wind other than a northerly land breeze, nevertheless the fleet were launched to be on the Solent for when the breeze did fill in. Two hours passed and one began to run out of things to talk about with drifting, waiting, neighbouring competitors. People sweltered under the sun on the flat calm.

About midday the beginnings of a sea breeze from the South West arrived and quickly built to twelve knots. Course laid, guns fired and Jones took the lead closely pursued by Mence and Clark, a little further back Yates and Taylor made up the remainder of the somewhat depleted fleet some of whom had given up waiting. Even on the downwind legs Jones had good pace and neither Mence nor Clark were able to close with him to challenge. At the finish Jones led followed by Mence and Clark.

By race four the breeze was gusting to twenty knots which gave good beats against the flood. At the start Jones again took the lead and continued to extend. Mence held second place for a number of legs before being overtaken by Clark and finishing positions were in that order.

The event was generously sponsored by Henri Lloyd and also Nick Cox Chandlery, English Braids and Harken. Prizes went down to third place and in addition Jones won The Melita Bowl a perpetual silver trophy donated to the Blaze class for the event.

The event was well organised with excellent courses once the breeze was steady enough to set them to. It is hoped the regatta will become a permanent fixture in the Blaze calendar.

Overall Blaze Results: