Royal Lymington Yacht Club Monday Night Dinghy Late Series - Day 3

After a gap in the schedule during Youth Week, the sailors in this week's Solent House Dental Centre Monday Evening Dinghy racers were eager to get back on the water and the weather did not disappoint. Sunshine, a NW force 4 and a high, weather-going tide meant a good turnout and smiles all round.

With the wind blowing straight down the river, a long run out and a beat back were inevitable so the race team, led by Stuart Jardine and Doug Rogerson, set fast reaching legs out in the Solent for variety.

All the fleets made a clean start, with the Slow fleet's Laser 4.7s leading the way. In the Medium and Fast fleets the spinnaker boats hastily hoisted their kites as the gun went and held them up all the way to the leeward mark, a mile or so east of the river. Mark Barwell and Lou Johnson's Merlin Rocket, fresh from their national championships, built up a commanding lead in the Medium fleet.

In the Fast fleet Rob and Jan Martin managed unusually to get ahead of Keith and Julie Willis in their RS400s from the start but Luke and Emma McEwen's RS800 made a clean break and planed off ahead.

The beat back up the river kept the competitors on their toes, with 50-degree wind shifts and a large gaggle of Scows to negotiate. Fortunately the Scows were hugging the east bank of the river to dodge the ebb tide, leaving enough of a gap for the faster boats to squeeze through. In the Slow fleet Jonny Tait won in his Laser 4.7, while Liam Willis and Arran Mills in their Feva managed to overtake Charlotte Basset's 4.7 on handicap to take second place.

In the Medium fleet, Ian Sanderson and Myles Mence in their Blazes made the most of the planing reaches to get within a minute of the Merlin Rocket on the water, giving them a slim lead on corrected time. Rob and Jan Martin led the RS400s in the Fast fleet ahead of the Willises, but were unable to make up enough time in the river to catch the McEwens' RS800.

29 Scows, almost a record, turned out for Monday's race and the run down the river. At the Rockery large groups arrived at the same time and there was much bumping and banging and a fair bit of arguing about who was to blame.

It was much the same at the first mark, well out in the tide at the river mouth. Widgeon, 415, sailed by Joanna Elliott, had prudently taken a more easterly course down the river, found clear air and rounded first, a lead she held right to the finish.

Daffy Duck (Jane Pitt-Pitts) was further back as the fleet started the beat up to Oxey Entrance but worked her way up, doing especially well in the final beat up the river to the finish. She crossed second. Rory Paton in Wizard was joined by daughter Alex and recovered from a disappointing start to come third.

With just two races remaining the current overall leader is Wild Rose (Karl Thorne) with Nutshell (Mike and Ros Urwin) lying second and Wizard in third place.

Results: rlymyc.org.uk/Sailing/Racing/Race_Results