Moore Blatch Royal Lymington YC Thursday Night Late Series - Day 8
by Hannah Neve 25 Aug 2014 19:56 BST
21 August 2014
Drama during the racing
The Class 3 Lymington Handicap boats tacked inshore off the start beating into a flood tide and a stiff SW force 5 on a typical elliptical course up to a windward mark off Pennington then down to a leeward mark off Pylewell. With conditions for once favouring the heavier cruisers Solo lead the fleet round the first mark and then sailed away. There was drama on the downwind leg as Breeze capsized attempting a gybe. With crew in the water Paul and Glenys Fox's Fly Orchid unselfishly abandoned her position near the front of the fleet to stand by offering assistance till the committee RIB rushed across to rescue both crew and boat, thankfully without damage to either. Meanwhile the race continued with Solo recording a deserved win followed by Nauti Lady second and Tokoloshe third.
In a blustery WNW wind, averaging over 20 knots and gusting to 25 or even higher at times the whole Thursday night fleet had a good look at Autumn in the penultimate Thursday night race of the year.
The IRC2 fleet tacked close inshore to avoid the tide before heading out to Dunford, the first mark off Pennington. Kit Off, the Corby 25 sailed by Jon Boyd had a full crew and stood up to the conditions well to round first and head back east on the run. Purple Haze (Shane Armitage) was close behind with White Mischief (Andy Hind) and Colleen (Allan Hill) next in line. Those with asymmetric spinnakers steered towards the deeper water and the faster tide on the Island side while the boats with conventional kites sailed more of a dead run and less current. It didn't seem to make a lot of difference, with Kit Off still in the lead at the leeward mark, Purple Haze in hot pursuit and then White Mischief and Colleen. These were the positions at the finishing line but on handicap first place went to White Mischief, Kit Off was second and Colleen was placed third.
With just one race to go Purple Haze leads the overall results with 9 points, Stren, is second with 12 and Colleen has moved into third place with 16, just one point ahead of Kit Off. It will be an exciting finish to an excellent series.
In IRC Class 1 Ray Crouch's Boomerang achieved a third successive first place to win the series with a race to spare.
Results at rlymyc.org.uk/Sailing/Racing/Race_Results.aspx