Lymington XOD fleet Saturday Series Race 20
by Roy Froud 16 Sep 2015 15:31 BST
12 September 2015
Saturday's XOD race was well attended with 16 boats venturing out for the start. However the wind was strong and near the limit, averaging 22 knots with regular gusts of 30 knots from the SW and the tide was ebbing creating rough wind against tide conditions.
In the end only 8 boats continued racing with the others preferring not to risk damaging their boats or their crew!
The race team of Nigel Thomas, Malcolm McKeag and Linda Rogerson set an interesting and challenging course with a beat to mark A, to the east of Hurst Castle, a spinnaker reach to Blackrock to the west of Yarmouth, a run down the Island shore, with some shelter from the wind, to mark 5, out into the Solent to Solent Bank, a beat to F, Berthon, in very rough seas, a run to H, Jacksons, and finally a fetch to the finish line!
The platform end of the line was biased into the wind, however the majority of the fleet chose to start at the outer end to get out into the strong ebb tide as soon as possible. X32 Ibex, helmed by Paul Woodman, had the best start at the outer end followed by X119 Lone Star, helmed by Stuart Jardine.
At the windward mark, just off Hurst Spit, the order was Ibex, Lone Star, X9 Zest, helmed by Phil Brewer followed by X178 Beatrix, helmed by William Norris. Boats that went into the shore on the Island in the strong ebbing spring tide gained and at mark 5 Lone Star had overtaken Ibex, and Beatrix and X164 Diana, helmed by Ian Burr, (X164) had overtaken Zest.
On the spinnaker leg to Solent Bank Beatrix and Zest battled for clear air and let Diana and X117 X-Ray, helmed by Robin Balme get clear ahead. The beat to Berthon was in very rough seas and much water was taken on board the boats with bilge pumps working continuously. However the positions did not change for the rest of the rest with Lone Star closely covering Ibex on the final legs.
This was a good race in our strongest wind of the season so far.
Top 5 results:
1st - X119 Lone Star - Stuart Jardine
2nd - X32 Ibex - Paul Woodman & Oliver James
3rd - X164 Diana - Ian Burr
4th - X117 X-Ray - Robin Balme
5th - X9 Zest - Phil & Jo Brewer
Series results can be found here.