Monday Evening Dinghy Racing at Royal Lymington Yacht Club

Brisk start to this year's season

The RLymYC Monday Evening Dinghy racing season launched in fine style this Monday, in a squally NW wind. For many dinghy sailors it was the first outing of the year, so there was some conspicuous "winter refit" work being done between the boat park and the start line. Race Officer Steve Green and his team had an interesting time when just before the first start, a hearty 28 knot squall blasted down the river, capsizing several boats. It also took a few sailors some minutes to work out that their fleet had started, adding to the confusion of having all six fleets reaching to and fro across the narrow river, in the wake of the outbound ferry.

The Slow Handicap fleet rode the breeze all the way out to the Solent, with a good turnout of Fevas and Teras planing wildly down the river. George RS and his crew held the lead ahead of Alex Paton and Jasmine Summers in their Fevas, with the rest of the fleet retiring behind them.

With not much water in the river, the asymmetric boats in the Medium fleet had even more excitement, some putting in as many as ten gybes down the narrow channel in a good Force 6. Keith and Liam Willis led the charge out to Berthon buoy in their RS Venture, using their asymmetric spinnaker to good effect. On the beat, they were overhauled by Tim and Mayumi Knight's Tasar, but held the lead on handicap ahead of Nick Ryley in his Laser and Pete Bell in his Europe.

The Fast handicap was dominated by the trapeze boats despite the squall dying away to a moderate Force 3-4 half way down the river. Ed Reeves showed how it should be done, being the first to hoist his spinnaker and leading the whole of the long run in his RS700. Luke and Emma McEwen missed their first opportunity to overtake with a near-capsize at the leeward mark, but found the right shifts on the beat to take the lead in their RS800. The race team sensibly finished all the fleets at the river entrance to avoid a chaotic tacking battle up the now even shallower river. Nigel Walbank's Musto Skiff closed the gap but couldn't quite overhaul Reeves, so had to settle for third.

The cold conditions, strong gusty winds and the forecast of more to come deterred a number of the Scow racers. The course down river required at least three gybes and four for most competitors. Happily all but one survived and by the leeward mark, laid well out into the Solent, conditions had moderated to a decent sailing breeze. Eric Williams led the race with Chris and Grace Cecil-Wright second. Catherine Maguire crewed by Paul Putt and sailing Daffy Duck finished third.

The Silver Fleet race was won by Pel Bruce in Quack ahead of Dubbie Robinson and Jane Cook in Clarissa. Newcomer Tim Harford in Dodgem was third.

Henry Heathcote and Sam Webb enjoyed their first race of the season in the Optimists with Henry taking line honours.

Results are at rlymyc.org.uk/OnTheWater/Racing/Race_Results.aspx