Nordic Folkboat Lymington Saturday Series - Race 3

The third race of the Royal Lymington Yacht Club Nordic Folkboat Saturday series was a much more clement and gentle affair, than Race 2's 'Black Cloud' 35 knot rain and hail squall. We were blessed with warm sun and 10 knots of rather fickle SE breeze, and a huge spring ebb tide PRO Malcolm McKeag, set a line just east and shoreward of the platform, and a course of HDZED with a River finish. The first turning mark Denisons (H), being a mile and a bit up tide and in the middle of the Solent, it was a big challenge in light airs! The line was square to the wind, but heavily biased at the pin, up tide end, the best starts being made there. Some boats on starboard nearer the committee boat, failed to clear the pin. Quick port tacks to clear the line followed, and then the fleet drove hard on starboard into the mainland shore, to get out of the strong ebb tide.

Sadly two boats drove a little too far and hard and had to be pulled off the mud, whilst others touched and got away! Most of the drying mud shore was clearly visible, but danger lurked if you got too close! Crackerjack went almost the furthest east and then went south for the first mark. Riot had seen a stronger lifting breeze to the south and had gone earlier than most looking for the lee bow effect. They arrived at the first mark close together! Most others tacked south too early, and had to stem the tide for a while to get around the windward mark, so the first two boats got away from the following fleet.

A port spinnaker run followed down tide, with a short hitch into the river and then a circuit up tide and back to the shortened finish close to the platform.

At the finish, Crackerjack won from Riot 2nd, followed by TAK 3rd, Pilgrim 4th and Bonnie 5th.