Nordic Folkboat Lymington Saturday Series - Race 4

The usual healthy turnout of Nordic Folkboats enjoyed glorious Solent sunshine for the fourth race of the Royal Lymington Yacht Club Saturday series. The start was delayed as the Race Committee waited to see which way the light breeze would settle, before opting to send the fleet inshore to Pyewell for the first beat. Samphire made the best of the start, rounding the windward mark in the lead, followed by Padfoot and Hannchen. As the fleet worked its way westwards into the flood tide, Bonnie showed a great turn of boatspeed to move up to second, hot on the heels of Samphire who had opted to stay a little further out into the Solent in a more direct route to the downwind mark.

As the breeze died away, the pack came together with just Bonnie and Samphire clear. At this point, with the exception of the two leaders who were well ahead, it would be fair to say every boat experienced each position in the fleet, as the fickle breeze and flood tide showed no mercy! The more observant noticed that Bonnie and Samphire had dropped their kites and were now beating towards what had previously been the downwind mark in steady south westerly sea breeze. Samphire, then demonstrated a certain amount of colour blindness by going to an orange mark, only to see a RIB from LTSC lift it as the rounded! Bonnie was quick to capitalise on Samphires mistake, rounding the correct mark (black) and thereby stealing the lead. Meanwhile, further back, a quick sail re-configuration as the wind filled in, saw those further offshore get the wind first; Millie rounding the mark after Bonnie and Samphire. Running with the flood tide in what was now near perfect conditions, Padfoot moved up to third. The close reach across the tide back into Pyewell saw Millie tangle her kite, letting Hannchen move into fourth. The fleet then gradually spread out for a second lap of the course.

With sunshine, a flood tide (to chance your arm at going inshore), a big wind shift followed by a steady sea breeze, all the constituent parts of a great afternoon of one-design racing were present. The race finished with Bonnie taking 1st, Samphire 2nd, and Padfoot 3rd, Hannchen 4th.