Moore Blatch & Station Financial Lymington Thursday Night Late - Day 3
by Richard Jenner 17 Jul 2016 16:47 BST
14 July 2016
Eight yachts started in Lymington Adjusted Handicap Class 1 in the Royal Lymington Yacht Club's Thursday Night Race, sponsored by Moore Blatch and Station Financial, on 14 July. Alan Hill's Colleen was too eager and being over the start line had to return and restart. This over enthusiasm on Alan's part resulted in a disappointing final placing but they say "If you are not over the start line once in the series then you are not trying hard enough".
The weather was remarkably kind, with 14 to 16 knots of wind from the South West, together with the end of a flood tide, gave some excellent racing conditions, which the Race Officer made good use of in setting a course of about 9 miles.
Robin Taunt's Jibe made an excellent start and was soon lost over the horizon to the rest of the fleet. The course led to some tactical decisions on tacking up the mainland shore against the tide with skippers pushing their luck on depth as they went deep into Oxey Lake to get the best line for the windward mark.
Tim Gale's Fizz, which was very short of crew, there being only two on board, made a remarkable early arrival at the first mark only to suffer on the two spinnaker runs due to the lack of crew. These downwind legs were delightful with Richard Jenner's Bonni Lady registering 9 knots of speed over the ground with the following tide.
Many Thanks to the skipper of Wight Sky, who realising he would not be able to pass in front of the massed fleets of yachts flying spinnakers, held back to allow them to pass, thus avoiding hasty sail drops and maybe the odd broach.
The final result gave Richard Jenner's Bonni Lady a first place on corrected time by 34 seconds over Jibe, which had finished 10 minutes in front of the rest of the fleet. It is sometimes rough justice in Handicap racing.
All yachts appeared to have had an excellent evening's sailing, irrespective of where they eventually finished, leading to some great post race discussions in the bar.
rlymyc.org.uk/OnTheWater/Racing/Race_Results.aspx