Lymington XOD Wednesday Autumn Series - Race 3
by Roy Froud 21 Oct 2014 08:34 BST
18 October 2014
Saturdays race for the Dean Maiden Cup was for boats which had not come in 1st, 2nd or 3rd in the Cock Boat Series previously run. The winner of the Dean Maiden Cup would not necessarily be the winner of the Saturday race.
There was a debate by the race officer Paul Stickley as whether the race would be run at all since the wind strength was on the limit for the fleet hovering around 24 knots, however with a flood tide and wind with tide the sea would be fairly flat. It was therefore decided that a fairly short course would be set and the wind having veered more to the South West made the decision a go for a somewhat diminished fleet of 10 boats.
The first beat was to mark C, Colten, and although most boats started on starboard tack Ado Jardine in X140 Lucrezia made a daring port start from the pin end to take advantage of the bias. However, Lucrezia had to take a penalty turn as a result of a port/starboard infringement with X161, Mayday, setting her at the back of the fleet.
The tide having only just turned it paid to stay out in the deeper water initially and Rory Paton in X48 XL led round the first mark. A rolling spinnaker ride to leeward mark Inner Pylewell was followed by two more windward leeward legs with Xl leading all the way to the finish.
The boat to win the Dean Maiden trophy was Max Crowe in X33 Clair de Lune finishing in 7th place.
Top 5 finishers:
1st XL, Rory Paton
2nd Mayday, David da Cunha
3rd X-Ray, Robin Balme
4th Diana, Ian Burr
5th Ibex, Paul Woodman & Oliver James