Nordic Folkboat Lymington Saturday Series - Race 6

Sunny weather greeted the West Solent Nordic Folkboat for their first longer race of the season. This popular fixture in the calendar is a race to Cowes with lunch at the Island Sailing Club.

A light north-easterly which the forecast suggested would fade, left the race officer with few options for a course. He sensibly elected to send the fleet direct to finish at the East Lepe channel marker, with instructions to pass within 40m to the north. Padfoot had the best start of the twelve Nordics, choosing the outer end closer to the favourable flood tide, but the advantage was only marginal.

Crackerjack, Riot, Madelaine and Padfoot best managed the light conditions of the long port tack towards Newtown. The breeze then backed to the north as the fleet closed the island shore, splitting the yachts between those continuing at a better angle along the shore, and others tacking back into the stronger tide.

Conditions became very light as the leaders approached East Lepe with skippers having to decide how best to correctly finish within 40m of the mark, without being swept the wrong side by the tide. The current got the better of Madelaine and Tak who retired being taken too far north from the finish. Crackerjack won with Riot and Padfoot close behind, but the whole fleet were all more closely bunched than of late.

Some 35 sailors enjoyed an excellent lunch at the Island Sailing Club, before cruising back to Lymington and Yarmouth in the afternoon sun.