Lymington XOD fleet Saturday Series Race 13

The forecast suggested thundery conditions but none of the threatened bad weather arrived for Saturday's race which is number 13 in the series. The light and flukey south-westerly made laying any sort of course very difficult but, after a short postponement, the Race Officers succeeded in setting up a very good first beat to a laid mark (N) in mid Solent.

Those boats which started at the outer end of the line found better breeze despite the stronger adverse tide than those inshore and X140, Lucrezia, helmed by Neil Upton-Brown, in the absence of Ado Jardine, who is nursing a bad back, rounded first followed by X53 Quest, helmed by Manfred Schepers, X32 Ibex and X48 XL.

Even in so little breeze, the run down tide to mark H was short and was followed by a short fetch to D. From there, the beat back to N was very challenging. X178, Beatrix, having rounded D fifth looked to have the initial advantage by standing on (on port tack) with a nice lee bow and several lifts.

But the four who had been ahead at the mark and looked to have tacked off into death alley found much better breeze than those inshore so that Ibex was able to pull through to lead, ahead of Lucrezia, at the windward mark. Moments later, the wind shut off entirely and those who had got round N simply drifted lifelessly down tide to H where the Race Officers wisely finished the race.

Inevitably, within five minutes, a lovely breeze filled in which did at least mean everyone was able to get home.

Top 5 results:

1st Lucrezia, Neil Upton-Brown
2nd Ibex, Simon Cakey & Oliver James
3rd Xl, Rory Paton
4th= Beatrix, William Norris & Bill Dunsdon
4th= Quest, Mafred Scheppers & James Mcgill

Full results can be found at rlymyc.org.uk/Sailing/Racing/Race_Results/XOD_Results.aspx