K6 Open at Aldeburgh Yacht Club

K6s at Aldeburgh © Simon Fulford

K6s at Aldeburgh © Simon Fulford

The Aldeburgh YC on the Suffolk coast hosted the first 2017 season K6 Open meeting over the weekend of 13/14 May. The next fixture is also on the East coast at Stone SC on the Blackwater in early June followed by the bi-annual expedition to Lake Garda for a full week's racing – with Vipers – over the last week of June. The Nationals are at Weymouth in September.

Despite some last minute absentees the home fleet and visitors enjoyed some great racing and cracking conditions on the River Alde, with the windward leewards being relatively easily set downriver from the Club to suit a generally southerly breeze.

With air temperature up, a flood tide until the last race of the afternoon and a good deal of sunshine the stage was set for some enjoyable competition leaving only the banks to trap the unwary!

All 6 races were sailed – 3 per session – and Race Officer Simon Fulford set true courses for each start but with shifts intervening in Race 1 (so shortened to 2 laps) and Race 5 when the conditions went light and fickle.

Lawrence and Luka Crispin gave the other competitors a master class and recorded 5 bullets and a 3rd place while the rest of the fleet all had their moments in the lime light or touching the bank which with building tide was fatal. Of the other boats locals Nick Jones and Keith Ballantine were the most consistent to claim second place on the series but all boats enjoyed close racing throughout.

The Club hosted a convivial dinner for competitors on Saturday evening - when the enhancement to the Club House afforded by the new 'Riverview' extension (under construction and nearing completion) could be fully appreciated - and most of the team were wearing large smiles by prize giving early on Sunday afternoon.

Overall Results: