Lymington Town Sailing Club Sunday Late Points Series 1
by Karl Thorne 8 Aug 2017 11:50 BST
6 August 2017
Fast handicap start during Lymington Town SC Sunday Late Points 1 © Phil Thorne
Last Sunday saw the first races in the Summer Late Series at Lymington Town Sailing Club. Sunshine and a decent breeze met the competitors, who were a little depleted in numbers due to the distraction of either competing in or going out to watch the Fastnet Race starting at around the same time.
In the first race Dave Gorringe sailing his D-One in the fast handicap fleet took the win ahead of Rich Keeton in his RS700. In the medium fleet, it was a Merlin Rocket benefit with John Cooper and Becci Wigley winning ahead of Rob and Jan Martin.
By the second race, the breeze had built and the ebb was at full-strength giving a classic West Solent wind over tide chop, the exertions of the first race seemed to have taken their toll on most of the fleet as there were only a few customers left for this race. Also, the first of the Fastnet fleet were beating through the Western Solent, somewhat slower than the 25 minutes it took the Volvo 65 boats to get from Cowes to Yarmouth last Wednesday! Sadly none of the boats chose to come close to our race area for a photoshoot, although the MOD 70 Concise 10 was obviously having a lazy 5 minutes and took a long one over towards Berton buoy prior to tacking back into the best of the ebb on the Island shore.
In the fast handicap, it was the turn of Giles Chipperfield in his D-One to take the win, again followed by Rich Keeton in his RS700; the conditions were particularly challenging for single-handed trapeezing with a spinnaker!
A course adjustment for the medium fleet, with a shorter beat, and a downwind slalom gave fewer spinnaker options and suited the two-sailed Tasar of Richard Russell and Sylvia Weger who took the win after a close battle with the Merlin Rocket of Rob and Jan Martin. A special mention to the other Tasar beautifully helmed by youth sailor Euan Etheridge showing his Dad (and probably new permanent crew) how to do it properly!
Results can be found at www.ltsc.co.uk/results