Lymington Town Sailing Club Early Summer Series - Race 7
by Rob Martin 17 Jul 2018 17:15 BST
15 July 2018
Lymington Town Sailing Club's Summer Early Points race 7 was held on Sunday 15th July. There was very little wind but the forecast was for a gentle sea breeze to fill in around 10:30am and steadily increase during the day. With a strong flood tide the start was delayed until 11:00am to give the breeze a chance to steady and the course was set well inshore.
The first race started in about 5 knots of breeze. The small but select fast fleet had a windward leeward course with a beat up the shore and a run back in the tide. After 2 laps the International 14 of Peter Conway and Tig Williams took line honours but first overall went to Mike and June baker in an RS400.
The medium fleet had a triangle course with a shorter beat. Geoff Havers in an Aero 7 started on port cleared the fleet and led the fleet in towards the shore. They were followed inby Ryan and Hannah Buchanan in a Scorpion. In the middle of the fleet there was close racing between the Aeros and Solos with Malcom Buchanan in the Solo just edging out the others in this group. When the results were calculated, first place was a dead heat between the father and son teams of Malcolm Buchanan in the Solo and Ryan and Hannah Buchanan in the Scorpion. Geoff Havers was third in the Aero 7.
The second race followed on immediately after the first and the wind had increased to around 10 to 12 knots. The course was lengthened and both fleets sailed a triangular course. Fast fleet was led home by Giles Lloyd-Williams in a Musto Skiff but again the win went to Mike and June Baker.
The longer legs stretched out the medium fleet. The lead was taken by John Cooper and Becci Wigley in a Merlin followed by the Scorpion. Next came the Aero 7s of Nigel Rolfe and Peter Chaplin who were never separated by more than a couple of boats lengths. The solos had a new challenge in the form of the 2000 of John and Pam Martin who picked up in the increasing breeze. At the end The merlin was unable to shake off the scorpion giving a second win to Ryan and Hannah Buchanan with John Cooper and Becci Wigley second and Nigel Rolfe third.