Lymington Town Sailing Club Winter Series - Day 7
by Nigel Walbank 3 Dec 2018 18:42 GMT
2 December 2018
Simon Maguire (RS Aero 1806) in race 7 of the Lymington Town SC Winter Series © Nigel Walbank
Despite a poor weather forecast 33 competitors came to the start of Lymington Town SC's Winter Series races. With the South Westerly wind blowing force 5 and gusting 6, RO, Nigel Walbank set a triangular course out in the Solent. With the tide still ebbing many competitors found the downwind legs tricky in the infamous Solent chop.
In Class 1 the RS400 of Kevin Podger and Heather Chipperfield showed how it should be done keeping their asymmetric flying and executing good gybes. The rest of Class 1 all had swims at various stages resulting in the RS400 taking both line and handicap honours from Giles Chipperfield in his D1 and Richard Lilley's RS700.
Classes 2 and 3 had 27 competitors including 9 Merlin Rockets and 9 RS Aeros. Again there were plenty of swimmers particularly around the gybe mark resulting with a few competitors opting to wear round on the second and third rounds of the 3 lap race. Demonstrating great downwind form Pete Barton led home the RS Aero fleet from Dave Ellis and also took handicap honours. The Merlin Rockets of Tim and Lucy Harridge plus Rob Henderson with James Ellis, pushed Dave Ellis's Aero back into 4th place on handicap.
Next Saturday, 8th December, will see the RS Aeros Stadium Racing just off the LTSC club pontoon outside the seawater baths. Starting at 10.30hrs, 24 starts are scheduled in a two hour time slot, so non-stop action is guaranteed.