Spencers Estate Agents Royal Lymington Yacht Club Thursday Night Late Series - Day 4

A 20 knot South-Westerly breeze with a tide due to start flooding presented interesting choices for Race 4 of Spencers Estate Agents Thursday Evening Late Series. Gusts of 25 knots made boat handling challenging at times.

The six large Class 1 yachts were the first away, with most electing to take a starboard tack out into the deeper water looking for the last of the ebb tide. Luna led round the first mark from Jelly Baby, who hoisted her spinnaker too early to lay the downwind mark. A long run to Hampstead Ledge followed by a beat to the finish saw Luna hold her advantage, but insufficient to account for her handicap. The final order was another win for Boomerang, Jelly Baby in second from Luna in third.

Another good turn-out of 19 for the Nordic Folkboat fleet. There was a battle for advantage at the start as the fleet searched for the first of the flood tide on the beat to the windward mark. Tak led from Moonstone at the top, before a long fast spinnaker run kept crews busy controlling spinnakers. Mistral came through to lead at the downwind turn, but then appeared to sail to the wrong mark (followed by others) and were overtaken on the reach to Tanners. After a long upwind recovery beat, Tak went on to win with Crackerjack in second followed by Moonstone.

Close racing for the six boats in LAH2 saw little to choose between them at their windward mark. The strong breeze meant only some yachts flew spinnakers, but Mary Poppins and Crystal handled their kites skilfully and took the advantage at the downwind mark. This order was held to the finish line which was tricky to cross in the increasing tide. Robert Young's OK Yah came through to take third place.

Series results so far can be found here.