Nordic Folkboat Lymington Saturday Series - Race 14

With an unusual northerly wind on Saturday, 7th September, the Royal Lymington Nordic Folkboat fleet were presented with some interesting challenges. In the 12 knots of breeze, these boats will make about 4.5 knots upwind. Across a 1 or 2 knot tide, sailing the correct angles is key. Race Officer James McGill set an interesting course that made the most of the conditions.

On the first beat to Pylewell inner Jibe-O, sailed by Robin Taunt, called the tide the best and also gained from a lucky wind shift, turning first at the windward mark. However, much of Jibe-O's lead disappeared by gybing too late for the downwind mark on the Island shore, thus approaching it at a fine reach. This enabled Chris Baldwick in Bonnie and Julian Sowry in Mistral to regain their usual positions at the front of the fleet, with Padfoot (Chris Hill) overtaking Jibe-O when she had spinnaker problems after the mark.

There followed a close spinnaker reach to Charles Stanley mark off the Royal Solent Yacht Club, followed by a tactical beat across the flooding tide to mark F (Berthon). Bonnie led the way followed by Mistral and Padfoot and after the next mark C (Colten), boats headed for the finish line in the Lymington River with a short but interesting beat with the wind being northerly and very shifty in the River entrance.

At the finish it was Bonnie first, followed by Mistral, Padfoot and Jibe-O.