2025 Medway Yacht Club Cruiser Spring Series - Race 4

A beautiful sunny day with an east wind blowing 10-15 knots greeted the two cruiser race fleets, Class 1 and Class 2.

The start was from the Medway Yacht Club line and with a strong incoming tide, and a beating start against the tide meant competitors needed to make a choice on which side of the river to start. In Class 1, Aquila, Countdown and Toucan saw an opportunity to dodge some tide starting on the north side of the river whilst Chips, Zephyros and Equinox started on the south side on starboard. Equinox and Countdown were over the line and returned to restart.

Away from the start Chips led with Aquila close astern, then Zephyros, Countdown, Equinox and Toucan. All the yachts then tacked down the river to round buoy 31 to starboard and then down to the forts to pass buoy 24 to port, on into Long Reach with some passing marks and round 16 and a spinnaker run to Otterham Half Acre.

Otterham Creek has a relatively narrow channel with drying area of mud/shallow water to both sides. There was close tacking for most of the fleet on the beat down and at this stage in the race Chips, a modified Scampi was a short distance ahead of Aquila, Elan 333 with Countdown, Sigma 33 about 200 metres astern but gaining ground quickly to windward. Zephyros, a Dehler 34 had touched the mud inside buoy 24 so had lost ground earlier in the race and was working her way back.

Toucan, Beneteau 31.7 was just behind. Beating out of the creek meant getting into the shallowest water possible to miss the tide. Aquila's echo sounder read fractions of a metre of water under the keel for much of the early beat out of the creek before finding surprising deep water on the southern tip of Burntwick Island.

Amongst the fleet there were various tack-for-tack battles going with each boat seeking out shallow water to avoid the tide and seeking to stay of out others dirty wind. Chips stayed ahead until halfway down the leg between Halfacre and Bouy 14 when Aquila managed to get into shallower water and finally slipped out of Chips clutches. Countdown had by this point made up much of the lost ground due to restarting and was close to Chips when rounding 14 for the run back to Medway Yacht Club with Aquila having opened out a bit of distance on Chips due to the incoming tide advantage after rounding buoy 14.

On the run back the bends in the river meant a number of spinnaker gybes were required in the strengthening wind. One final tacking decision was required on the turn into Short Reach, can we hold the spinnaker on a tight reach or not? Aquila and Chips decided to drop their kites on this reach and hoisted again in the run up to the line, Countdown held her kite on this close reach establishing a gap from Chips in the last reach of the course.

The first 5 boats of Class 1 finished within 6 minutes of each other. Once ratings were accounted for Chips won in YTC and Countdown in IRC and CH ratings.

Class 2 had a clean start with Gothik leading the fleet tacking to the first mark with Petite Fleur, Short Wave and Hotspur in close pursuit and Omega following behind. Hotspur overhauled Short Wave at the beginning of Gillingham Reach and overtook Petite Fleur who went aground approaching mark 24. Gothik continued to lead the fleet to mark 16 and enjoyed a great spinnaker run back to line.

Everyone had a very good race and enjoyed the courses. Class 1 and 2 finishing within minutes of each other added to the fun. Roll on next Sunday for the final race of the series.

Results at www.medwayyachtclub.com