International Moth Lowrider National Championships 2025 at Stone Sailing Club - Day 2

The scow Moths are never at their best in light conditions - Moth Lowrider Nationals at Stone day 2 © Dougal Henshall

After a testing, not to say bruising opening day for the Lowrider Moths at Stone Sailing Club the concerns were that Day 2 would be the same but colder. Race Officer Neil Fulcher and the excellent Stone Race Team knew better though, with Neil going for an immediate delay to allow the wind to swing around to the East, which it duly did in keeping with his forecast.

By the time the fleet were released from the shore the sun was shining and a glorious day was in prospect, but it was also becoming abundantly clear that the fresh breeze was rapidly softening. Without any further delay the course had been laid and a start sequence instigated, but with the flood tide looking to become a dominant feature the approach to the windward mark was going to be crucial.

Suffice to say that a number of the star performers from Day 1 got this badly wrong, hitting the mark is one thing, setting up camp on it is something else altogether.

Early on in the fourth race there was enough steady breeze to make for some interesting if not exciting sailing - Moth Lowrider Nationals at Stone day 2 - photo © Dougal Henshall

The wind was now swinging wildly, forcing helms to hike their boats out one minute before scrabbling into the centreline to avoid a tricky capsize to windward. Martin Harrison made the most of a good start and first beat to lead the fleet away down the top reach and with the tide under him he had soon opened up a handy lead.

In Division 2 Lyndon Beasley was enjoying another strong performance; in this race no-one was going to get every shift, but he certainly seemed to manage better than most.

Lyndon Beasley is enjoying a good event showing an ability to be on the right side of the shifts more than most - Moth Lowrider Nationals at Stone day 2 - photo © Dougal Henshall

Meanwhile, Graham Cooper in his Mistral, who had done so much so well yesterday now seemed to want to develop an intimate relationship with the windward mark, he certainly spent enough time up close and personal with it.

By now the racecourse was more hole than breeze, boats were gybing at the wing mark only to find that they were suddenly running by the lee, others were totally becalmed and being carried towards Maldon by the time.

Last year's champion Martin Harrison got it right in Race 4 - Moth Lowrider Nationals at Stone day 2 - photo © Dougal Henshall

Martin Harrison was first boat home, but the overall handicap results will surely show that the leading Division 2 boat, the Magnum 6 of Lyndon Beasley, will be right up there as he was mixed in with the Division 1 front runners at the finish. The Skol of Henry Walker would be first Division 3 boat but the scows, which are never at their best in these conditions, would suffer a torrid time.

The all-GRP Skol Moths are a real throw back to the early 1970s but can still be a decent performer in the lighter airs and Henry Walker is producing some rewarding results - Moth Lowrider Nationals at Stone day 2 - photo © Dougal Henshall

With one race completed, the Race Team did their very best to get a second heat in, with a course laid, but as the clocked ticked down to the one-minute warning it was clear that the wind had swung and dropped away to the point that boats couldn't cross the line on starboard and those on port could barely stem the tide.

The Race Team wisely dropped back to AP, relaid, relaid again and then for a third time before the decision was thoughtfully made to send the fleet ashore to wait for the breeze to settle. It was a vain hope; after an hour ashore AP was changed to N and the day was done.

Now, everything hinges on the breeze for tomorrow - will there be something to cram in a couple of extra races before the cut off time?

Handicap Results after day 2:

Scratch Results after day 2: