2025 YachtsandYachting.com Racing Series - Round 6

High pressure gloom over the Solent greeted the competitors to Round 6 of the YachtsandYachting.com Racing Series held over the weekend of October 11th & 12th.

Five Prometheus 41s came to the start line on Day 1 for racing to be held in the Swashway, just outside Portsmouth Harbour. With spring tides and light North Easterly breeze, the RO felt this to be the best area to find sailable conditions for racing.

In the end 3 windward / leeward races were started with Hyde Sails (Scott Broughton / Deloitte) winning Race 1 followed by Sunsail Zephyr (Conrad Wooding / LBS). Race 2 saw Sunsail Zephyr take the gun followed by Red Penguin (Keith Harding / HOEOCA).

Race 3 started in a softening breeze which saw all boats with the exception of Red Penguin struggle to get over the start line. To make thing interesting, 3 Victory boats from Portsmouth also used the same start line at the same time which caused some discussion between the fleets! The breeze softened further, the tide grew stronger and eventually Race 3 was abandoned and 30 minutes later, with no improvement in the conditions, racing was abandoned for the day. The overnight leader was Sunsail Zephyr with Hyde Sails and Red Penguin tied on points for 2nd place.

Having enjoyed the delights of Cowes the previous evening, competitors awoke on Sunday morning to similar overcast conditions but with hope of improvement to come. The breeze was again from the North East but this time a steady F3. To compensate for lack of racing on Day 1, 4 races were held with the start area being near Osborne Bay.

Races 5 and 6 were simple triangular courses. Hyde Sails again won the first race of the day followed by Sunsail Solaris (Mark Bowers / Shustoke SC) who then went on to win the second race followed by Sunsail Zephyr.

Having had a poor showing on Day 1 the crew of Sunsail Solaris must have had a special ingredient for breakfast as they took the gun again in the third race, this time followed home by Hyde Sails.

So after 5 races, with one more to come, Hyde Sails and Sunsail Solaris were on equal points after discard with Sunsail Zephyr just a couple of points adrift. It would all come down to he final race which was a more round the cans race heading back towards Portsmouth.

The promised sun finally emerged through the grey and unfortunately the breeze dropped, making the long windward leg against the tide quite a struggle. Sunsail Solaris again showed good upwind pace and crossed the line with a very comfortable lead to win the event overall.

With the fleet spread out the RO offered rest of the fleet the option of a Whisky finish or race on until the time limit expires. The latter was the choice of Red Penguin as they were in close company with Sunsail Zephy. Red Penguin eventually finish 2nd and Hyde Sails, having had a shocker of a race, retired, giving Sunsail Zephyr 2nd overall.

Overall Results: