(Lymington, Hampshire, England)- This year's Spring Series for Keelboats off Lymington (yes, the far, far Western part of the Solent near the famous Needles) started on the day the clocks went forward but there were no reports of anyone oversleeping such was the enthusiasm to get out on the water after the winter. The weather rewarded everyone with an almost perfect spring morning in the Solent.
A north easterly breeze, occasionally getting up to 17 kts, and an ebbing tide for the first race gave Race Officer Roger Wilson the opportunity to set a couple of laps 'round the cans' with a moveable mark to windward and down to 'Royal Lymington' via 'Berthon' for the big boats, with shorter but similar courses for the Lymington Handicap fleets. There was some close racing as the fleets beat up against the tide along the mainland shore and enough wind for a tactical gybing run back down-- as the infamous "Fish" (Bob Fisher, eponymous writer extraordinaire for Yachts & Yachting) describes it, "just dragging through the mud".
This year the innovation of a separate finish boat produced a quick turn round between races and although the tide had changed and the wind dropped during the second race everyone managed to complete their two windward leeward laps and get back to the Club in time for lunch-- and avoid too much dragging through the mud! Class 1 IRC saw good competition, with William Newton's J/105 JELLY BABY taking line honours in race 2. Currently, Robin Taunt's J/109 JIBE lies third and Bill's JELLY BABY in fourth. For more Royal Lymington Series sailing information.
