The final race of the Lymington Town Sailing Club’s Solent Circuit was sailed in a brisk force six south westerly on Sunday (December 10). Having lost the traditional two races to bad weather-one week too light and one too windy, it was good to get the final race completed with a rising breeze.

The course was shortened for the bigger boats so all were home before the30 knot gusts came through.  Two boats in different classes demonstrated that the basic rule of series sailing is to start and finish every race. Peter Scholfield’s HOD35 Zarafa and Edward Donald’s Folkboat Madelaine both did that and also won the four counting races for emphatic victories in their respective classes.

Class 2/3. 1, Philippides (Swan 41) Richard Balding.
2, Brightwork (X332) Robert Baker.
3, Zapopan (Sigma 41) Ray Crouch.

Class 4. 1, Juliette (Maxi 1100) John Morrow
2. Wings of Pegasus (Sweden 39) Roger Garlick.
3, Marge (Sonata) Edwin Nabney.

Folkboats. 1, Madelaine, Edward Donald.
2, Aurora, George Clitter.
3, Padfoot, Chris Hills.

Winds gusting to 30 knots greeted competitors in the Lymington Yacht Haven sponsored sixth race in the Lymington Town Sailing Club’s Solent Circuit .  That and a forecast of even more wind kept the entry down but those who braved it enjoyed challenging sailing.

A beat to Lymington Bank off Yarmouth followed by a run to Yacht Haven at the ll Lymington River entrance where they gybed to head out to Berthon and gybe again for Pylewell before beating to the finish line.

Given the conditions, race officer Mike Rayden kept the race short but crews still felt they had worked hard-particularly those who hoisted spinnakers when the temptation was to play it safe. The rewards went to those whose crew work was exemplary.

Results:
Class 1.  1, Zarafa (HOD35) Peter Scholfield.  2, Carpetbagger (HOD35) Michael Ronson. 3, No Doubt (First 347) Chris Neve.

Class 2/3. 1, Phillipides (Swan 41) Richard Balding. 2, Zapopan (Sigma 41) Ray Crouch. 3, Brightwork (X332) Bob Baker.

Class 4. 1, Juliette (Maxi 1100) John Morrow. 2, Marge (Sonata) Edwin Nabney. (Two finishers).

The fifth race in the Wightlink sponsored Lymington Town Sailing Club Solent Circuit proved a tricky affair. Having abandoned racing last week because of lack of wind and the strong spring tide, race officers were keen to get something in with the eight knots of westerly breeze offered with a neap tide.

Race officer Mike Rayden set a long course with lots of short legs and tactical decision making needed. Crew work was also well rewarded as mark roundings had to be slick.

The light westerly breeze was just enough to carry the 36 entries beating against the flood tide to their first mark at Yacht Haven just off the Lymington River entrance. A short spinnaker run to Berthon, a fetch to Pylewell , a run to Jacksons a beat to Tanners gave everybody plenty to do. There were even a few float drop/gybes by crews who’d got the co-ordination right.

It’s too early to see much of a pattern in the races as discards have not yet kicked in but in class one, Peter Scholfield’s HOD35 Zarafa is pretty consistent despite only making fourth and leads Michael Ronson’s HOD35 Carpetbagger-first this week- by six points. Discards could change this dramatically as Carpetbagger has a 10 point penalty for not competing in race 2. HOD35s, eqch with a slightly different handicap filled the first three places.

The closest racing is usually in the Folkboat fleet but this week, Edward Donald’s Madelaine finished several minutes ahead of his nearest rival to record his second win of the series and to lead by 12 points.

Results. Class 1. Carpetbagger (HOD35) Michael Ronson. 2, No Doubt (First 34.7) Chris Neve. 3, Symmetry (HOD35) Rory Fitzwilliams.

Class 2 and 3. Brightwork (X332) Bob Baker. 2, Phillipedes (Swan 41) Richard Balding. 3, Jalicia (First 33.7).

Class 4. 1, Marge (Sonata) Edwin Nabney). 2, Wings of Pegasus (Sweden 390) Roger Garlick. 3, Windflower (Westmacott) Don Wood.

Folkboats. 1, Madelaine, Edward Donald. 2, Padfoot, Chris Hills. 3, Crackerjack, Stuart Watson.

Non Spinnaker 1. Channel Pilot (Moody346) Stephen Turner. 2, Fly Orchid (Moody333) Paul and Glenys Fox. (Two finishers).

Sportsboats. 1, Red Kite, Roger Harford. (One finisher).

All classes sailed the same course with a beat downtide from Jacksons to Yngling Girls off Durns Point followed by a run against the tide to a gybe mark at Pylewell then Berthon.

Race officer Mike Rayden bravely decided to give the big boats three rounds of this and the smaller boats two rounds. His judgement was vindicated as the breeze held up just long enough to get everybody home.

 The key to a good performance was on the downtide beat where tacticians had to decide which windshifts were to be taken and when to tack for the mark before being swept past it.

In class one Chris Neve’s First 347 No Doubt got it right to beat Michael Ronson’s HOD35 Carpetbagger by nearly four minutes on corrected time. Two time winner in the series, Peter Scholfield’s HOD 35 Zarafa was third.

 Class two and three combined Bob Baker’s X332 Brightwork beat Richard Balding’s Swan 41 Phillippides both on the water and on corrected time.

 In class four Richard Jenner’s Contessa 28, Whisper had by far the best start and Edwin Nabney’s Sonata Marge was uncharacteristically far back. However corrected time saw Marge win by just over a minute.

Folkboats are the closest fleet and Gap Year gave away its lead on the second beat to allow Edward Donald’s Madelaine victory.

 Results: Class 1. No Doubt (First 347) Chris Neve. 2, Carpetbagger (HOD35) Michael Ronson. 3, Zarafa  (HOD35) Peter Scholfield.

 Class 2/3: 1, Brightwork (X331) Bob Baker. 2, Phillippides (Swan 41) Richard Balding, 3, Five thirty one pm (Rogers 27) Alan Macilroy.

 Class 4: 1, Marge (Sonata) Edwin Nabney. 2, Whisper  (Contessa 28) Richard Jenner. 3, Juggler (Shamrock) Barry Dutton.

 Folkboats: 1, Madelaine, Edward Donald. 2, Gap Year, A Burks and A Codd. 3, Padfoot, Chris Hills.

Thirty two boats turned out for Lymington Town Sailing Club’s first Solent Circuit race on Sunday (October 14). With the breeze occasionally topping 25 knots from the  East and an ebb tide most found the day challenging and exciting.

All classes were given the same course starting with a beat to Tanners Lake, a sort run to Pylewell, a reach out to Berthon in mid-Solent and a long run to Pennington followed by a beat back to the line.

In class one, two HOD 35s with slightly different handicaps fought it out with Peter Schofield’s Zarafa beating Michael Ronson’s Carpetbagger on the water and by nearly three minutes on corrected time.

The closest racing was as always in the one design Folkboat class where George Clitter’s Aurora beat Thoms Case’s YSA by just over a minute.

Class four saw Roger Breese’s Sally Too winning by just forty three seconds .

Class 1 IRC 1, Zarafa Hod 35 P.V.Scholfield.
2, Carpetbagger, Hod 35 Michael Ronson. 3, No Doubt First 347,Chris Neve.

Class 2 and 3 IRC. 1, Philippides II Swan 41,Richard Balding.
2, Zapopan Sigma 41, Ray Crouch. 3, C-Lion, Sweden Yachts, Jon Boyd.

Club handicap. 1, Sally II, Sadler 32, Roger Breese.
2, Marge, Sonata, Edwin Nabney. 3, Juliette. Maxi 1100, John Morrow.

Folkboats: Aurora,George Clitter.
2, YSA,Thomas H Case. 3, Madelaine Edward Donald.