Sunday 8 April, saw probably the best weather experienced all year – bright sunshine and a mild south-westerly wind. The Folkboat start during the third race of the Royal Lymington YC Spring Series on 8 April caused all competitors some difficulty with an easing flooding tide coupled with a breeze, which seemed to diminish, to a Force 2 just as the start gun fired.

The race saw yet another new Folkboat venture to the start, ‘Faoileag’, owned by H. McCafferty and based in Lymington. As the boats gently crossed the start line, ‘Box Clever’ (J. Bence) crept away from the pursuing fleet. Once around the start the distances between the leader and the remainder of the boats became exaggerated due to the tidal conditions and lack of wind.

The course kept the boats on the mainland shore between the areas of Pylewell and Lymington with two short beats and two reasonable runs, in what proved to be an extremely tactical race.

‘Box Clever’, maintained her lead until approximately a quarter of a mile to the finish, when ‘Aquavit’ (S. Osgood/T. Howard) began to apply pressure the leader into covering them along the mainland shore out of the now ebbing tide.

The boats still had to make a gybe for the finish line to lee bow the tide across to where the finish was located, near Jacksons. As the finishing line loomed in the distance, ‘Aquavit’ gybed but, trying to cover at the same speed, ‘Box Clever’, lost their advantage and lead, effectively letting, ‘Aquavit’ through to windward, which they maintained to the finish, winning by 20 seconds.

The rest of the fleet failed to sail the full course and subsequently did not finish.

Results

1st Aquavit – S. Osgood/T. Howard

2nd Box Clever – J. Bence