3rd Saturday Race
It’s not over until it’s over.
With 3 boats having raced across the last 2 races - it was a really a race between 54, 75 and 70 all with the trophy in sight on the penultimate race of the first Saturday trophy
Two more boats joined including 78 and 53.
78 set the course and was gate boat. PSC/ gate, LT, BT, MR, SS, LT, SS
Sun was shining, it was officially shorts and t-shirts for those brave enough.
The start was competitive, as we fought for the Pin end to gain the advantage of the tide to take us up to LT rather than being sucked into the harbour.
70 had a good start above 75, as they followed eachother toward the channel, before tacking towards the leading lights north of LT.
54 tacked early to follow 78 towards the channel. They key was judging the strength of tide on LT. Lucky for 54,78 and ,75 the tide was in their favour as the braved it to LT, 53 and 70 being more careful and baring down onto the mark.
The 3 leading boats played cat and mouse down the BT with their kites up, they were zig- zagging down to the mark with z70 behind followed 53 trying to complete a windward hoist.
When rounding BT, the boats headed out to the channel to benefit from the tide out of Southampton to round the Mary rose with ease.
Kites up - 78 in 3rd - heads to the left of SS while 54 and 75 continue to play cat and mouse.
The beat up the LT had the added challenge of a parked Ferry but certainly wasn’t too difficult to round LT in the tide.
The final kite leg was again a cat and mouse between 75&54 - 78 stayed out the way using the channel to escalate him down to SS - sailing above and over 75&54 !!
Finish order was : 78,75,54, 70,53
All that and the race was over is just over 1h50mins! All in glorious sunshine - see photos!
MC - Z70
