Keyhaven Yacht Club Spring Series - Races 6 & 7

Keyhaven YC Spring Series Races 6 & 7 © Malcolm Lee

With the wind speed averaging 18mph and gusting 25mph, PRO Malcolm Lee decided on a simple but large triangle for Race 6 the first of the two races being run on Sunday 14th April.

One Hadron, two Finns and a clutch of Lasers plus one lonely Scow all hit the line within seconds of the start flags being dropped and started the long hard beat up to the top mark. It was Ian Sanderson in his Hadron who led round the top mark with Cy and Simon Moss (Finns) hot on his heels closely followed by the Lasers. Two fast and very wet reaches later this was the still the order as the boats rounded the leeward mark for the first time but now with a much longer (read 'leg screaming') trip to the top mark. The order was the same the second time.

Close battles had developed between the Hadron and the Finns, Mark Jardine and Ashton Dray and the father and son duo that is the Langley's. David Bence a novice Laser sailor showing true grit brought up the rear and battled on despite a number of swims on the reaches and 'that' gybe mark. Amidst all of this James Young in his Scow sailed the course as if he was out for an afternoon cruise making it all look very easy! Hard stares were received by the RO as the fleet realised that they were being sent round one more time! At the finish it was Ian closely followed by Cy and then Simon. The closest finish of the day was between Mark and Ashton who were one second apart, the honours going to Mark.

The second race of the day was simplified to a beat, a quick reach out to a wing mark then a mentally challenging trip back to the Club line through Keyhaven harbour zig zagging in and out of a number of the harbour channel marks. The start was a tight run thing with Moss and Sanderson starting closest to the committee boat and Grisley and Jardine starting closest to the pin end. Moss and Jardine were neck and neck until a 15 degree shift in Jardine and Grisley's favour allowed Grisley to reach the windward mark ahead with Moss and Sanderson within a boat length behind. Moss brushed the mark and earnt himself a turn allowing Grisley and Sanderson to scream off on the first reach to the spreader mark. Moss recovered but then had the Laser of Jardine hot on his heels.

Grisley held off Sanderson at the spreader mark but couldn't mark his speed on the next reach to the entrance of the river. Sanderson then pulled away and took his second win of the day, having beaten Grisley in the first race by a mere 2 seconds on corrected time. Results Sanderson, Grisley, Jardine, Moss.

Next racing will be the Easter Regatta over this weekend, and the weather is looking very fine!

Results after Day 4: (seven races)