Lymington XOD fleet Saturday Series Race 9

Saturday 21st July was the day of the Round the Island Race and so a number of X boat helms and crews had abandoned their beloved wooden classics for a trip round the Island in faster, more comfortable, glass fibre yachts. The day dawned without a breath of wind and the makings of another glorious day but was there going to be sufficient wind for the afternoon race? In the event a steady SSW breeze of 8-10 knots provided sufficient breeze for XOD racing as well as to propel the fleet around the Island.

Race Officer Malcolm McKeag laid a committee boat start line off of Oxey Lake in-shore of Baverstock in order to avoid the worst of the flooding tide. The first leg of the course was a beat to Mark A, EchoPilot, which required the fleet to creep up the shore as close as possible. X57 Red Coral, helmed by Robert Young led off the line closely followed by X33 Claire de Lune helmed by Nik Froud and crewed by Charlie Cox. These two boats, as well as the boats following, took part in a tacking duel up the shore before Clair de Lune finally gained the advantage in a port / starboard cross and pulled slightly ahead. However, shortly after Red Coral saw Claire de Lune go aground and immediately took evasive action by tacking but to no avail as they became firmly stuck themselves. Faithful crew member George -who has been maintaining that he is still 80 years of age as long as anyone can remember - jumped into the water in an instant and tried to push Red Coral off of the mud. In the meanwhile Claire de Lune had extricated herself and continued racing albeit having lost a number of places. Sadly, and despite brave George's valiant efforts, Red Coral could not be pushed off and it was half an hour she was free with the help of the rising tide and a pull from the accompanying committee boat.

X42 Julia helmed by Steve Wightman then assumed control of the race rounding mark A first and remaining in the lead throughout the remainder of the race. After the first beat there was a run to mark spade, Scott Bailey, which proved a disaster for two usually proficient sailors who missed the mark only to turn back when the next four boats had rounded the mark and commenced their beats to mark B, Dunford. These two corrected their mistakes but not before three boats; XN1 Xanonan, X32 Ibex and X16 Mystery had correctly rounded the mark well ahead of them.

There was then a longer run to Pylewell Inner mark where the Race Office shortened the race, giving Steve Wightman, and his lovingly maintained Julia, their first win of the season.

Race 9 Results: (top five)

1st Julia, Stephen Whiteman
2nd Xoanon, Carslaw / Fisher / Harris
3rd Ibex, Paul Woodman
4th Mystery, John Miller
5th Perspehone, Richard Field