It was a bright morning with a steady 11 knot of breeze from 260’ when the committee boat set up adjacent to Hover 2 and set a course cascading down Southampton water for race 3 of the frostbite series. As yet no sign of frost with another mild day in store and gentle wind, we thought.

With the minimal tide all classes had good starts even though the wind had started to freshen a little after the warning signal and one or two were shortening sail. By the end of the starting sequence the wind gradient was up to 22 knots a good force 6 with some stronger gust which made it lively for the class 1 boats running back to Hover 2 from the windward mark off Solent Refit at Hythe . The wind started to back and increased further as the race progressed resulting in some spectacular broaches and as the committee boat positioned herself for the second race we were reaching a near gale with a gradient of 30 knots and the gust ....... The decision not to continue racing was never in doubt with such conditions especially as the highest reported wind speed was in excess of 40 knots.

Class 1 was won by Kirsty and David Apthorp’s new J111 J Dream which hit 19 knots on return to the Hamble. Class 2 winner was Erik the Red Bernard Fyan’s Mustang 30. It was a day for the big boats in class 3 with Faze 3 Andrew Campbell’s Bavaria 44 winning, and in J Class it was the J 80 J’ai Deux Amours owned by Stewart Hawthorn who took the bullet.

For further information on RSYC racing contact Cathy Crawley, Sailing Secretary, RSYC, Tel: 023 80 223352 or email racing@rsyc.org.uk

Race 4 was abandoned due to weather conditions.

For further information on RSYC racing contact Cathy Crawley, Sailing Secretary, RSYC, Tel: 023 80 223352 or email racing@rsyc.org.uk

The first racing in the Solent of 2012 started early this year but with the warm dry weather continuing it felt more like a spring day . The wind was a gentle 5knots from the west which caused consternation for the race management team just before the start by dying away to a little over 3 knots . Postpone or not to postpone that was the question. It did appear that the start line was in the light spot and the rest of the race area seemed solid so start they did.

There were 30 boats on the water out of an entry of 33 which was an excellent start to the series and perhaps an indication of how good the weather was. The class 1 IRC were 1st away and as always the start was competitive and there was an OCS who quickly restarted before the beat from Hover 1 across to the Hythe ship buoys, the course then running back to Hover 1 before a return to Hythe and then a short reach to the finish at Bird Pile. Class 2 IRC were up next and had a clean start before their beat to the same mark although the run was shorter to a laid mark to the west of Hover 1. Class 3 RSYC club class which is a very eclectic mix of yachts from a 21’ Sonata to a Salona 44 had a clean start too. Finally the J class for J92’s and J80 were away but they too were over enthusiastic and there was an OCS.

NJOS the Octon’s Corby won Class 1 with J Dream David & Kirsty Apthorp’s new J111 just 27 sec behind. Blazer Colin Woodruffs Laser 28 won Class 2. In Class 3 it was the Sonata owned by Oliver Love which won and finally in Class 4 J’ai Deux Amours ,Stuart Hawthorns J80 which won by 9 sec over Jammin John Cooper and Ian Townsend’s J92. So it is close racing indeed.

With the wind slowly building to the low teens but steady in the West race 2 was quickly under way on the same course . This time they were all well behaved and clean starts were had by all. This time it was J Dream who won Class 1 however in Class 2 & 3 Blazer and Frank again took the chocolates. Class 4 was won by Bojangles Richard Sainsbury’s J92s.

For further information on RSYC racing contact Cathy Crawley, Sailing Secretary, RSYC, Tel: 023 80 223352 or email racing@rsyc.org.uk

The first racing in the Solent of 2012 started early this year but with the warm dry weather continuing it felt more like a spring day . The wind was a gentle 5knots from the west which caused consternation for the race management team just before the start by dying away to a little over 3 knots . Postpone or not to postpone that was the question. It did appear that the start line was in the light spot and the rest of the race area seemed solid so start they did.

There were 30 boats on the water out of an entry of 33 which was an excellent start to the series and perhaps an indication of how good the weather was. The class 1 IRC were 1st away and as always the start was competitive and there was an OCS who quickly restarted before the beat from Hover 1 across to the Hythe ship buoys, the course then running back to Hover 1 before a return to Hythe and then a short reach to the finish at Bird Pile. Class 2 IRC were up next and had a clean start before their beat to the same mark although the run was shorter to a laid mark to the west of Hover 1. Class 3 RSYC club class which is a very eclectic mix of yachts from a 21’ Sonata to a Salona 44 had a clean start too. Finally the J class for J92’s and J80 were away but they too were over enthusiastic and there was an OCS.

NJOS the Octon’s Corby won Class 1 with J Dream David & Kirsty Apthorp’s new J111 just 27 sec behind. Blazer Colin Woodruffs Laser 28 won Class 2. In Class 3 it was the Sonata owned by Oliver Love which won and finally in Class 4 J’ai Deux Amours ,Stuart Hawthorns J80 which won by 9 sec over Jammin John Cooper and Ian Townsend’s J92. So it is close racing indeed.

With the wind slowly building to the low teens but steady in the West race 2 was quickly under way on the same course . This time they were all well behaved and clean starts were had by all. This time it was J Dream who won Class 1 however in Class 2 & 3 Blazer and Frank again took the chocolates. Class 4 was won by Bojangles Richard Sainsbury’s J92s.

For further information on RSYC racing contact Cathy Crawley, Sailing Secretary, RSYC, Tel: 023 80 223352 or email racing@rsyc.org.uk