RSYC Spring Double Handed Series race 1

by Richard House on 28 Mar 2012 The first race of the Royal Southampton Yacht Club Double Handed Series, the Corona Extra Spring Solent Double, got underway on Saturday in brilliant warm sunshine with a four class 70 boat entry.

There was doubt initially whether there would be sufficient wind but after an hour’s delay the wind filled from the South East to 6-8 knots and the Race Committee set a course from the start near Hillhead to Mackley Construction, cascading down the Hillhead plateau to Air Canada before reaching to the finish at Coronation.

The large Spring tides and initial light winds presented tactical challenges on downwind laylines with many boats over-standing the marks on the gybes but the weather was kind with flat seas and the wind increased to 10 to 12 knots for splendid sailing.

In IRC Class 1 a great scrap developed between the initial leader Rob Craigie/ Deb Fish’s J122 Jbellino and the J111 Manic resolving on the water in favour of Andy Greenwood/ Ric Pavoncelli’s Manic only to be reversed on handicap. In third spot were Mike Moxley/ Huw Phillips’ HOD35 Malice.

Richard Sainsbury’s J92S Bojangles clearly enjoyed the conditions in IRC Class2, finishing first on the water and on handicap from Mike Saqui and Alistair Chaplain’s Elan 33 Edith and the Projection 920 Weebear of Dominic Horner and Bertrand Malass.

In RSYC Class 3 the scratch Arcona 400 of Bob and Jan Trimble led around the course but could not do enough to save their time and were beaten on handicap by Squander, Bruce Ramsay’s Westerly Typhoon. Larissa, the Bavaria 36 of Adrian Parker and Andy White took third on handicap.

Bullit the Bull 7000 of Mark and Ira Morris took RSYC Class 4 both on the water and on handicap, the light and smooth conditions suiting her. Two Maxi 1050’s battled it out for second and third, the honours eventually going to Jim Burns/ Carl Wilcock’s Aloni from John Skipper and Tom Henderson’s Magewind of RSYC website