Spring Series at Royal Temple Yacht Club - Day 4
by Peter Jackson 3 Jun 18:36 AEST
1 June 2025
At the end of the Spring Series the Melges 24 Lock Stock of foiling cat ace Simon Northrop and Paul Thomas finally had enough wind to excel. She beat all but Assassin round the track in 18-20 knots, the 42 footer taking line honours but, doing junior race training with five children, including two under six.
The Hod 35 Buccaneer II and the Woodward & Barrett X362 Stilleto were again stuck together like glue at the head of the chasing pack.
After a beat West came a long run East against the tide to the Broadstairs Knoll buoy. The Melges took the tradition Assy zig zag route but with enough wind to reach deep and fast, rounding second. The tide under the beat back then helped her hold off the rest. A smaller triangle out to the Gull Stream and back via Pegwell Bay completed the course.
Steering Buccaneer II was Mike Brand, not racing his Beneteau 40 so fast becoming a guest rock star helm. Buccaneer rates two points under Stilletto, but with a 5sqM smaller kite, finishing 15 seconds behind but taking second spot by just 1 second.
The First 34.7 Warrior was next, correcting just 34 seconds behind Assassin. The modified Cork 1720 Flying Pig was also flying with her assy but lost her halyard on the second run to drop to eighth.
Gary Walters J97 Jura and the Poupard X99 Xpedite had yet another close finish correcting 50 seconds apart and beating the 1720. But it was the Melges 24s day at last, getting very wet but having great fun and taking her first win by nearly four minutes from Buccaneer II and Stilleto.
The shorter cruising class race also had a close finish, with the Stoneley's 37ft Jeanneau Pippy beating the Dale's Corby 26 Bad Boys, navigated by wheelchair-bound Anthony Dale into second by 43 seconds.
With one race to go all is still to play for in both classes.
IRC top six in Race 7:
1st Lock Stock
2nd Buccaneer II
3rd Stiletto
4th Warrior
5th Assassin
6th Jura