It was great to see the season start on Sunday the 16th in Sunny and calm conditions . The first race of the season was contested by 3 boats with a further three boats getting on the water for some spring tuning. The race started at 11.00 in a light East North Easterly and strong ebb tides. This created some key navigational choices with the run between Seaward and the A buoy set on the shore nearly directly inshore of seaward being particularly challenging. As there was a choice to be made between setting a direct downwind course and a VMG course. The race was lead from the start by the Hurricane sailed by Larry and Mike, though the Dart 18 with Mark and George Venables nearly beat them to the first windward mark. The Hurricane using it's Asymmetric Spinnaker extended the lead after on th downwind legs that and went on to take Line Honours. As our Commodore Mike Rolfe said before the start the conditions were perfect for the husband and wife crew of Peter and Helen Lyall sailing their Wanderer who took the overall win on Handicap.
