Sundays racing brought the biggest fleet of the season so far with 32 boats taking to the water for races 7, 8 & 9 of the Spring Class series.

Light winds from the South greeted competitors, though this quickly changed to a freshening South Westerly for the first race, the fleet split into two, conventional fleet sailing a large triangular course and the Asymmetric fleet, a large windward leeward course.

A good size laser and contender fleet making up most of the conventional fleet had some very close racing, the tide having a big effect on the boats as the wind dropped off towards the end of the race, especially for those boats caught down tide of the finish line, those that hugged the shoreline keeping out of the strongest tide and gaining an advantage, Alison Jones managed to creep over the line first just beating Cliff Heath who Recovered well after a capsize at the start.

Five contenders enjoyed the reaches whilst the wind was up, competition is hotting up in this fleet, the established order heading for an upset at some point during the season as the newcomers get to grips with the boat. Five Spitfires also had a great days racing with James Trott and Matt China taking their first win in the boat, just pipping Gary Smith and Lynn Whitmore by a metre or so on the finish line. Mark Smith and Helen Suttie sailing a Spitfire for the first time also enjoying the speed and excitement of this high performance boat, a few capsizes amongst the others proved costly to their finishing positions. The two Musto Skiffs had some Close racing with many place changes between Andy Peake and Alex Koukarakis.

The RS800’s had an eventful morning race with Andy Jeffries having a dagger board snap at hull level, after a high speed wave jump, it took him some while to sail back to the beach with it! Mick Whitmore and Sarah Smith leading the RS800’s in the morning after Dave Pike and Claire Booth had an involuntary swim on the last lap.

The afternoon races were held in very variable winds, changing direction all the time, The Race officer Mark Fryer and Liz Lardner did a great job getting the races underway in such conditions. Next weekend the club opens for the first Saturday club sailing day, Sunday is the last three races of the Spring Class series and Bank Holiday Monday is the coveted Royal Sovereign Trophy.

The following Wednesday sees the return of the long awaited Wednesday night series, with the Laser Pratt racing looking increasingly popular, last seasons best fleet was 15 Lasers, this season with more newcomers were hoping to top twenty Lasers on a Wednesday evening.