Wednesday’s weather forecasts suggested that racing was unlikely to be straightforward with thunderstorms and lightening on the agenda. The rain appeared in the morning and the Race Team hoped as the rain started to abate that Hayling’s micro-climate might prevail. Series A and B committee boats set themselves up on the winner bank on 045° but as the sun tried to break through the wind dropped and backed with a starboard hand course finally set on 010°. Despite this the wind continued to back to 340° and finally dropped away to below 3 and half knots after 4 fleets on Series A had been started, and the flood tide had carried them towards the windward mark.
At this point the Race Officer decided that abandonment and restart for those classes was the right decision as the wind swung around to the south-east. With it came a rain squall and loss of visibility so racing for both Series A and B was abandoned for the day.
Series C was more fortunate as the squall failed to reach them although the wind direction turned their course through 180°. The second race was sailed after a reset although the wind continued to be fickle in both direction and strength.
Series D for the Elites started today out in Hayling Bay East and suffered the same vagaries of wind in both direction and strength. Fortunately their course was sufficiently south of the harbour entrance to avoid the squall and they were also able to complete their second race after a course reset.
Robert Macdonald
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