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Staff Christmas Fund

November 15, 2024

2025 Race Management Training

October 28, 2024

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Club Member India Syms Participating in the Ocean Globe Race.

March 6, 2024

Club Member India Syms is currently participating in the Ocean Globe Race as the Navigator aboard 'Outlaw'. They have recently completed an incredible 3rd leg. Read all about their journey.

'Outlaw' Leg three

We set off from sunny Auckland on 14th January with a good breeze from the NNE. Jostling for the pin end of the line, Outlaw did very well and ended up being the 4th boat to pass the media gates behind Spirit of Helsinki (Swan 65), Pen Duck VI (73ft Bermudan Ketch) and Translated 9 (Swan 65). For a brief period of time it felt like we were a part of the Flyer Class! Truly exhilarating. After some match racing with Maiden in the Hauraki Gulf, the fleet started to split with the majority rounding the East Cape and heading South, leaving us heading East-South East. Unfortunately, the large high pressure system that dominated the 45th parallel of latitude in the South Pacific stretching from New Zealand to the West coast of South America, did not play in our favour. Roughly 36 hours into the race we had a change of tactics and dived South to join the other boats although by this point we were already towards the back of the fleet. The following weeks meant that we worked extremely hard to catch up with the other competitors, a task that was difficult considering we are the second smallest boat in the fleet however the hard work paid off and we ended up finishing in the middle of the fleet.

The conditions we endured took me a little by surprise on this leg. Stories of huge low pressure systems with merciless cold fronts, freezing temperatures and waves as tall as buildings had mentally prepared me for one of the toughest 6 weeks of my life. Although at times we had each of these weather conditions, on the whole our experience was somewhat different. In order to meet safety requirements, multiple virtual waypoints had been placed throughout the leg which we had to keep to starboard before diving down south to round the Horn. This meant that for the first week and a half or so we were unable to escape the high pressure system mentioned above, leaving all boats making slow progress in the light winds in a place that the Maiden crew termed ‘the Coldrums’. The second waypoint at 50 degrees South, 100 degrees West felt like a physical barrier which once passed, turned on the ‘real’ Southern Ocean. The rolling mountains came thundering towards us, spectacularly towering over us from astern that meant it best not to look behind when helming. To avoid unnecessarily tiring ourselves out we changed the helmsman every half an hour although even with that rotation, at the end of a session on the wheel it felt like we’d done the most intense arm workout of our lives, often needing two people to be holding the wheel to keep us on track.

On the topic of workouts, it’s safe to say that I have seen a drastic change in my level of fitness since starting the race despite my attempts at getting as much ‘phys’ in as possible. Every manoeuvre does of course require a lot of effort however we often go days without tacking/gybing and if the wind is consistent, that goes the same for sail changes. In therefore created a step routine in leg 1 whereby for 5 minutes, twice per watch I did step ups on the bottom step of the companionway. Initially many crew members thought I was going a bit crazy and sometimes ridiculed me for it, however as the temperature started to drop in legs 2 and 3 and being able to feel our fingers and toes became a luxury, my routine became very popular. In this last leg myself and two others; Mehdi our Watch Leader and Glenn our Engineer, decided to take it up a notch and engage in an ‘ab’ competition, each watch holding the plank for as long as possible and doing as many sit ups against the heel of the boat (feet high side, head to leeward) as we could manage. Sadly I cannot say that I now have a six pack however it definitely helped me to maintain a base level of fitness.

This article wouldn’t be complete without writing about what an incredible experience we had rounding the mighty Cape Horn. We were lucky enough to pass at dusk, seeing the jagged rock looming in the poor visibility, waves crashing up its sides. A ship passed us a few miles before approaching the rock and when I asked if they had any updated weather information they could give us, the response was “very bad weather Ma’am, very bad weather”. All on board were ecstatic to be rounding the horn, one of the reasons why this race is so special. On the approach we had a lovely conversation with Jose the lighthouse keeper who we learnt is there with his wife, two young daughters and their cat. There are some pretty crazy places to live on this planet, but I would say the lighthouse at Cape Horn has to be near the top of that list, if not the very top.

After the month-long stop over in Auckland It felt as though all teams were well rested and raring to go. Crews were pushing the boats and themselves more than they had been in the previous legs. A new fire had been lit which as exciting as it was, was important to remember that the race is a marathon not a sprint and that the boats are very old. Each day we would learn of more breakages from the other yachts over the HF radio including reporting our mishaps. Luckily we didn’t have anything too major besides ripping the tack out of the main sheet towards the end of the leg. L’Espirit de Equipe had issues with their rigging, Evrika Chinese gybed and bent their boom, White Shadow broke the base of their forestay which resulted in the stay flying around and lacerating both their mainsail and yankee, and Translated 9 obtained two cracks in their hull after a nasty couple of broaches and a knockdown close to Cape Horn which lead them to seek repairs in the Falkland Islands, retiring from the race. It felt as though the boats limped into Punta Del Este with extensive jobs lists however all teams have rattled through the work and are all set to slip lines on the 5th March. This next leg is our final stretch back home, finishing at the Royal Yacht Squadron in Cowes and although I am excited to get going again, I have had the absolute time of my life so far and I’m not sure I’m ready for the race to be over. We’ll see how I feel in April!

Spring Series 2024

February 13, 2024

Exciting news, get ready to mark your calendars because the Spring Series is making its return this year, and we want YOU to be a part of it!

Picture this: four Sundays filled with thrilling races, camaraderie, and the chance to brush off those winter cobwebs.

Join us from April 7th to April 28th for two adrenaline-pumping races each day (weather permitting), starting promptly at 09:30hrs. With class starts tailored to accommodate IRC, Lymington Adjusted Handicap, Nordic Folkboats, and Sportsboats, there's a competitive edge for every sailor.

After a morning of exhilarating sailing, wind down in the Club's bar and restaurant, where we'll gather for a daily prize-giving. It's the perfect opportunity to celebrate your victories and connect with fellow members.

Now, here's the best part: entry for the regatta is only £90! Plus, for early birds who register before March 8th, it's just £75.

The notice of race and online entry are now available, so sign up today and secure your spot!

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New Online Booking System for 2024:

In anticipation of the imminent launch of our new website and exciting app, the club has overhauled its online event registration process. This strategic update aims to simplify the procedures for registering for events, booking tables, or hiring boats, with the ultimate goal of enhancing user convenience. However, prior to accessing these streamlined services, it is imperative that you are registered on our website.

If you already possess a username, your details will be conveniently displayed below for swift access. Alternatively, newcomers can easily register for a username by clicking the provided link.

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Once you have successfully registered and logged in, you can promptly book your spot for any event using the event calendar or by visiting each event's dedicated notice board. To assist you further, I've included some helpful images below to guide you through the process.

Furthermore, it's important to note that payments for these online bookings will be seamlessly processed through your member account via direct debit, ensuring a hassle-free transaction experience.

Should you not have a direct debit on your account then please complete the following mandate.

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RYA Training Centre

February 7, 2024

Discover our exciting lineup of courses at our RYA training Centre. Secure your spot today and access all the details by clicking the link.

Club Member India Syms Participating in the Ocean Globe Race.

January 29, 2024

Club Member India Syms is currently participating in the Ocean Globe Race as the Navigator aboard Outlaw. She has reported in again to update us all on her adventure!

This trip from Cape Town, SA to Auckland NZ differed to leg 1 in various ways

Despite this leg taking us close to 48 degrees South, the toughest conditions we experienced started about a day after sailing from Cape Town. It’s no secret that the Agulhas current around the Cape of Good Hope can provide some very challenging, often dangerous conditions for mariners and it’s safe to say it didn’t hold back for us. With roughly 35 knots of wind against current, the short, steep waves gave us a thrashing. I experienced my first wipe out breaker whilst on the helm – I could see the wave rolling towards us, the thundering sound of the white water crashing into the trough rapidly approaching and warned the others on deck. I tried to bear away as much as possible but there was little time to manoeuvre before it engulfed us, and engulfed us it did! I was washed off of the helm along with the guys washed onto the port side deck. After a quick swim in the aft cockpit, I clambered back onto the helm and regained course. Fortunately we were all clipped on so there were no major incidents, just a good shake up to keep us on our toes and the gift of soggy boots that remained soggy for until we arrived in Auckland.

The week that followed the Agulhas current was our coldest of the voyage. The sea temperature dropped very quickly from 20°C to a low of 6.5°C, but averaged out around 8°C over the leg. The sea temperature is something that I keep an eye on not just because I’m curious about how cold I can expect it to be down below, but also because it gives a good indication of the ocean currents, more importantly changing currents. Similarly to leg 1, the sun, moon, stars and planets spent a lot of time hiding behind the clouds so I wanted to make sure my dead reckoning was as accurate as possible and any adjustments to the calculations including currents need to be kept on top of. The difference between the legs however were that after setting sail on the 5th November, we did not see a single ship until the 10th December when I was able to get a position report, placing us 6 nautical miles from my dead reckoning position. Not too shabby! I did think we had spotted a ship mid-way through the voyage after seeing a singular white light just off to port, however after several minutes of hailing “Merchant Navy Vessel x3…” and having no response, I gave up, assuming it was a lone fishing vessel not keeping a good watch on VHF channel 16. Despite this, I sat in the nav station for a while just in case they decided to perk up and a few moments later, the VHF crackled and it was no other than ‘Galiana With Secure’, another competitor who could also see some lights. Upon further investigation, the singular white light we could see was in fact their stern light, and the red and green they could see, our tricolour lights! I’m not sure who was more surprised!

I hate to say it, but the weather fax became my nemesis during this leg. For the first part of the race I was able to have the unit set up on a timer programme to turn on exactly when I wanted, scanning a group of frequencies that I told it to so that when I woke up or came down from the deck there were some lovely synoptic charts waiting for my careful analysis. This time the fax decided it would not play ball under the automatic or manual set up, meaning I had to sit by it as it slowly dribbled out paper, constantly changing the frequencies until an image that was readable appeared on the page. The scheduled ‘buddy chats’ with other competitors over the HF radio proved to be very useful in determining what frequency the weather fax would need. If we struggled to hear each other on the 8mHz and had to chop to 12mHz, then chances were the WF would also require a higher frequency. I even got good at analysing the shades of grey that were produced and whether it meant going up or down. I know I am not the only one who has had issues with the fax – Maiden were unable to use theirs throughout the whole of leg 1, and Tapio on ‘Galiana With Secure’ dislikes it so much that he has installed theirs in the heads. This does of course bring some practical difficulties…

I am in awe of the wildlife the Southern Ocean has to offer. As much as I love seeing the bigger mammals such as whales and dolphins, my favourite animal has to be the Albatross. The way they swoop and soar over the waves is breath-taking, something you can watch for hours and something I had the fortune of doing!

In terms of the racing, we always knew this leg would be a little more difficult for us in terms of how we faired against other boats. The majority of the leg was downwind which due to our sail selection set us back slightly – we have three asymmetric spinnakers and one now unusable symmetric. Nonetheless, the crew spirit remained high throughout, even when it paid to be ahead with the bigger yachts racing around Cape Reinga whilst we were having a slow drift in the Tasman due to a looming high pressure. The first speckles on Radar as we approached Cape Reinga were a beautiful sight. To give you some context regarding our speed, ‘Galiana With Secure’ were just one mile behind us as we drew closer to Auckland however they finished roughly three hours after us. Painful!

Each day I am learning new things about myself, the boat, racing as well as different aspects of sailing and I can’t help but feel extremely fortunate to be here. It goes without saying that I am so unbelievably grateful for all of the continued support from back home and I’m proud to have flown the RLymYC “battle flag” and burgee whilst alongside in Auckland.

Race Team Training 2024

December 10, 2023

Race Team Training sessions will start on Tuesday 23rd January at 18:30 and will be every Tuesday for a total of six weeks. Training will cover a number of topics and is free of charge for our new and experienced Club volunteers. Click to see all the topics and to book your place.

Junior Section Sailing and Training Activities

December 8, 2023

The RLymYC is proud of its Junior Section sailing and training activities, to this end the club wants to be able to promote what is available to membership and also look to promote to the wider audience. Read more:

India Syms reports in from the Ocean Globe Race 2023

November 13, 2023

Club Member India Syms is currently participating in the Ocean Globe Race 2023 as the Navigator aboard Outlaw. She has reported in to update us all on her adventure so far!

India Syms reports in from the Ocean Globe Race

We made it to Cape Town! I can’t quite put into words how I’m feeling but I’ll do my best. Leg one for me was absolutely incredible. Throughout the journey I had an overwhelming sense of gratefulness towards everyone who has helped me get to this point - participating in the Ocean Globe Race 2023 as the Navigator aboard Outlaw – which of course goes without saying includes my amazing sponsors the JS Group and Forelle Estates, my friends and family back home, and also to anyone else that may be following along from the RLymYC - I hope there’s a few!.

Leg one provided a variety of challenges, all of which we overcame as a team which will make us stronger for the next three legs. Extensive analysis of patchy weather faxes combined with the knowledge that Equity and Law, now Outlaw, was designed to sail very well to windward meant that we decided to take a much more Eastern route than all of the other competitors which in hindsight worked out quite well for us. Having sailed 7,163 nautical miles in 45d 18h 58m and 8s, Outlaw finished as the 2^nd boat in our class, 5^th in IRC, and 6^th to cross the line. Not bad going!

After a slightly rocky start with spinnaker issues crossing the line, fortunately the remainder of the leg was not reflected in a similar light until the finish when we managed to blow up our 40 year old symmetrical spinnaker about 50 metres before the line. It was quite a spectacle and made for some fantastic photos. Staying on a similar topic, despite having the longest beat of our lives to windward – about 3 and a half weeks in total! – the boat itself took on minimal damage with just a few sails needing some TLC so my job whilst being here in Cape Town has been nearly all based around navigation for the trip to Auckland.

This leg certainly had it’s fair share of navigational challenges! After sailing from the doldrums we waved goodbye to the sun and as good as didn’t see it again until just a couple of days before arriving into South Africa. The sky remained a solid 7-8/8 thick cloud coverage with only very small breaks every few days which allowed me to get some sights in. I spent a lot of time sat on deck with my sextant at the ready, waiting for patches where the cloud was just thin enough that I could take a sight and even then only had a few seconds to get them as accurate as possible. This meant my dead reckoning calculations became extremely important (even more so than usual!) including several different factors – the usual compass course, variation, deviation, leeway, current and an extra one which I termed the ‘bullshit factor’ for when people would tell me an average compass course for the hour which I didn’t quite believe. That last factor was based off of a range of things from who was on the helm, to the verbal delivery of the compass course, to what compass course we were aiming for in relation to wind direction. As you can imagine, this factor caused quite a stir onboard with many taking the mick, however after sailing South East for 5 days with no opportunities for celestial navigation and having large changing currents and variation, I finally managed to get some sights in and confirm that our actual position was only 13 miles away from my dead reckoning position which for context, anything less than 15 miles when taking a sight even when you know your position is deemed to be good. All onboard seemed to be impressed, and I have to admit that even I was quite impressed with myself, which really is saying something! People stopped taking the mick out of my precision after that.

Part way through the trip we also had a little adventure within our huge adventure and conducted a rescue of a young man stranded in a longboat about 90 miles off of the coast of Dakar. If I’m completely honest with you, when we first spotted a boat driving at us at full speed with lots of shouting, my initial feeling was not a good one. Despite not being able to verbally communicate with the man, as he approached it was quite evident that he was in distress, looking for some petrol for his almost empty fuel tanks and needing some food and water. We have a diesel engine on Outlaw therefore had no petrol we could give him but instead offered some food, water and a tow to Dakar. He seemed very happy as he tucked into a big bowl of freshly made carbonara prepared by crew member Katie. I then spent several hours on standby in the nav station, initially sending out ‘Pan Pan’ radio calls to alert ships in the vicinity of the situation and request assistance. After switching strategy to hailing ships individually over the VHF radio, I managed to divert Motor Tanker ‘Chemtrans Sea’ to follow us along at half a mile on our stern to monitor the situation in case anything escalated. Fortunately the rescue was successful and after 22 hours of sailing to Dakar we handed over the tow to another longboat who took the man into port for us. The Ocean Globe Race organisation recognised the impact this had on our race progress and gave us a 30 hour time credit which was very much appreciated!

I can safely say I’ve never operated on a sleep schedule quite like the one I was on (not even during exam season at school!) and it certainly took it’s toll on my body in the stop over. I followed the same watch pattern as my fellow crew members doing 6 hours on, 6 off during the day and 4 on, 4 off during the nights however I would often stay up late, wake up early or get up mid-off watch to listen to weather transmissions, VHF ships or talk to the other OGR yachts on the HF radio at scheduled times. My first three nights in Cape Town had me lying in my bed until the early hours, feeling a bit of a culture shock to not being slammed into a wave every 10 seconds! Luckily I’ve managed to get a couple of good nights rest in now though so I’m feeling ready and rested for the next start.

In terms of preparing for the next leg – since arriving into Cape Town we have been working away on the boat fixing the small breakages, doing safety checks, buying additional equipment that we felt we lacked on the first leg and most importantly (at least for me) have stocked up on very warm clothing. The Southern Ocean is not something I want to sail into lightly so mentally I’ve prepared myself for every eventuality. I’m very fortunate to have my mum and dad out here with me - they’ve enjoyed a few days of sightseeing and I even managed to join them for a day trip to a vineyard which was very pleasant.

I can’t wait to set sail on this next part of the journey and am excited to report back at the next stopover – stay tuned!

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RLymYC Training Blog - November 2023

November 13, 2023

Final Powerboat Course of 2023 - The Christmas Special

Our final RYA Powerboat Level 2 course of 2023 will be on Saturday 16^th and Sunday 17^th December. No prior experience is required, and this will be the last course of the year- making it the last chance to benefit from 2023 prices.

More information and book now: https://bit.ly/40vQRD7#ed

Olivia Inspires - Our work with local charity to help young sailor take to the water

Olivia Inspires, set up in memory of former RLymYC youth sailor Olivia Burt, is a charity that helps disadvantaged young people in the New Forest. They recently approached us looking to help get Issy (pictured centre above), who happens to be one of our regular Wednesday Junior Sailing participants, on a junior powerboat level 2 course. Without hesitation we offered a spot to Issy on an upcoming course free of charge.

Issy said: “I did my Power Boat 2 course, and it was great fun. We spent lots of time out on the water learning to drive, aiming for the end of the rainbows, doing man overboard drills and learning all about powerboats. The course really supported me to be confident out on the water and I'd like to be able to man a safety boat to help others when I'm older.”

We are glad we could help Issy and look forward to seeing her join us for Wednesday Junior Sailing again next year. To find out more about Olivia Inspires, visit their website: https://www.oliviainspires.org.uk/

Walhampton Model Boats

On Friday 10th November I was welcomed to Walhampton School to help with their highly competitive annual model boat competition between themselves, Lymington Junior and South Baddesley schools. Over 50 intrepid students assembled, each with their own boats to race. It was impressive to see some very sophisticated designs with many having built keels, multiple hulls, and multiple sails into their models.

Races were held on one of Walhampton's lakes with a strong but incredibly shifty breeze. Despite the excellent designs, many struggled to make it all the way to the finish line in the challenging conditions. The most successful boats were those with large sail areas and weighted keels that allowed for self-righting in between the gusts.

The majority of attendees had sailed out of Royal Lymington Yacht Club before- whether that be with their school, Wednesday Junior Sailing, or with families. It was great to see so many familiar faces and be reassured of our Clubs strong links with the local community.

Well done to all those who took part!

Junior RIB Club

With the very generous support of Spencers Estate Agents, Junior RIB Club will be relaunching on Saturday 25th November. Junior RIB Club aims to teach basic powerboat skills to those age 10-16 for those yet to complete their RYA Powerboat Level 2 (PB2). It also provides a space for those who have achieved their PB2 to practice those skills.

There will normally be one session a month, held on a weekend morning costing £20 and lasts 2 hours. As sessions are led by volunteer powerboat instructors, the number of spaces may vary each month depending on team availability. To find out more, and to book a space, follow the following link: https://bit.ly/3MHE5f9#ed

Scows for Sale

As part of the ongoing work to rejuvenate the club's fleet of sailing dinghies, a small number of Lymington River Scows will be made available for sale over the winter period after a little spruce up. These dinghies have been well loved by the clubs Wednesday Junior Sailing community project but are now surplus to requirement. We hope to use the money made from these sales to reinvest in the Clubs dinghy fleet, to ensure we still have a wide range of quality dinghies to support club activities.

If you are interested in purchasing one of the LR Scows that are on offer, please contact carlo@rlymyc.org.uk.

Don't forget you can also hire the club dinghies online: https://rlymyc.org.uk/members/boat-hire

Watch This Space for 2024!

Work is now well underway to build the 2024 training programme which will launch on a refreshed RLymYC training webpage. Keep an eye out on our social media and future blogs for announcements when this goes live!

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Carlo Consolos - RLymYC Training Manager & Chief Instructor

Jonathan Hutchinson's ARC Crossing - the oldest competitor!

November 1, 2023

Past Secretary Gp Captain Jonathan Hutchinson, the oldest competitor, has just completed an ARC Atlantic crossing with his two sons. Read on for a summary of their adventure.

Photo caption : Past Secretary Gp Captain Jonathan Hutchinson, the oldest competitor, having just completed his ARC crossing at 0520 9^th December .

Jonathon joined RLymYC as Secretary in October 1985 , serving for 12 years. His two sons, both retired from senior ranks in the Services, suggested a ‘bright idea’ to celebrate his 90^th birthday – to join them both on ‘Carrick’ their Rustler 42 for the 2023 ARC – what a fantastic family challenge, how could he refuse?

The Spanish press in Las Palmas were very intrigued and Jonathan featured on a number of interviews as the oldest competitor.

Here is a summary of his summary of their adventure:

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Simon kept up a blog throughout using the yacht’s own Yellowbrick tracker (https://my.yb.tl/carrick password Rustler42). At first it was intermittent because our Iridium satellite link was unreliable, but that was cured before we set off from Las Palmas for the Atlantic crossing and it has worked perfectly (if slowly) since. We carried a second tracker across the Atlantic, which the organisers supplied to each participating yacht, to provide a consolidated “howgoesit”, tracking the progress of every participant for public viewing. Both records remain available on the internet.

On the way to the start, we called first at Funchal in Madeira (10 days and 1,200 miles out from Plymouth) where we spent a very pleasant week. Three further days took us to Playa Blanca in southern Lanzarote, where we enjoyed a few more restful days before moving on to Fuerteventura. From there I flew home for a few days to see the ophthalmologists again, while the other three sailed a circuit of Tenerife before I rejoined them in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, for the Atlantic crossing. By that time the yacht had already sailed us 2,200 miles, most of them to windward but in generally benign conditions, which had included two days of glassy calm, motoring across south Biscay.

The ARC proper began on 19th November in light and fluky winds. At first, we (and the rest of the fleet) headed slowly south-south-west in search of the NE trade winds, which we began to pick up when about 50 miles N of the Cape Verde Islands. From there it was a straightish 2,000 mile run west, until we gybed for the last time through the gap between St Lucia and Martinique. From there we reached through the rising dawn of 9th December to the finish off Rodney Bay. It was our 19th day at sea.

Our main problem was that the NE trades were actually more like E or ESE, so the shortest distance lay dead downwind. Sailing dead downwind under spinnaker at night and in big seas is pretty hair-raising, so we set a wind limit of 20 knots, above which we reduced to goosewinged main and Yankee. Carrick’s rig was not built for Solent racing, so to gybe either headsail we had to take it down and re-set it, its boom and all the associated string on the other side. After the third steel tube bowsprit of the year bent through a right angle, we stuck to launching the (asymmetric) spinnaker off its boom. The frightful rolling was much reduced under the spinnaker, and we went faster, but it is a big masthead sail and demands respect.

The other main problem was that after 16 days the autopilot went missing in action (it kept getting into a diverging weave) so we had to hand-steer for the last 450 miles. Makes you realize what a brilliant job it does, without expecting to be fed or paid! Fortunately, the water maker performed flawlessly, so we all got showers every five days or so.

We were the second boat of our class (ie the minnows!) to cross the line, 90 miles ahead of the only other Rustler 42 and in front of quite a lot of larger boats and even some catamarans. We averaged 6.4 knots over the 3,025 miles sailed, achieving one or two seven-knot days (ie 170+ miles The weather was mostly fine until the squalls started in the final week, bringing the odd 40-knot gust. Corrected times will probably put us halfway down the list, but boats are still finishing as I write (3 days after we finished) so we shall have to wait and see.

I wish you all a Very Happy Christmas and see you at the end of December.

Me, I’m off to try another rum punch!

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Club Champion of Champions 2023

October 26, 2023

The 2023 RLymYC Champions of Champions event on Saturday 14th October saw three tightly contested windward leeward races, taking place in the natural stadium of the Lymington River. Read the full report by Nik Froud.

The 2023 RLymYC Champions of Champions event saw 3 tightly contested windward leeward races, taking place in the natural stadium of the Lymington River.

Nine of the clubs champion crews, ranging from Aeros, LAH 3, Folkboats, low handicap dinghies and more gathered at the club on the morning of the 14^th of October to race in the Club and WJS scows for the coveted trophy.

The field contained impressive pedigree – Fast handicap representatives Luke & Emma McEwen had recently competed in another, arguably more prestigious champions event, the Endeavour Trophy, the previous weekend, whilst representing the RS 800 class as national champions.

The first race saw a left shift just before the start hinder Luke & Emma, whilst allowing Nik & Hannah Froud (LR Scows) an opportunity to tack early and gain an early advantage, which they never yielded throughout the remainder of the race. Behind, Rory Paton and Carol Dunning (XODs), looked to have a shot at attacking the leaders on the final downwind, before Christian Sutherland & Jack Hatfield (IRC 2) showed lightning pace to slingshot around the outside of them to secure 2^nd, ahead of the XOD pair.

Race two had a tighter start – Luke and Emma Successfully held out Nik & Hannah at the start and played the shifty northerly breeze well up the first upwind. Coming into the windward mark, they were neck and neck with the LR Scow pair. A windward/Leeward situation between the two crews saw some initial disagreement, however did result in Nik and Hannah taking a penalty turn (albeit somewhat belatedly!), so as to err on the side of caution. This allowed Rory & Carol past, before Nik & Hannah slipped through again on the second upwind. Coming into the finish, a large shift nearly scuppered the LR Scow crew, but they just held on to win by a whisker ahead of Rory & Carol, followed by Luke & Emma.

Race three was another close start, with a couple of boats pushing too hard and being forced to return behind the line after being called OCS. On the first upwind Max & Jeremy Vines (IRC 1) showed great pace up the middle, as did Roop Stock & Sarah Stock-Carniel (Aeros), who would have led at the windward mark were it not for an unfortunate last shift. Instead, Nik & Hannah had enough in the bank with their lay-line call to lead, with Roger & Amy Morris (PY Slow Handicap) following just behind the leading two crews. During the remainder of the race, Roger proved his helming adaptability to the fleet in his first ever event as a scow helm to overhaul Roop & Sarah, finishing not long behind Nik & Hannah.

The overall results were remarkably close – Roger & Amy’s consistency won out to finish third, whilst Rory and Carol did enough in the first two races to secure 2^nd, behind Nik & Hannah who secured the event win with three wins.

Thanks must go to RO Gary and his race team, who did a fantastic job in maximising the challenging conditions, ensuring three thoroughly fun races. A huge thanks also to Luke McEwen, captain of dinghies and event organiser, without whom this event couldn’t happen.

Roll on 2024!

Nik Froud

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December 19, 2024

4:00 pm

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Annual Dinner & Tri-Service Celebration

Annual Dinner and Tri-Service Celebration on Trafalgar Night: 19th October 2024 19:00 for 19:30

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This year, on the anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar, Saturday 19th October, we will be combining the RLymYC Annual Dinner with a Tri-Service Dinner. Welcoming Honorary Member and guest of honour will be Group Captain Jonathan Hutchinson, past Secretary of RLymYC accompanied by his two sons, Brigadier Simon Hutchinson and Lieutenant Jonathan Hutchinson. Jonathan with his two sons, completed the 2024 Atlantic Rally in Simon’s yacht and on arrival was feted as the oldest ARC competitor – he celebrated his 90^th birthday this year.
As many will know ,Jonathan as an RAF Lightning pilot, has many tales to tell.

The dress code will be black tie/medals/service uniform.

The prestigious annual Club trophies will be presented as usual together with maintaining the traditions of Trafalgar Night and the Annual Dinner.

Tickets are £52.00 which includes a four-course meal and £2 to the SSAFA charity.

MENU

Smoked Salmon with a salmon mousse, root vegetable slaw, crème fraiche and crackers (Alternative: Cured beetroot with a goat’s cheese mousse)
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Duo of beef: filet & confit beef, fondant potato, kale, celeriac, mini-Yorkshire pudding with a port jus. (Alternative: Vegetable Wellington)
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Assiette of mini Desserts: Dorset Apple Cake with a toffee sauce, dark chocolate and Cointreau mousse, Whisky marmalade brioche bread and butter pudding

Port, Stilton & Coffee

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Online Registration:

When you register and book an event online, the payment will be charged to your Member Account and collected via Direct Debit, typically three days before the event. You will receive an email confirming the date the payment will be processed.
If you prefer to use an alternative payment method, please contact the Club at 01590 672677.

Guest of Honour and Speakers

Group Captain Jonathan Hutchinson, as many will know, was our club secretary for 12½ years from 1985. He learned to fly while still at school and was commissioned from Cranwell in 1954. He trained as a fighter pilot and later as a flying instructor, serving flying tours in the UK and the Far East. After commanding a squadron of supersonic interceptors in the cold war he went on to spend seven years in Whitehall, first in the Cabinet Office and then the Ministry of Defence. His final military appointment was in Naples, to which he travelled in his own yacht to enjoy four summers of Mediterranean sailing.

Lieutenant Jonathan Hutchinson entered Dartmouth from school. After his initial training he went to sea with the Fisheries Protection Squadron before going on to navigate the frigate Apollo across the Atlantic to and from the West Indies, in the days before GPS. Later, he commanded a small ship assigned to intercept, stop and search suspicious traffic in the approaches to Carlingford Lough at the height of the Irish Troubles. He left the Navy after 11½ years for BP Marine where he went on to take a global role in the marketing and supply of marine fuels and lubricants.

Brigadier Simon Hutchinson went to Sandhurst straight from school. On passing out he joined the infantry in the shape of the King’s Regiment. Time in Germany and then West Berlin led to multiple tours in Northern Ireland. He was then deployed to various parts of the Balkans when not living it up in Australia, Belize or Botswana. A tour in Cyprus and bits of the Middle East then preceded a grown-up job in the Joint Force Headquarters at Northwood from where he took part in the second Gulf war based in Qatar. After that he commanded his regiment in the UK and in the occupation of Basra. Another grown up job in the MOD included two tours of Afghanistan. Following an appointment at SHAPE headquarters in Belgium, where he developed a profound appreciation of Belgian beer, he left to run his own business in the leafy lanes of Devon and do some serious sailing.

Two pounds of your ticket will be donated to the SSAFA.

The Armed Forces Charity’s support covers both regulars and reserves in the Royal Navy, the Royal Marines, the British Army and the Royal Air Force and their families, including anyone who has completed National Service. They know and understand the unique demands of service life, whether in the UK or overseas, and in times of need, help to enable the Forces family to thrive.

Their recent research shows that service leavers aged 25-64 need more specialised support. The challenges they face are complex – from low income to life-changing injuries or hidden wounds, like depression or post-traumatic stress disorder.

Armed with this information, the SSAFA are improving their services for younger, working-age veterans, and we will make sure they know they’re here when they need them.

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Annual Dinner & Tri-Service Celebration

October 16, 2024

11:00 am

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