Poole Yacht Racing Association's Poole Bay Summer Series

 

Poole Yacht Racing Association (PYRA) has organised a series of bay races from May to September, on one Sunday a month. They're free to enter and open to any boat with a VPRS rating.

The first race, run by Parkstone Yacht Club on behalf of PYRA, was held on 10th May in a north-easterly breeze that gusted to well over 20 knots and kicked up a lumpy sea. Given the conditions, it was encouraging to see 14 boats (from the original 20 entrants) making their way to the start line in Studland Bay, just to the west of Old Harry.

Aboard Parkstone YC's committee boat the race team, led by Fi Linford, set courses around fixed marks in the bay that gave all the classes two good beats and a variety of offwind legs including the 'marginally-kiteable' and comfortably broad reaches.

In combined class 0/1, it was the JPK 1010, Joy, which set the pace, taking the lead soon after the start and extending from there, partly thanks to being one of the few boats - if not the only one - to fly the spinnaker on the shy (in those conditions) leg from Bournemouth Pier to Magnum. From there it was a gybe and a broader reach to the finish off East Hook. On this leg, Joy saw 12 knots on the log but it was the second-place finisher, Wild Haggis (Farr 30) that comfortably took the day's record with 18 knots.

In the final podium position was the Annels family's Archambault A31, Red Fox.

Combined class 2/3 saw the Pogo 8.5, L'Aventure, finish comfortably ahead on the water only to be beaten into second place on corrected time by the MG C27, Mojito.

To encourage short-handed crews to join in, prizes were also awarded for double-handers. The winners were all in class 0/1, Mark Titterington and Hannah Lewis sailing their Dehler 36 SQ, Elevation, to first place ahead of Esprit (Elan 333, Ollie Vardy and Ash Harris) and Peter Norman's J/92S, Hullabaloo.

After the prize-giving at Parkstone Yacht Club, competitors were treated to drinks and snacks by the sponsors, Suttle Stone Quarries and Sandbanks Brewery.

PYRA hopes to see everyone out again - and those who didn't make it this time - for the next race on 14th June, to be run by the Royal Motor Yacht Club. Enter via www.pyra.org.uk