Day three at British Classic Week saw round the cans racing sponsored by OneSails GBR for Classes 1-3 and the 6mR class.
Above: the Spirits head downwind on the first leg
Classes 1 and 2 sailed the same course, setting off from the Royal Yacht Squadron (RYS) inner line with the tide in 5 knots of wind from the West. The first leg was arguably the most challenging of the whole race and tacticians were tested to find the strongest tide and avoid the wind holes.
Above: Class 2 start
Rounding West Ryde Middle to port in very little wind, the yachts gently hardened up and dropped spinnakers for the steady tight reach to South Bramble. As the breeze filled in, Classes 1 and 2 rounded South Bramble to port and broad reached to Royal London YC. Rounding the mark to port it was a reach up to the mainland coast and Royal Thames and a beat up the Solent to The Boss.
Above: Clyde Linear 30 Mikado
From the Boss, Classes 1 and 2 crossed the Solent in a now westerly running tide to Gurnard. From there, it was a spinnaker run down to the finish at the RYS with yachts tucking close inshore out of the oncoming tide.
Above: Timoa, Whooper and Helen sail to the finish
Class 3 sailed the same, shorter course avoiding Royal London YC and Royal Thames.
Class 1 was won by the smallest yacht in the class, Spirit 37 Strega. Whooper and Timoa both made it two winds from two races, winning Class 2 and 3 respectively.
Above: Spirit 72DH Gwenhyfar II crossing the line
The 6mRs sailed two races around the cans, the first of which in the Classic Division was won by Nirvana and Erica took the second. In the Open Division, Oiva made it three wins from three races so far.
Before regatta racing started, sailors and spectators ashore watched the new Spirit BAR Technologies 35EF (electric foiling) yacht Moquai set off on a time trial around the Isle of Wight. The goal was to beat the time for the fastest electric drive yacht doing the same trip. The previous record was set at just under six hours, the Spirit 35EF smashed that record with a time of one hour 56 seconds.
Above: Spirit 35EF Moquai
