SAILING - SIX boats turned out for what proved to be an exciting first race of the 2010 season for Weston Bay Yacht Club.

SIX boats turned out for what proved to be an exciting first race of the 2010 season for Weston Bay Yacht Club.

Half an hour before the start of the race, the wind rose to force 5/6, blowing in from the north west, prompting some boats to reef sails.

The start saw Seathrift and Lasten cross the line (adjacent the Sealife centre) neck and neck with a good lead on the rest of the fleet.

Rounding the first mark, tucked under Brean Down, Seathrift established a modest lead over Lasten, with the rest of the fleet falling slightly behind.

During the following downwind leg towards the old pier, Seathrift consolidated her lead and rounded the mark a good 400 yards ahead of the following boat.

Moth made a respectable gain on this leg rounding the mark in third place. The next leg took the fleet inshore passing close to Birnbeck Island and the new pier for a reach across the bay towards Black Rock.

Seathrift romped away from the fleet in conditions tailor made for a boat of her type. Lasten fought to maintain her lead over Moth for the smaller boats.

With the fleet now being spread out over a distance of almost a mile, the race officer made the decision to shorten the course to one lap.

Seathrift, having rounded the the penultimate mark, tacked her way to the finish line half way along Brean Down, followed by Lasten, Moth, Fleurie, Spirit of Braganza and Progress.

Final results (corrected time) Class 1: Seathrift (P Jensen), Fleurie (C Day), Braganza (R Godbold). Class 2 : Lasten (P Turner), Moth (L Willis), Class 2b: Progress (M Aspell).

New members warmly welcomed (no experience needed). The club meets on Friday evenings at the clubhouse on the beach at Uphill.