NFYC Winter Series 2026 – Race 3 Report.
Sunday, 1st November 2026
At 10:00 on Sunday morning, skippers and crews gathered in the NFYC clubhouse for the third race of the Winter Series. Unfortunately, the weather forecast wasn't particularly encouraging. What little wind there was came from the north-east, while the River Crouch was almost mirror-like, perfectly reflecting the riverbanks and the boats moored along its shores.
Although the forecast suggested the wind would increase during the morning, it wasn't expected to strengthen by very much. Following a discussion with the skippers, the decision was made to shorten the course, giving everyone a fighting chance of getting home in time for their Sunday roast!
At 11:00, Race Officer J. Skitt, Club Commodore, assisted by a small but dedicated band of club members, got the race underway from the banks of the River Crouch.
Initially, progress was little more than a gentle drift, with crews searching for every breath of wind they could find. However, as the club yachts passed SPR, the breeze gradually began to fill in, bringing some welcome movement to the fleet.
By the time the leading yachts reached Canewdon Race Buoy (RM), Manyata, Elody and Outlaw were beginning to pull away from the rest of the fleet. Further back, Blue Streak was leading the remaining four boats, with everyone doing their best to make the most of the light and sometimes frustrating conditions.
Despite the slow start, all the competing yachts completed the shortened course, with the final boat crossing the finish line just 1 hour and 46 minutes after the start. Not a bad result considering the almost complete lack of wind earlier in the morning!
Once racing was over, the crews were collected by **Devon Lass** and returned to the warmth and comfort of the clubhouse, where Sue and her team had prepared some very welcome hot soup and bacon butties. After a chilly morning on the river, these were certainly appreciated by everyone.
With crews suitably warmed up and fed, the Rear Commodore and Race Officers announced the day's results and presented the prizes, bringing another enjoyable morning of winter racing to a close.
A big thank you to all the skippers and crews who made the effort to leave their warm beds on a chilly Sunday morning and take part. Thanks also to Sue and her team for providing the much-needed refreshments, and, of course, to Race Officer Janet and her team for organising and running the race.
We look forward to seeing everyone again in two weeks' time for Race 4 of the NFYC Winter Series!
Full results and current leaderboards are available here
*Fair winds to all — and hopefully a little more of them next time!*
3rd Winter