Maxi Rally 18^th/19^th September 2010

After a washout of a rally in October 2009 with only Blue Lightening on the quay but 4 others coming by car, the rally was moved back to September to hope for better weather – and what a result!

We were greeted with an almost cloudless sky.  Reports of the wind for the day were mixed from boats arriving with some needing to motor part of the time to reports of a brisk westerly 4 to 5 off Cowes, OK for the Solent boats to get to Lymington but good for Chris and Helen on Vouvray out of Poole.  By the time that Lookin Foor Kloos completed her trip to the rally (all the way from Lymington Yacht Haven!), Leda of Hamble, Maxima and Good Time Girl were already moored along the Dan Bran pontoon.  Maxis then started arriving thick and fast and then Blue Lightening and Asante arriving just before the pontoon party; Asante having been competing in a race out by the Nab before coming to Lymington.

With 9 Maxis on the pontoon soaking up the evening sun, the pontoon party was boosted by the Lymington based boats with Ken and Jackie (Morvan), Jim and Eileen (Second Rebellion) and Simon and Catherine (Juliette) joining and Rod and Carole (Neroli) from the East coast down for the boat show and to meet friends making a total of 26.  Carolyn managed the catering in her usual style, you can tell she enjoys it.

Supper was at the Royal Lymington Yacht Club, a mere stagger from the end of the Dan Bran pontoon.  They did us proud with a private dining room to avoid us disrupting the youth regatta they were hosting at the same time.  Nigel and Christian on Misty sailed back after dinner but the rest of us settled in to a calm evening.

Sunday brought more good sunshine but a fresh westerly wind.  Vouvray was one of the first to leave to take advantage of the tide with the rest of the fleet leaving around lunchtime to catch the tide eastwards.

With Lymington continuing to be a popular destination not only for Maxis but also other clubs, booking early is key.  A date for your 2011 diary is September 17^th for next year’s Maxi rally, see you there.

Boats Represented: