Junior Sailing lives Keyhaven life!

Published 16:05 on 16 Jul 2026

Last Saturday morning, our Junior Sailing group once again took full advantage of the perfect Keyhaven conditions!

With the Round-the-Island race providing a spectacular backdrop with their spinnakers flying in the Hurst narrows, the Juniors took to the water in their own fleet of club RS Zests and an RS Feva.

Having launched and sailed themselves along the main river, all the dinghies found a triangle course laid for them, just inside the spit, clear of the adjacent anchored audience, and just outside of the main channel marker.

Starting anti-clockwise, all the dinghies demonstrated great abilities, confidently rounding all the flagged buoys, including a gybe mark, and quickly got to grips with negotiating the boat-on-boat situations as they arose!

Such was the close sailing, the innermost of four dinghies abreast at the leeward mark rounding quickly discovered they had a strategic advantage, and took full advantage!

With the easterly wind holding nicely, a 'follow-my-leader' support rib then lead all the dinghies outside into the Solent to experience the challenge and thrill of slightly more choppy waters, reaching back and forth along the spit shoreline in the glorious conditions.

Finally, the Junior fleet returned to the slipway, chased by a parent Zest, in an on the water game of tag. As each dinghy was 'caught', they joined forces with the parent Zest, and set about chasing down the next dinghy in front - with such success that all were 'caught' before landing back!

Thanks to all those who support the group on and off the water - this morning showed why Keyhaven really is so idyllic!