Channel Race
| Around Marks 23 May 2009  Weather W backing S F3-6 Skipper Watch Leaders Crew Results |
Report The start line was to the East and with a westerly blowing and the tide running with us we set off for the line to make a flying start at full speed. As we were running in towards the line the wind slackened and our speed dropped. We crossed the line behind the main group of yachts in our class and gybed our way across the north shore of the Isle of Wight. We got some lines crossed as we gybed just after Ryde Middle sandbank and that slowed our progress. The IMOCA 60 “Artemis Ocean Racing” which is berthed close to us in Ocean Village surged past with Sam Davies (of Vendee fame) onboard skippering. A little later we were heading north and as we reached the shallower water on the edge of the main boat channel for Portsmouth we gybed. Whilst the hourglass figure of our spinnaker was a sight to behold it didn’t help our speed. In the lighter winds we came to rest mid channel just as a commercial vehicle ferry was departing Portsmouth. We jumped to it. Lowered the spinnaker, four of us untangled it and sent it aloft and waited for the breeze to fill the sails and propel us on our way. Meanwhile the ferry with its white bow wave contrasting with its royal blue hull got larger and larger. The wind came and we got underway before the captain on the bridge reached for his horn, perhaps he was sympathising with our predicament. Next we passed through the Spithead Forts and out eastwards towards Nab Tower. The whole fleet was resplendent in their brightly coloured spinnakers and we sailed on with light winds past the hulls of the redundant merchant fleet, anchored in the shelter of the Isle of Wight. Then Solent Coastguard issued a warning to the RORC Racers that two ships were using the Nab Channel and they had right of way in these shallow waters. We held a good course and avoided trouble but one or two yachts got blasted by the ships horns warning them to keep clear and not impede their passage. Then as the afternoon passed on we passed Selsey Bill, the Owers bank and on past Brighton to Beachy Head and to the Easterly mark Royal Sovereign Lighthouse. This was an exhilarating ride with a big swell following us to allowing us to surf down the waves and I think we recorded 13 knots at one point. The only difficulty was getting people to relinquish the wheel it was so much fun. We reached Royal Sovereign lighthouse of a most unusual design, marking an offshore reef; well worth a Google. We rounded the lighthouse late afternoon we headed south east towards the mid Channel Mark, which we could lay close hauled. We tacked along the edge of the TSS zone and by late evening, we rounded this mark to head North East accompanied by a beautiful sunset. Then we headed back towards the coast and as the wind slackened during the night. Up went the No 1 our largest jib Brighton twinkled to us in the early hours of the morning. Then as dawn broke and the wind shifted it was time for the spinnaker. We passed Owers and raced through the Spithead forts towards the finish line just off Gillkicker Fort to the west of Portsmouth. We had overtaken several yachts and made up some ground from our unfortunate start. As we looked back and saw a large group of yachts, all under spinnaker following us. However they had timed their arrival at the Spithead forts with that of a departing ferry. A smile came on our faces. Meanwhile whilst the ferry played “miss the yacht” we crossed the finishing line, and broke out the beer. |