2007 Race Reports

Race 10 - Fécamp

Report from Breakout, Class 4

Friday didn't start out quite as planned - an 0800 work meeting in London led to lots of dashing around on trains, a Tesco pit stop on the way home to grab kit before heading off to Hamble to start prepping Breakout. What with crew delayed by Friday afternoon traffic, we were late getting under way and started nearly 4 minutes late.

Even so, we were a bit surprised that we could only see one other Class 4 boat at the start (the weather forecast wasn't that bad …). Turns out that Monet thought they were the only one in Class 4 and were going for a gentle cruise to Fecamp to collect a trophy. Just past Wootton, they realised that the nice, shiny new heavy kite bearing down on them meant that they were not alone - out came the reef, up went the kite - it was 'game on'.

We managed to squeeze past Monet on the way past Bembridge by going a bit lower and getting slightly better tide and boat speed. Our forecasts suggested that the wind would back from SW to SSW in the early hours of Saturday. That, with the expectation of hitting the finish in a strengthening East going tide, led to Breakout sailing high of the rumb line on a fast, if rather rough fetch with the wind just forward of the beam. We dined on shepherd's pie with brine condiment - still tasted good - although there were those on Breakout that thought the fishes might benefit from an additional (second hand) meal.

That rare event: the wind did 'what it said on the tin' and started to back. Then the wind eased a little, the seas smoothed, the reef was shaken out, viz was excellent and the full moon appeared. There was something about a fishing boat while the skipper grabbed a short kip … Fantastic sailing - but no opportunity to pop the reaching kite!

As it was getting light, it looked as if Breakout was the most windward boat. In the event, we were able to keep the jib sheet cracked all the way to the finish, hardening up just on the buoy and tacking though the line. Naturally, as Monet came through after us, we trailed along with stop watch running.Thanks to JOG for a great race.

Report from Oz Privateer, Class 3

With Ozzy fully operational and now sporting a heater, we prepared for the second offshore race of our 2007 season. Unlike last time we remembered to fill Ozzy up with diesel and even managed to top up our spare can. Our plan was to take Ozzy over to West Cowes Marina on Friday in preparation for the start. Unfortunately after mooring up in one of the many vacant spaces we were asked to move on due to a Rally being booked in, although this was a bit annoying it produced the unexpected benefit of our taking up a much cheaper mooring on the East Cowes side of the river. A visit to the Island Sailing Club was in order to fine tune our plans over a much deserved beer (aren't they all deserved). The forecast was interesting with some quite strong winds predicted for the crossing decreasing towards the morning, the only other concern was the forecast for Sunday. However, we thought that we could potentially get back to the Solent before the worst of any bad weather arrived.

A quick trip to Cowes COOP supplemented the fantastic mince beef dinner that Jo had prepared for us with fresh pasta, beer, bread rolls etc. Whilst finishing our shopping Sarah called to say that she was on the Red Jet Ferry and would be with us in time for the start. We hot-footed it to Ozzy collected Sarah from the Parade Pontoon and headed for our start.

At the start, as predicted the breeze had built to over 20kts, prompting us to put in a cautious slab in the main and hoist the number 3 jib.
Tim was disappointed that our start was 10secs after the gun; however, it was enough to put us into the lead for a short while. The first boat to catch us looked like Floating Voter who stormed past under full main and masthead kite. At the Forts our smaller asymmetric paid dividends allowing us to take back ground. Near to Nab Tower a 35kt gust persuaded us to drop back to white sails, which we stayed on for the rest of the race. As predicted the wind dropped throughout the night to a manageable 10 to 15kts. As daylight broke we just could see a blue hulled yacht to our West and a mast on the horizon behind us. At the 6 mile point we radioed in to JOG 2 then listened eagerly to see who it was that was with us. J Fever came on the radio confirming our thoughts on the blue hulled yacht. Not long after J Fever's call we heard Arcsine call. Arcsine had done enough to win as long as the wind held for them after we finished.

After our finish we had to wait for sufficient depth of water in Fecamp giving us a great opportunity to watch a number of finishers.
Once in Fecamp we were greeted by Tony Joy who agreed that because the majority of the fleet had enjoyed such a quick crossing we would have the JOG Drinks party at lunch time allowing those of us who wished to miss the worst of the predicted bad weather to get away in the afternoon. We enjoyed a small but select gathering of JOG crews in the Sailing Club bar followed by lunch courtesy of Jo whose mince we had not managed to warm through during the race due to our cook (me) deciding that the motion and green faces of the crew would end up wasting a nice meal. The food went down very well after which we set off back to the Solent in flat calm seas. Again as forecast the wind progressively increased as we approached the English coast. What was disconcerting was a sécurité message stating that a 55foot yacht had lost its keel and was floating off St Catherine's point (all crew safe), causing us to keep a very close lookout.
Once back on our mooring we all agreed that it had been an exciting weekends racing.

Our thanks to our race officers and the yacht club at Fecamp for their hospitality.

Report from Whistler, Class 5

"Don't worry - this'll be the toughest part of the race!" joked the Skipper as Whistler motor-sailed up the Solent towards Cowes under the number four and reefed main… as ever he had placed far to much faith in the outpouring of the various forecasts available on the interweb and ignored the dire prognostications of Tony Velcro (who was staying firmly at home!)

He was undeterred to hear one boat scratch just before the warning signal - or by the breeze which resolutely held up. After crossing the largely deserted start line in the stiff breeze we opted to stay under whites whilst clearing Snowden and getting out for a better angle for the run down the Solent…

"Don't worry - it'll ease soon" the Skipper encouraged the crew as the heavy kite was popped and Whistler led the (small fleet) down to the forts. We seemed to be able to hang on to the kite without too much trouble, due either to the Skipper's expert trimming/the Stig's driving (delete as appropriate). Through the forts we came up a little and pressed on to the far side of the deeper water, where after a rather untidy drop we reached on under the main and number two in anticipation of the wind moderating. Annokia sailed on lower than us under their asymmetric, with Xara and Act of Defiance a little higher.

"Won't be long before it drops off…" As the wind increased and the sea built, the Skipper's continuing faith in his selected forecasts resembled the misplaced beliefs of the Flat Earth Society. The Stig was more pragmatic - "it'll take four hours to get home, and only eight to get to the finish, so in reality we've only got to put up with four extra hours of unpleasantness by pressing on…" With logic like that there was nothing for it but to go back to the number four and hang on in there!

With Slippery running the foredeck like the old pro we all know she is, the sail change was effected with the slickness that Emirates Team New Zealand would kill for after their cock-ups at the weekend! Whistler was much more comfortable under reduced sail although the persistent bouncing around and douches from random lumps of water were debilitating to say the least…

The wind eventually moderated and we dropped out the reef and returned to the number two (a move cunningly timed by the Skipper to take place when he was on watch, and therefore not disturbing his rest!)

As the night wore on we crept up close to another competitor who we could not identify - before pulling away in the hour before dawn (we now know it was Xara). As the light grew (a slightly optimistic description of the drab greyness) we could see that we were chasing Annokia (who had sneaked round us during the night) to the finish - but as the GPS counted down the time and distance, we knew it was too much to ask and we crossed the line just over a minute behind them.

A tough outing for a little bouncy boat but the crew stuck at it and earned their delicious, tapas-style picnic on arrival (OK, a bottle of red and dodgy Spanish sausage!)

With predictions of strong/gale force winds being delivered by text, we opted for an early departure and set off mid-afternoon for yet more wind, rain, lumpy seas and wholesale fly slaughter by Slippery and Sal… but that's another story…