Public Forum

Sunday dawned bright and sunny but with little wind. CCRC boats had a relaxing morning while the Principal Race Officer fretted over whether any wind would arrive so we could have a race to Cowes. Eventually we cut our losses, the RO raised the flags and fired the guns to indicate cancellation and we all headed off to Cowes where most moored up at in the Royal Yacht Squadron Haven and some in Cowes Yacht Haven.
Then it was time to dress overall the boats and relax before dressing ourselves for dinner.
This special dinner at the Squadron was to celebrate 70 years of the CCRC. We had a tour of the Castle and then drinks on the lawn overlooking the Solent in brilliant sunshine. Then we were led into the “Platform” a room specially built for Queen Victoria where we were to have dinner. The dinner was splendid in menu and the social occasion of meeting members old and new. After dinner there were toasts to the Queen, an address about CCRC and its history, and then a toast to the continuing success of the Club.

The holiday Monday again dawned bright and sunny; but again with little wind. The PRO had us all assemble at the planned starting mark; and then moved us all on to Gleeds – the mark outside Portsmouth. By now there was a little breeze so a course was set: out through the forts, round one mark and back for a downwind leg before finishing with a reach down to Chi.
With the running start there were mixed views on whether to start on port or starboard, round the buoy or round the RO boat. This made for a “fun” start at both ends of the line. Then it was a bit of a beat, a run and then a broad reach to the finish. The veering wind allowed many to fly downwind sails on the last reach to pass Chi.

The bank holiday weekend saw CCRC having a mini-series of 3 races (one per day) plus a special dinner on the Sunday. All this was against a background of superb warm and sunny weather – though not always ideal for yacht racing.
Saturday’s race was from Chichester to Beaulieu. The race attracted 9 starters in the Alpha fleet and five starters in Beta. The winds at first were very light and a downwind start was set. In the first 30 minutes we had wind on the port quarter and then the starboard quarter, and then the bow! This caused sail changes, much trimming and some confusion. Some chose to head out to sea for more steady wind while others kept inshore out of the tide but by the first mark neither group had made any particular gain.
On the second leg the wind backed meaning downwind sails again for most. The race was wisely shortened at the end of the third leg though a few were unable to reach this as the wind dropped and the tide strengthened.
Then it was into Beaulieu River for drinks on various boats before dinner at the Royal Southampton YC’s Gins Farm.

The weekend’s races were in gentle to fresh winds with some sunshine and some sea mist. On Saturday we were limited by the number of buoys which had been laid in Hayling Bay – and that they were not accurately at the right positions. So it was a bit like racing before GPS – you had to look for the buoys! On the Sunday, they were all there but still a bit out of place.
Saturday’s start was down-wind which added to the “fun”, and with 8 legs going out as far as Dean Tail.
Sunday’s race started to windward going to Horse Tail and Cambrian Wreck before returning to the Hayling Bay buoys.
Some more photos from the weekend – the view from Intrepid (with Richard and Pam with us). Note that some of these are looking back at the fleet!

An excellent time at the CCRC Prize Giving Dinner Dance with drinks, dinner, gift for the last Commodore, prize giving and dancing until midnight.

The last event of the CCRC on the water was the Commodore’s “Bender”. This took place in splendid sunny though cool weather and was all round Chichester Harbour. We wove our way around all the racing dinghies in a treasure hunt arranged by Commodore Pam and Richard. Much fun was taken with the mental challenges of identifying buoy names by anagram, cryptic clue or photograph; determining charted depths at particular locations; doing bearings on Chichester Cathedral spire resolved down to True bearings; and spotting other assorted objects. Then came a further challenge of modelling a harbour seal in plasticine!
When done most boats rafted up on the Emsworth Visitor pontoon for some quick tea and cake in the sun before dashing back to our berths before the wind came in. Then it was G&Ts before dinner at the “Drift” restaurant. Here the answer sheets scores were announced and model seals judged in order to allocate the prizes including the infamous Clock’s Back Clock.

Two days of pleasant autumnal weather for two days of racing. Each day it started dull and grey but slowly the sun broke through to make a warm late afternoon and on Saturday a lovely sunset.
On Saturday a good wind allowed an interesting course from Chichester westwards towards the central Solent and then up Southampton Water though with a decreasing wind. The triangles and sausages meant we kept in touch with the position of the others even as we crossed paths with other club races and some International racing yachts. Then it was way up Southampton Water to Marchwood where we crossed paths with cargo ships and cruise liners before rafting up before drinks and then supper at Marchwood Yacht Club.
Sunday saw a start line moved to avoid the other races then another interesting course initially westwards then back towards Chichester though with more triangles and sausages to test our sail handling.
A great weekend to finish the CCRC’s 2017 series of races though one retirement due to genoa problem and one due to main sail.