Public Forum

This weekend was the CCRC Clocks Back race; an informal (i.e. no trophy) race on the weekend the clocks go back. But since this year saw the CCRC seventieth anniversary we set the clocks back many years by forbidding the use of GPS etc. So buoys had to be found by traditional means. All the participants took this seriously; Slipstream even turned off all usual instruments but added a trailing log and used a 1939 chart! The weather, however, was forecast as northerly force 5, 6, 7 and occasionally force 8; and it was to be cold. So a course was set to get us to Cowes quickly, still going round a number of buoys but avoiding too much to windward. Yachts emerged from the harbour well-reefed only to set more sail as the wind was not too strong and it was sunny. The five yachts taking part (after a few dropped out the day before) all kept within sight of each other so the leading yacht tended to help as a path-finder (or buoy-finder) for the others. Once in the Solent the wind built and gusts of 25knots were seen but the sea was still fairly flat except outside Cowes where the race finished after about 2 hours – a fast passage. Then it was into the Medina and up to the Folly Inn for some socialising (and a sixth boat joining us) before dinner at the Folly.
The journey back the next day was similarly windy – with gusts reaching 30 knots but still an enjoyable if chilly sail.

Sunday’s weather was a marked improvement with clear skies and sunshine but still a fresh northerly wind. The start was at Gleeds and after a short upwind leg the fleet headed on a broad reach through the sub-marine barrier gap – some with spinnakers flying. Then a few legs around the Hayling Bay marks before a finish at Chi made a race of around three hours. A refreshing final event of the formal club race series.

As Billy Joel sang “Storm front coming, Small craft warning on the radio. We’ve got a low pressure system and a northeast breeze, We’ve got a falling barometer and rising seas, We’ve got the cumulonimbus and a possible gale” and that was the forecast for Saturday!
Nevertheless the CCRC headed out of Chichester for a passage race to Gosport but with the objective of arriving before the front really hit. The race started with a short upwind leg, then a run before a long reach from Chi to Boyne (outside Portsmouth harbour) where the race was shortened. With a race lasting just over an hour a good distance was covered before we headed in to Gosport to dry out from the rain and relax before a super dinner at Hornet Sailing Club.

Sunday started with more lovely sunny weather and the race was not until the afternoon so the crews in Bembridge relaxed, went for walks, read the papers, and generally socialised.
Then it was out for the rolling start at the buoy Ruthven and a windward leg to Acland before a downwind leg across the shipping channel. This was interrupted by a large container ship which held up the back half of the fleet. The wind had built a little from the day before (and swung round to the west) so it was a fast race. Then a couple more marks in Hayling Bay before a finish at Chi. Another super day.

The race on Sunday was in aid of charity Bart’s Bash and with some guest boats it was a “fun” race; a race where you sailed the announced course until a VHF call “Bang and Go back” at which point you retrace the course to the start. The winner is the first boat back.
The forecast was for some strong gusts but these were not at big as feared and the sea was fairly smooth and it was warm so it turned out to be a good day.
Don’t forget to make your donation: http://bartsbash.com/

Saturday’s race was the Itchenor Casket and was notable in that it had two distinct halves. As yachts prepared for the start there was a gentle breeze but this slowly died away just after the start. Some struggled to get over the line as “holes” appeared in the wind. Many tacked inshore to avoid the tide and everyone claimed afterwards to have been in a wind-hole while others around them sailed on. Slowly, and in fits and starts, the wind swung round to the south and then suddenly came up. Soon it reached the whole fleet and everyone was storming along. The slow first leg though meant that the race was shortened so that all could finish.
Then most headed to the Itchenor Visitors’ Pontoon for a convivial time before the dinner at Itchenor Sailing Club.

Sunday’s race took the fleet out towards the shipping lane and back twice with legs to Dean Elbow and his Tail! Despite two long legs(!) the fresh breeze meant that few used downwind sails and many were reefed in.

Saturday’s race was a longish passage from Hayling Bay to Southampton. In warm sunny weather with a gentle south-easterly wind the course was mainly downwind but with a few legs taking us into a beat. The start was delayed a little to allow those delayed from leaving their marinas by the low tide. In the race the initial challenge was the decision between a course through the Dolphin passage or between the forts. Those using the Dolphin passage did best. With such good weather Southampton Water was busy for the finish at Coronation.
Then it was into Ocean Village and then dinner at the Royal Southampton YC.

Sunday was the CCRC Crews Race – this is where the helm for the race must not be the usual helm, so it gives the crew a chance to show their skills. Once again the weather was splendid: warm, sunny and a gentle south-easterly wind. The course was mainly towards the wind but two legs offered a chance for downwind sails; a chance few took as the wind had backed. During the race the tide changed and the wind dropped so there was constant change in potential positions as different choices were made and different boats performed differently in the different wind strengths. At the finish four boats of the fleet were within perhaps a 100 metres of each other.

Saturday’s race participants faced strong tides and winds gusting over 30 knots for the passage race to Lymington. This resulted in a couple of boats pulling out (some crewing on other boats and some coming by car. However, this still produced an exciting race with the alpha fleet sticking quite close together from beginning to end and position changes on the water most of the way to the end which included a hard beat to windward in the western Solent then a shorter leg directly downwind.
Then it was party time on the pontoon to celebrate the Commodore and Commodorable’s 40th wedding anniversary. This was with pink bubbly – made extra bubbly by the bumpy passage resulting in the corks going a long way! Then off to the Royal Lymington YC for an excellent dinner.