Race Report - 4-5 July

On a sparkling July weekend, normal service was resumed in the Solent as a classic south-westerly sea breeze and brilliant blue skies delivered some of the finest weekend racing of the season so far.

Saturday 4 July

With a baseline breeze of 18–22 knots and gusts prompting Flag Yankee, the fleet was treated to hard, fast, and tactical racing across two challenging.

Race 1

Polly's Challenge; Prince Consort; RORC; Ben F Wood; W Ryde Middle; Finish

The weekend nearly started with several bangs as start-line chaos caught out several boats. There was a strong inshore wind bias and boats were also trying to fine the first of the ebb inshore. With many boats trying to occupy a small stretch of water and then running out of runway, more than one boat ended up doing turns. This included us on Dauntless but also included Destroyer, who might otherwise have had the best start. Darling however got away cleanly, tacking promptly onto Port from the inshore end of the line.

Classic short-tacking up the Green was the next move as the fleet made their way towards Gurnard Bay. It was tricky to find the layline to the first mark, Polly's Challenge, and several boats found themselves coming up short in the challenging flood tide.

There followed a run to Prince Consort, a reach up to RORC (near South Bramble), a run along the Bank to Ben F Wood, a reach over to West Ryde Middle before a beat to finish.

Darling led from start to finish. On Darling this weekend were two of the most capable helms on the fleet, Mike Greville and David Tydeman, and they showed that together they could be a potent combination and I look forward to seeing what they can do together in Cowes Week!

Dynamite also had a fairly clean race to come in second, and we in Dauntless recovered after a diabolical start to come third. We flew the small spinnaker all day but had no loss of speed compared with boats flying larger.

Destroyer on the other hand faded after a good start with some spinnaker issues; after initially hoisting what appeared to be quite an asymmetric kite, they sailed most of the rest of the day with white sails. I would like to recognise the good vein of crew that they have tapped into however from UKSA. It appears they made good use of their time last week on the Shrape to make some contacts there!

Race 2

CHS; R London; ISC; Williams Shipping; R Thames; R London; Finish

A similar course to Race 1 had a very different start, with many boats being a lot more shy of the inner end of the line after the experience earlier in the day. Giles on Dauntless spotted a gap to be had and took pole position off the line, and held it from start to finish.

One key tactical moment came on the run back past Cowes from CHS to R London. There was more tide and breeze to be had offshore and some boats considered a bear-away set followed by a gybe. However, it seemed to add quite a dog-leg to their course over ground and I'm not sure it paid, and the lesson learned would be to invest time in working the navigational numbers carefully.

After Dauntless, Doublet came second, and Darling third.

Evening BBQ

After a well-attended "liquid debrief" at RORC after racing, sailors disappeared to clean up. In the evening, about 30 sailors met back at the club for a very convivial evening over drinks and a delicious BBQ. Food and drink was plentiful (and actually pretty good value), and I hope to do more informal events like this going forward. Thanks to our social secretary, Jenny Stutley, and Claire and her team from RORC!

Sunday 6 July

Polly's Challenge; MDL Marinas; Cowes Week 200; SCRA; R London; Shortened Finish

Sunday's course enjoyably took us to less familiar parts of the Solent. The start however was very familiar - a strong inshore bias, a fight for the tide, and the rich getting richer. It was patchy and shifty inshore on the line but again it was Darling who got the best of the start. Destroyer, who had been banking on the ability to dip the line and tack straight off, was stymied by a lift and puff on starboard with about 30 seconds to go bringing boats up under her and she was held out and needed to restart...twice!

While Darling again led from start to finish, with the first leg short-tacking leg particularly kind to her out in front, the race was not without its jeapordy for the leader. Whether it was rock-hopping into Gurnard Bay, finding the layline in tricky tide, circumnavigating Lepe Spit, or tactical decisions on whether to hold the kite on a reach, there were plenty of opportunities to fall foul. However they built enough of a lead that a few minor errors could be made while leaving plenty in the bag.

On the beat from MDL to Cowes Week 200, at least two boats touched Lepe Spit. We on Dauntless went from a length to weather of Destroyer to a length behind, and we saw Dreamer ahead take a sharp detour, bearing away on starboard to clear the end of the spit.

A bit opportunity to trade places was in finding the layline out from the safety of the Lepe shore out into the tide. Many boats significantly overstood, and from having Defender at least 200m ahead, all three (Dauntless, Destroyer and Defender came into the mark together, with Dauntless on the inside.

We held our position, now third, through the run to SCRA and managed to trim for good speed throughout the white-sail reach back to the Island, taking Dreamer on the way. However, Darling was too far ahead and couldn't be fully reeled in. Darling, Dauntless, Dreamer.