Boatshed Chichester Round the island Race 2009 Published: Tuesday, 23 June 2009
The Boatshed Chichester attempt at the 2009 Round the Island Race started on Friday evening when the boat; a Sadler 34 ‘PLC’ was made ready and set sail for Cowes. We arrived in Cowes late on Friday evening.
Saturday Morning started with a procession of endless yachts leaving the river Medina to join the already full waters off Cowes roads to make ready for the start. Boatshed Chichester’s Rupert Stevenson is something of a veteran of Round the Island racing having competed in some 15 previous races usually on a previous slightly smaller classic boat. The start is always an anxious moment not only because of the numbers of boats on the start line but often it is very hard to see exactly where the start line is. In light conditions is important to start well back from the line as with a strong westbound tide it can take an awfully long time to return to it if you are over! The wind steadily filled in towards the needles and crossing Alum bay saw us clocking almost 9knots over the ground. Once round the Needles the Spinnaker was hoisted and off we went south east towards St.Catherines light.
The decision was taken to try and pass close in to St.Catherines point as the wind was almost directly astern there where several tense moments fighting off broaches and un-intentional Gybes. There was a degree of chaos as many boats did Broach, several tearing spinnakers and more than a couple of Pan Pan calls for injuries and two man overboard events, Luckily for us and in spite of the conditions everybody stayed firmly aboard!
A fast Broad Reach across Sandown Bay saw PLC fighting her way past many boats a lot much larger also a chance sighting of the Boatshed Hamble RIB who came close across the bows. Still many boats astern trying to sort out tattered Spinnakers.
Bembridge Ledge saw the fleet bunch up and rounding the buoy was tense given that at any time their must have been 15 boats attempting to change course to tack close insure to duck the fowl tide and claw our way inshore back into the Solent. the youngest crew members aboard (Charlie and Mathew both 10yrs) where beginning to flag with the constant fast tacking and a decision was made at Ryde to continue on Port Tack to avoid the crush around Ryde Pier and get a lot further offshore, although the tide was stronger against us the wind was also much stronger and the need to keep tacking to avoid starboard tack yacht with right of way was removed. It also meant we couldn’t be blamed for the Isle Wight ferry going aground! This clearly paid off and we finished in fading sunshine at Cowes, A good day had by all!
Once moored up in Cowes a quick check online revealed or position, 10th in class and a respectable 247th Overall (out of 1059 declared Finishers).
