1 st Thursday, race 3.
The evening started with launching, (yes we are, no we aren’t, yes we are) Z80 and it was good to see the block and
pulley system in use on the camber slip. Heads were scratched as to how it was all to be rigged as its been a while…but
we got there and it was a graceful slip into the cold water with Russell on board..
By that time, we knew we had a race as both 54 and 77 were on hand, we knew that 78 was going. We were also
hopeful that 74 had found a crew. Sure enough, as we were entering the harbour entrance, we heard the dulcet tones of
74 requesting permission to cross the harbour, so we had 4 boats for the evening.
OOD for the evening was 73, with Liz driving Sapristi and your correspondent aboard as a guest (the charge being to
write this). Interestingly, Jim had brought refreshments…what would be in the flasks? As we set out from the harbour,
the wind was a good 16 knots, and with 90 minutes to high-tide, the Solent was quite flat and a good wind from a
direction just north of west. We headed for KB as PSC was just too far north to set a start. The line was established
between Sapristi and a laid mark, just South of KB, and before long the 4 boats were milling about, it was evident
where the windward mark would be, and we watched as the boats set off in that direction to see how tight it would be.
So, having decided on the course: Sapristi-LM, Baker Trayte(BT) (P); Linnington (LT) (P); LM (P), LT(P) and finish at
Suffolk Sails, we watched as the wind started to get up (and more annoyingly, moved north by about 10 degrees), but
we started on time, with Jim almost hanging over the side to get an eye on the line (he was filming too…don’t tell
Angela), but we had a clean get away and after a couple of tacks the lead boats were at Baker Trayte within 8 minutes
(ooops..had we set too short a course?) 77 was first round, followed closely by 74, 54 and 78, but it was 54 that got the
speedy hoist as the others seemed to struggle. The black peregrine was next up, followed by 77 and 78, who was
struggling. The crew must have all been to Pret before sailing as they had a monster wrap. (they obviously went for the
full 3 course…read on ) and she ended up white sailing for a good stretch of the first run. As they passed Sapristi, it was
evident they were having to work hard as it was dead down wind and the gusts were increasing. There was plenty of
rolling taking place as they proceeded, and 78 almost lost it as she pitched from one side to the other, but they caught it
with a harden up. It was 74 that reached LT first, with the lead 3 very close together after 20 minutes of racing. All
opted to take a tack on the rounding and headed out towards the central Solent, with no-one taking the alternate route
(Apparently this is using “the drain”...for more info ask Liz) all stayed on this tack until the rhum line and as they
approached the LM, 78 had made a miraculous recovery having closed to within a boat lengths to 74, with 54 and 77
also in touch, you could almost have thrown a blanket over them all. And off they set again for LT, this time with a
split, 78 taking a starboard gybe, but it was again 54 that stole the march on the hoist as they all again, managed the
gusting conditions. We lost track of which boat was which as they disappeared in to the gloomy sky, having dropped the
kites on the approach to LT and so we motored to SS to await their return, with all 4 boats still within shouting distance
of each other, it was 54 leading to the mark, followed by 78, 54 and 77. After a 49 minute race, all 4 finished within a
minute of the winner.
This was Victory racing at its best; competitive, close and unpredictable. And with 80 now in Haslar and 67, with a
mast fitted, on the trots it bodes well for next week as more boats join the racing list.
And for Jim’s refreshments…..well, it wasn’t rum after all.
Clive, Z79