Winsome entering the summer season

June 10, 2014

RORC De Guignand Bowl Race 128 Nm.

Start to the East. On board Geoff Sinton, Catherine, Leen, Floris, Herman, Alex Bisi and myself.

Fabulous start of Leen, within one second from the gun at the start. We were so close that I decided to call Ocean 1 since I erroneously shut off the VHF instead of the radio, to be sure that we were clear. The spinaker was up when we passed the start line.

All was going well, but we had to take the spinaker down just when we passed the Forts. We were in the first part of all classes at that point in time.

It was an interesting course, rounding Owers, then  turning West towards St Catherine’s Point, then proceeding to a virtual Waypoint, after it appeared the authorities had taken away two days within 24 hours from our start. So one can see that authorities all over the world are impossible and never think of anyone else than themselves. Nicely solved by RORC. Bravo!

On our run to Catherine’s Point we could remain in contact with FOGGY DEW and with RAGING BEE. Then outside Catherine’s Point the wind dropped to zero and if you are a regular reader of my blogs you know what this means. Indeed: misery for more than 3 hours.

Once we sailed again all boats regrouped and the lighter boats had all a better position. Shit!

Rounding of the first virtual way point did cost me nearly my neck since Winsome is depicted in another way on Expedition than on Deckman. Just in time I observed my mistake and we made a clear rounding of the (virtual) way point.

Thereafter it became more or less a rat race towards Poole Bar Buoy 1, to SW Shingles, to the next virtual way point, again to Poole Bar Buoy 1 and again (just like in the Myth of Malham Race) to North Head Buoy  with a finish at Lymington Bank Buoy.

FOGGY DEW needed to finish 29 minutes ahead of us, High Jinks a J97, needed to stay within 9 minutes from our arrival.

We had an exciting finish. We could pass High Jinks on the water but not on the rating and we we did not stay within 29 minutes from FOGGY DEW. Our rounding of Hurst Castle was so close that we touched bottom and stopped for a couple of seconds.

Testing Expedition on showing Winning Tides currents

Hurst Castle at our finger tips

Today WINSOME was delivered by Alex and me to Berthon, accompanied by Herman in LUNA. Today 10th of June  she was lifted for an inspection. All being well her hull will be cleaned and optimally prepared for our next races next week in the IRC National Championship, which we consider the best training for Cowes Week. Star helmsman Laura Dillon will fly in next Thursday, like the rest of the crew. Opa will stay on the Island until then.

We played and lost. FOGGY DEW 2nd (competition 1st) WINSOME 4th (competition 2nd). WINSOME has good speed and looks quite balanced this year. I do expect a good year with good results.

In the meantime i.e. prior to publishing this blog Winsome was hoisted and indeed some damages have been assessed indeed. On the photographs they look quite ugly but Berthon assured me they are not that bad in reality and repairs are in progress in order to launch her on Wednesday 11th of June.

Will keep you posted.