I have been working the tides etc out and I can see we have good tides to take us to the needles BUT...If there is a fair wind the early starters ( class 1 ) will be there way to early...

I'm thinking that the bigger boats (class 2 ) will have a huge advantage starting one hour later....!!!

Why are the start times 1 hour different ???

How many boats are expected ????

Paul Burton.

Parker 235/ 40 Lady Penelope...

If all boats started at the same time the larger boats will arrive way ahead of the smaller ones. The idea of the staggered start is to try and get everyone to arrive about the same time - (as in pursuit racing). The race is based on handicaps except for the individual trophies (say for the Seal 22s), so it doesn't matter how the different classes are started.

I cannot see how you figure the larger boats have an advantage?

In the real RIOW race, the larger boats start first (the Tris and Super 60s get round in 3-4 hours!) When I sailed in that race in my 21, the large boats were about to finish before I had even started. I took 11 hours to get round that day.

I hope you don't get the winds I experienced this week. Off the Needles on Tuesday I had 33 knots constant. I was doing 10 knots running down the Solent goose-winged.

Regards

Don Harvey

Web Master

Parker 325 'Calypso'

I also figure it is around 12-14miles to the needles...with around 1-2 knots of tide with us...average 4 knots plus some tide we should be turning bridge buoy in less than 3 hours after the start which is around 12noon....then we will have at least an hour of foul tide..

With the other start an hour later using the same maths they will be at the needles around slack water and take the tide round the needles and eastwards.....

I am really not that bothered as we are taking part for fun...but an extra hour in bed would be nice....

I'm really looking forward to it....just need to take the boat off its mooring...get it home...clean it....drive for lots of hours on Friday....launch at Bucklers hard and .......relax...

Don...sounds like fun....why did you not put the spinnaker up as well....

Paul Burton.

Parker 235/ 40 Lady Penelope...

If you have to beat to the Needles it could take somewhat longer to reach the turning point (lets hope it's a beat else you will be beating all the way from the Needles to Bembridge buoy). This means you could arrive as the tide goes slack (around 12 noon by my reckoning) or is even on the turn. In any case it's only two days from neaps so either side of slack it will be less than a knot (hardly worth worrying about unless there is next to no wind.)

In any case, the tide tables are based on estimates (not guaranteed) and they can be effected by the weather (pressure).

At least you are not doing a complete circumnavigation (Cowes to Cowes) as with the Island Sailing Club RIOW race so you don't have to worry too much about the tides back into the Eastern end of the Solent

I would just go and enjoy it. Walter has been organising this race for years and knows what he's doing.

I prefer to goose-wing in very strong winds. 10 knots is fast enough for me on a run and I cannot believe a spinnaker would have added any more speed.

Regards

Don Harvey

Web Master

Parker 325 'Calypso'