• Cowes to Bembridge
  
• Starting at 0830 for class 1 and 0900 for class 2
  
• Notice of Race:   NOR PSSA RIOW Race 2017.pdf (462kb) downloaded 105 time(s).
  
• Sailing Instructions:   STANDARD SAILING INSTRUCTIONS 2017.pdf (500kb) downloaded 88 time(s).
  

Hi Folks,

Although I am advertised as race organiser, I will be on holiday at the time of the race. We are looking to find a new organiser or run a self-start and finish. The race is definitely on and Nigel (away and not racing this year) has posted the race instructions here already.

If you could volunteer to act as committee boat, it is a simple affair and Commodore Jeremy can guide you on the proceedings. Please contact Jeremy if you can assist. He will be at the weekend rally in Keyhaven should you also be there.

If the race is an honesty self start and finish, the start line will be a virtual north/south line through the starting buoy.

As I am away from the Friday a week before the race, I will summarise all the race interests that have reached me so far.

Yachts showing interest and asking questions:

ZEPHYR - Peter Scrivens P235/38, solo
LESA - Hilary Martin, standard rating with spinnaker. Trying to get other RVYC yachts to enter. If you want to say at Royal Victoria Yacht Club on Friday night, you will be very welcome.
ELSA - Chris Turner - one or two Island Seals may join. Is it correct that a Super Seal without C/C or spinnaker 976 +40 = 1016 will be racing in Class 1 but with Cruising Chute (996) will be with class 2. Or is it the Base number?
MYA - Peter Dann SS26/5, 3-4 people, base Itechenor SC, lift keel, inboard, spinnaker.
Questions: 1. Would I be right in guessing that most people will stay at Shephard’s on Friday night? I don’t want to book the wrong marina and be considered anti-social! 2. Do we need to tell Bembridge we’re coming or is that taken care of?
RASCAL - Phlip Linsell - will race if moderate winds. Will it be Shepards Whaft Friday night?
FRITH - Martin Watson, P27/154
SANDY LADY - James Hamilton, P235/9, crew is Murray Russell. Can accommodate a third if someone is short of a berth
ABACUS - Clifford Miller, P275/5983T. Crew of 2. Inboard engine with feathering prop=1BF - 0. Keel retractable fixed down whilst racing=R -10. Request Duver Marina Berth Bembridge
KERENZA - Jeremy Pasons, P325/19, crew of three. We plan to stay in the Hamble on Friday night. i have been away and just picked up the problems with a committee boat for the day. we could do an honest start and finish reporting our times in at the end. i am happy to complete the results sheet.

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I have now emailed all PSSA members that have shown interest. Berthing at Bembridge Harbour is being arranged (need a volunteer to finish it off). Dining at Brading Yacht Have is also being arranged (also needs a volunteer to finish it off.

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For anyone not on the list here are some more details, prefaced by apologies that a newcomer like me should presume to go amending sailing instructions – but if we are to run a safe gate start we do need some rules. We also need a contingency if – as forecast – the wind is WNW or NW at the start, as a gate doesn’t work unless it’s a beat. And finally I am keen to preserve what’s left of my ancient gelcoat! So I hope the attached amendments (largely copied from the RYA) will be clear and seem fair. Since I suspect like me there may be a few whose big dinghy fleet gate start days are well behind them I have also attached a handy summary of what we’re planning to do which I found on the internet courtesy of East Dorset Sailing Club. This is a guide not instructions!

I’ve also attached the central Solent card for reference.

For the finish can I ask everyone to set a timer such as a smartphone from their starting signal so that you can time yourself at the finish? We’ll   PSSA Round The Island Race 2017 - Further amendments to SIs.pdf (282kb) downloaded 54 time(s).  Gate-start-guidance-2017.pdf (220kb) downloaded 53 time(s).  SolentMarks2017-ChartCentral.pdf (885kb) downloaded 51 time(s).try to hang around if practical, but self finishing seems sensible.

Finally, please do offer any suggestions! I am literally making this up as I go along.

Looking forward to meeting/seeing you all

Peter

PS we will be in Shephard’s Wharf on Friday night and hope that others based in Cowes will come and say hi so we can head off for a beer and/or supper

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Well done Peter I thoroughly enjoyed it .perfect conditions thankyou for your efforts and gin !
Paul Reymond Oi Oi P275 No. 5

Thanks Paul, it was great fun.

For the wider world waiting on tenterhooks for the results here they are:

1. LESA Hilary Martin Super Seal 26/33 5hrs 51m
2. MYA Peter Dann Super Seal 26/5 5hrs 53m
3. Oi Oi Paul Reymond Parker 275/5 6hrs 23m
4. ABACUS Clifford Miller Parker 275/5983T 6hrs 31m
5. KERENZA Jeremy Parsons Parker 325/19 6hrs 35m
DNS FRITH Martin Watson Parker 27/154
DNS SANDY LADY James Hamilton Parker 235/9
DNS ZEPHYR Peter Scrivens Parker 235/38

Conditions were WNW 9-12 knots at the start backing and building to SW 20-25 knots at the finish. Glorious sunsgine, grins all round - if I was a Press Officer I would describe it as 'champagne sailing'.

Hope to see you all (and more) next year, if not before!

Peter

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Go Girl Power !!!!
Well done !

It was an amazing day - many thanks to Peter Dann for taking on the race organization - and for taking on LESA in what became a very close race between our Baker Super Seal 26s - one design at its best!

I have already written an account for the newsletter so just a summary here. I persuaded RVYC member Graham Smyth to make his debut on LESA as final training for the ISC Race in his very competitive Freedom 25 SQUIRREL and we raced doublehanded.

Tacking down the Western Solent we had eked out a short lead on MYA as we nipped between the Needles and the Varvassi but, when MYA hoisted a huge pink spinnaker, we decided we could only manage a small asymmetric as the wind was on the beam and we did not want to end up in a tangle. A good choice as we could not have held the big kite and MYA with 3 aboard was struggling on some occasions while we sailed serenely on.

However this meant we had to change kites together with a gybe off St Lawrence before the run to Bembridge Ledge. This was the big test and we did it without losing much of our lead. As the wind built, we kept ahead on the last leg to the finish despite having far too much sail.

All the participants and the others who took a short cut had a great day followed by an excellent meal at Brading Haven YC. Thanks to Jeremy for getting us all together.

Hilary
Baker SS26 LESA 33

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