Dawn broke on another hot, sunny day in Cowes for the start of day three at British Classic Week. With debate about whether a south easterly or a westerly breeze would establish itself, the fleet set out for class racing round the cans.
Above: gaff cutter Kelpie
With the sun blazing down on the glistening Solent, Classes 1 and 2 set off on a running start with the tide to the west, gybing down the coast towards Gurnard Ledge. Rounding the mark to starboard, some yachts held spinnakers and others hoisted code zeroes for the tight reach across the Solent to YachtDataBank.
Having rounded YachtDataBank to port, the yachts tested different sail plans and watched carefully for the slightest zephyr of wind to help them across the by-now millpond waters to Cowes Yacht Haven on the Island side.
Above: Spirit 63DH Gwenhyfar searching for the breeze…
It was a game of patience, luck and perseverance to reach the mark and make the most of the now turning tide back to the RYS line. Classes merged into one as they descended (some not always facing the right direction having been pushed side-ways and sometimes backwards) down on to the finish line.
It was a similar story for Classes 3 and 4, who sailed a slightly shorter first running leg down the Island shore to Cowes Yacht Haven to round the mark to starboard. It was then a race against a turning tide to reach across to YachtDataBank and round the mark to port, where both classes bunched together in the merest breaths of wind. The larger yachts crept through the shifts to make the mark and get back to the RYS line. The smaller yachts gallantly battled the tide, with some digging in to get there and others calling it a day.
Above: left Stiletto and right Cereste
Spirit 52 Oui Fling persevered to win Class 1, classic sloop Lak II took first place in Class 2, and Clyde Linear 30 Mikado won Class 3. After two back-to-back wins from Suvretta in Class 4, today was Kim Holman designed Stiletto’s day on the water and she took the win for Class 4.
A tough day on the water, but spirits were rallied upon getting back to the dock with the thought of the evening’s Pontoon Party, complete with live music and cocktails by Hattiers Rum and Dartmouth Gin.
