JOG Cherbourg and Owers races

JOG Owers Race Class 3 start © Fiona Cloke

Cowes – Cherbourg

JOG concluded the offshore series 2014 with the traditional final dash to Cherbourg, classes starting before dusk on Friday 26th Sept with 41 boats coming to the line.

Forecasts of light winds were realised & it was to be anything but a quick dash across the Channel. 10 – 12 kts of wind from the west got the fleet away from the startline and beyond Bembridge Ledge before the fickle and calm patches came in. Luckily the night was warm, the visibility good and the stars put on a good show so it remained enjoyable for most as the spring tide took boats up and down the channel, some seeing ships at closer quarters than they would ideally wish.

Eventually the expected easterly filled in and speeds picked up for the final approach to Cherbourg's western entrance, the better placed boats taking advantage of tidal positioning to allow a reasonably hot angle to the finish.

The spread on elapsed times was 19 hrs to more than 23 hrs so congratulations to all who made it!

Cowes – Cherbourg Results:

Class 3
1st J Fever, J 120, Tim & Frances Lester
2nd Mighty Max 2, Prima 38, Mark Brown & Justin Leese
3rd Jings, J 133, David Ballantyne

Class 4
1st Just So, J 109, David & William McGough
2nd Bellino, Sunfast 3600, Rob Craigie
3rd Arcsine, Arcona 370, Kathy Claydon

Class 5
1st Exocet, Sunfast 3200, Deb Fish
2nd Longue Pierre, Dehler 38, David Cooper & Paul England
3rd X-Tosea, X 332 David Hunt

Class 6
1st Moondog, Laser 28, Peter Pickett
2nd Raffles, Elan 295, Peter Cover & Matt Stiles
3rd Blazer, Laser 28, Colin Woodruff

Double-Handed
1st Exocet, Sunfast 3200, Deb Fish
2nd Bellino, Sunfast 3600, Rob Craigie
3rd Fastrak X, Sunfast 3600, Nigel Colley

Cowes – Owers – Cowes

Saturday 11th October and the last time on the JOG line this year for 60 boats from 71 entries which sensibly caused the race team to use the longer line option.

Some were perhaps less used to working out transits with NE Gurnard as the outer limit and the starts were less congested as a result, combining with some caution on the strong favourable tide. The wind was a pleasant 2/3 from the south east and not according to the forecast which had been predicting a bit more from the south west.

For most it was a case of slightly cracked sheets down the Solent and beyond the forts while assessing odds on whether the heavy showers were going to hit or miss. Nearer to the Owers the smaller class 6 boats and some of class 5 were freed immediately before the mark just as the wind started to swing to the south west. Their thoughts of a quick spinnaker return were abandoned.

The slightly later bigger classes were able to take advantage of the freeing wind before the Owers with downwind sails which made a great spectacle. For all it was then a case of playing the substantial shifts on the return upwind leg and adjusting to the extra gusts accompanying the black clouds alternating with the otherwise blue sky. The westerly tide combined with the strengthening south westerly and gave plenty of apparent wind once back in the Solent.

A good number of crews then enjoyed a few free drinks at the Classic Boat Museum East Cowes, where an official hand-over ceremony by Mark Wynter of Theta, the boat who gave her name to the JOG insignia, took place. Theta was rescued by a small band of JOGgers earlier this year, who bought her back from Newport, Rhode Island to the museum where she now sits with Sopranino, both boats having key roles in the early days of JOG in the 1950s. If you see them and consider the cross-channel and Atlantic exploits of these two tiny craft you have to marvel at the accomplishments!

Cowes – Owers - Cowes Results:

Class 3
1st Tilt, Beneteau First 40, Alex & Andy Moore
2nd Mighty Max 2, Prima 38, Mark Brown & Justin Leese
3rd J Fever, J 120, Tim & Frances Lester

Class 4
1st Just So, David & William McGough, J 109
2nd Jibe, Robin Taunt, J 109
3rd Hot Rats, Beneteau First 35, Robbie & Lis Robinson

Class 5
1st Shades of Blue, J110, Ed Holton
2nd Longue Pierre, Dehler 38, David Cooper & Paul England
3rd Panda Nova II, Sigma 38, Anna & Andrew Gordon

Class 6
1st Xara, Jonathan & Anne Rolls, Swan 38 SR
2nd Two Frank, Hunter Impala 28, Sam Flint & Olly Love
3rd Stan the Boat, Sigma 33, Toby Gorman

Double-Handed
1st Anticipation, Beneteau 40.7, Peter Newlandsv 2nd Jings, J 133, David Ballantyne
3rd Bombardier, Elan 333, Terry Kinch

Full offshore and inshore series results with coverage of the annual JOG prize-giving dinner available soon.

Entry Forms, full race programme & crew available/boats looking for crew information all now available online at www.jog.org.uk