Solo Offshore Racing Club's Channel Week 2015

Close competition downwind in SORC Channel Week 2015 © SORC

Pre dinner drinks at a beach bar in Brittany in SORC Channel Week 2015 © SORC

Rafted in Weymouth on the morning of the final race in SORC Channel Week 2015 © SORC

The Solo Offshore Racing Club's 2015 Channel Week took a small but highly competitive fleet to the challenging sailing grounds of the Channel Islands and North Brittany, in winds varying from almost calm to force 7.

Race 1 - Lymington to Alderney

After a pleasant evening socialising in Lymington, the 11 skippers had an early start in Christchurch Bay, where race officer Rob Craigie sailing Bellino acted as competitor committee boat for a gate start in a light south-south-westerly wind. The fleet soon settled onto the making starboard tack, with Deb Fish's Sunfast 3200 Exocet going 3/4 of a mile further west before joining the charge south. The two Sunfast 3600s, Fastrak (Nigel Colley) and Bellino soon pulled out a healthy lead.

Simon Mitchell on Roxanne opted to sail high, with fellow Sunfast 3200 Fluke (James Hardiman) trying to match him, and forcing Exocet to sail high to maintain her separation. As the race progressed, the wind gradually veered, with SimSail and Expedition advising the fleet to sail into the strong west-going tide off Cap de la Hague before tacking to lay Alderney. With Fastrak having to retire due to a family bereavement, Bellino was first to cross the finish line at the entrance to Braye harbour, closely followed by Exocet and Roxanne.

When the results were calculated, Exocet benefitted from her western routing to take victory on corrected time, with Roxanne a close second and Frederic Waniart on Maeva (Super Harlequin Half Tonner) sailing well to finish third as the smallest boat despite having to battle against foul tide.

Race 2 - Alderney to Guernsey

The second race started just north of Braye Harbour, before short tacking down the Swinge channel in a F5. After a windy night, many opted for small jibs and/or reefed mains at the start, but the wind eased a touch leaving some underpowered. With low visibility and the tide starting to run, it was atmospheric sailing through the overfalls of the Swinge. Once safely clear of Burhou, Exocet, Zest (Rupert Holmes), Maeva, QII (Andrew Mills) and Bellino tacked onto port and set off towards the Casquets in anticipation of the forecast wind veer, while Roxanne, Fluke, Fantasea (Tony Rowe) and Juliette (Jerry Freeman) opted to go further east, where the strong tide set more to the south.

As the leading boats entered the Little Russell the wind built to 25 knots, and the visibility closed in further, the boats short tacked down the narrow, rock strewn channel into the finish mark close inshore. Bellino took line honours, closely followed by Exocet, QII and Zest. Routing via the Casquets clearly paid, as Exocet took her second victory, with Maeva second and Bellino third. After a few sail repairs, the fleet adjourned to the local Italian for a very pleasant meal.

Race 3 - Guernsey to St Quai Portrieux

With light headwinds, forecast to veer through the race, and a strong foul tide at the start, the 50 mile race was more like a game of snakes and ladders than a yacht race at times. The fleet split from the start, with Meava and Roxanne setting off on port tack towards the southern tip of Guernsey, Bellino, Zest, Exocet and Juliette opting for an early tack east, and QII, Fluke and Fantasea in the middle.

West looked best for a while as Bellino led the eastern pack into light airs off the Jersey coast, the strong tides setting Rob north when he attempted to tack out. Zest continued in to the shore, planning to either kedge or short tack down the Jersey shore and was rewarded by the wind slowly building and lifting. Meanwhile, Tony Rowe, sailing Fantasea, took advantage of the light winds to rustle up a four course lunch, accompanied by a glass of wine.

The lead boats then faced the decision of whether to sail high for speed under code zeros and be uptide of the finish, or low in order to have a hotter wind angle when the wind veered further. Bellino went low, peeling early to his reaching spinnaker, while Zest opted for speed and height. As forecast, the wind built and veered, allowing the boats to finish under running spinnakers, making the inshore finish - a line off the Madeaux beacon, marking extensive submerged rocks - exciting in the 15 knot breeze.

Rupert Homes sailing Zest was rewarded with his first solo victory on corrected time and the chance to fly the massive yellow Winner's flag, with Maeva slipping in to take second and Bellino third. The first four boats were just 8 minutes apart on corrected time, after a 12 hour race, again showing the closeness of the racing in this SORC fleet.

After three tiring races, and with more light airs forecast, the fleet opted for a lay day, helping each other with various minor repairs before enjoying rum punch on the pontoons, courtesy of marina manager Jean Michel, then a scenic coastal walk to a superb beach restaurant. With extensive calms forecast for Thursday, race officer Rob suggested motoring to Guernsey, to start the return race from there.

Race 4 - Guernsey to Weymouth

With a deep low pressure predicted to pass through the Channel, pre-race talk was dominated by the weather. Steve Thomas on Truant set a start line off a beacon in the Little Russell, and the fleet set off north in a 12 knot easterly wind, which built to 20 knots by the time they had reached the top of Guernsey. Deb realised a smaller headsail was needed on Exocet, getting soaked on the foredeck in the process of changing sail. Bellino then led the fleet to the west of the Casquets, with Exocet opting to pass through the Ortac channel, and Juliette yet further wast into the Alderney race.

The fleet enjoyed a fast white sail reach across the Channel, and were kept busy putting reefs in, avoiding ships in the murky weather, and sheltering from torrential rain. After passing the TSS, Bellino and Exocet opted for the most easterly route, and Juliette returned from the Alderney race to join the fleet. Mid channel, the boats were hit by a squall with gusts over 30 knots. Roxanne and QII bore away, losing ground to the west, while Deb did another wet headsail change to her number 4 and Rob dropped Bellino's mainsail for a time.

Roxanne and QII were looking good, but as the fleet approached Portland Bill the wind backed as forecast, turning a fast reach into an unpleasant beat. Simon had an unpleasant shock when he realised his bulkhead clock had stopped, and he faced a strong foul tide running down the eastern side of Portland Bill, rather than the favourable tide he was expecting. Bellino and Exocet were able to harden up and reach into the finish from east of the Shambles bank, while Roxanne and QII made slow progress tacking against the foul tide. Conditions worsened for the later boats, with Fantasea retiring after breaking a reefing line and Maeva, by far the smallest in the fleet, finishing at 2230, some 5 hours after the leaders, after a torrid time. Fred hoisted his storm jib for the first time and sailed almost into Lulworth Cove in search of flatter seas before his final tack west.

After arriving in Weymouth, the cold and wet sailors tipped water out of their boots and sought hot showers before retiring to the George for dinner and to monitor Maeva's painful progress on AIS. Tony Rowe seems determined to retain the 'Spirit of SORC' award he won for a rescue last year and stayed up past midnight to guide a grateful Fred into an unfamiliar harbour, make him coffee, and allow him to warm up in the comfort of his well appointed Dehler 36 - Tony, you are a star. Exocet took a hard-earned victory by 5 minutes over Bellino, with Roxanne in third.

Race 5 - Weymouth to Solent

Miraculously, the fleet awoke to bright sunshine and the prospect of a glorious spinnaker run back to Lymington. Rob ran the first offwind start of the week, and most were caught well behind the line at the five minute gun, unable to catch Bellino despite Rob's best efforts to sail slowly. With the wind gusting 22 knots, there was a brief hesitation before the first kite went up, quickly followed by the rest. Bellino led the fleet along the Jurassic coast, with Exocet keeping up under her symmetric spinnaker, and Juliette just behind sailing hotter angles under her fractional kites.

Meanwhile Fred was having a better day on Maeva, enjoying boat speeds of 10 knots under kite. QII started with two reefs in, due to a torn mainsail, but hoisted his kite regardless and Andrew too enjoyed some fantastic sailing. Once past Anvil point, the fleet hardened up, allowing the asymmetric boats to shine, with Juliette looking good behind Bellino, as Exocet was forced offshore by a local wind shift, losing time changing from symmetric spinnaker to code zero before peeling back to her asymmetric. The fleet split with some opting for the Needles channel, while others cut north of the Shingles bank.

Meanwhile Zest was slowly catching Exocet, and the two were mere boat lengths apart from SW Shingles to the finish at Durnford near Lymington. Disaster almost struck after the finish when Exocet gybed and attempted to drop her spinnaker, finding that it was stuck at the masthead. After much tugging, and visions of having to climb the mast while sailing at speed down a busy Solent, Deb realised the luff-line was caught, cut it at the tack and was able to retrieve the spinnaker. Maeva did well to recover from his ordeal the previous day to take a clear victory, with Juliette second and Bellino third.

Overall

Overall, in a very close fought series, Exocet took the overall channel week victory, with Maeva second, just one point ahead of Bellino in third. Rupert Holmes sailed Zest well to take the Rookie prize, winning his first SORC race in the process.

Many thanks to Chris Rustom for planning the week, and to Rob Craigie for doing a superb job setting courses, starting races, organising berthing and dinners, and generally looking after everyone.

Overall Results:

Overall winner Deb Fish approaching the finish of the final race in SORC Channel Week 2015 - photo © SORC