Expert analysis: Five crucial areas in the Mount Gay Round Barbados Race

Mount Gay Round Barbados Race Records © Mountgay Round Barbados Race

Ms Barbados Tactician, Tom Dawson, has been part of Team Concise since their first Transatlantic Race victory in 2011. Experienced Extreme 40 trimmer and a former Team GB sailor, Tom Dawson comments on the significant points of the course for the 2016 Mount Gay Barbados Race, in which Concise 10/Ms Barbados will be locked in a high speed MOD70 duel with Phaedo3.

• 2016 Mount Gay Barbados Race
• Thursday 21 January 2016
• First start 0700 local time (1100 gmt)
• Approx: 59 nautical miles
• Analysis assumes ENE wind direction of 17-20 knots

The wind direction for the start will depend on where the organisers put the line. If it is inshore, close to the Barbados Cruising Club, then we might see an upwind start but if the start is more offshore then we will have a fast reach all the way up the west coast. Getting a good start is always important but there are points on the rest of the course where gains can be made.

West Coast

The wind can be quite gusty up the leeward side with several acceleration zones coming off the land, our boat speed will be mid to high twenties and we should make the top of the island (Harrisons Point) in under one hour, maybe 40 minutes. We could also see some squall activity, which can dramatically change the wind speed and direction.

Rounding to the North

As we leave the leeward side of Barbados, we will be coming into the Atlantic swell and the water can be very choppy there, which will make tacking around to the windward side a tricky operation and crucial in terms of the race.

Windward Coast

Effectively, we have three choices on the east coast of Barbados; do we go offshore, aim directly for East Point or go inshore .We have to make a choice at the start of the leg. So it is not a simple straight line decision. If we go further to the east as we round to the north, we will open up the wind angle more. You have to remember with a MOD 70, there is so much apparent wind created that we are rarely 60 degrees off the wind, so lining up at the start of the long leg, along the windward side of Barbados, is also a crucial factor. On the windward side there are some hazards as well. There are reefs and coral mounds that we need to be aware of, and there is a big bounce back effect off the waves, so inshore there can be confused seas.

East Point to Finish

There is a big reef at East Point, so we can't go too close in, We will bare away and hoist our spinnaker to run down to South Point but because of the wind angle we will have to gybe there and then it should be a fast reach back to finish. Our finish time will depend on the wind strength, direction, and how well we sail the boat. If we get the right conditions, under 3hrs 30 mins is possible.

The absolute record for the Mount Gay Round Barbados Race is 4 Hours, 24 minutes, 27 seconds. The 80th edition of the race will have staggered starts from 0700 local time (1100 gmt) Thursday 21st January.

For more information about Team Concise visit www.teamconcise.com

To follow the Mount Gay Round Barbados Race visit mountgayrumroundbarbadosrace.com