Cowes Corinthian Yacht Club Forts Race 2017

On Saturday 23rd September, Isle of Wight Day, sixteen boats came to the start line off Cowes for the CCYC's annual race around the forts in the eastern Solent.

There was a mixture of local keelboats made up of four Dragons, two Flying Fifteens and a Sonar and nine cruiser/racers. With flood tide under them the fleet pushed the line but got away cleanly. The early leader was the Humphreys 36 "Zest" (Kas Schmitt) with the Dragons and Flying Fifteens in hot pursuit. With the wind from the ESE around 8-10 knots the fleet settled down to a long fetch to Spit Sand Fort off Portsmouth.

The Dragon "Supremacy" (Andrew Millband) headed north on her own and this proved the right thing to do as she reached Spit Sand ahead of the other Dragons. Meanwhile the rest of fleet sailed a rhumb line course. The Flying Fifteen "fflashback" (Mike Dixon) was lying second on the water for the first half of the leg until eventually being overtaken by the Beneteau 35 Party (Claire Turner) and the Classic 8 Meter "Osborne of Wight" (Richard Bendy).

At Spit Sand Fort the fleet hardened up slightly to pass through the dolphins east of Portsmouth and then came onto the wind to beat to Horse Sand Fort. At that point the order was "Party", "Zest", "Osborne of Wight", "fflashback", "Free Fire 20" (Tony Bedingfield) and "Supremacy", with the latter three very close together.

On the short beat the waterline length of the Dragons became effective and they made inroads into the Flying Fifteens. However that was short lived as the fleet freed slightly to head to No Mans Land Fort and after rounding the fort hoisted spinnakers for the reach back to Cowes. "Party" and "Zest" extended their lead on the water but the wind suited the Flying Fifteens behind them and whilst there was never more than a minute between "fflasback" and "Free Fire 20" the former maintained her advantage all the way back to Cowes to claim victory on handicap with "Freefire 20" second with "Party" third.

The Sonar "Jenny" was fourth pushing "Osborne of Wight" into fifth on handicap. The Dragons had a very close finish - "Supremacy" had led the class all around the course until being pipped on the line by "Bertie" (Simon Barter) by one second.

At the prize giving in the evening the club's Admiral Andy Cassell presented the prizes which were generously donated by Jolliffes Chandlery and their suppliers. The Forts Race this year coincided with Isle of Wight Day so after the formalities the competitors and members feasted on a barbecue of local produce.

Overall Results: