Volvo Noble Marine RS400 Nationals at Mount's Bay - Day 3

Volvo Noble Marine RS400 Nationals day 3 © LBP Photography

Volvo Noble Marine RS400 Nationals day 3 © LBP Photography

Had there been a vote among the 72 boat fleet as to whether anyone would rather be the race officer for the day it is unlikely that there would have been a single show of hands given the challenging forecast conditions.

After Monday's (Day 2) racing had been called off due to the lively conditions everyone was keen to get back into the competitive groove but a forecast of light and variable winds of under 5 knots along with a big left over swell from the previous day's action was always going to make racing challenging and a long postponement likely.

After three hours drifting around in the waves watching what wind there was circle around the fleet, the race committee abandoned racing until further notice.

That's was the cue for an 8 knot+ breeze to come in from the East - Sod's Law in the extreme, along with a strength and direction that hadn't been seen on any of the forecasts.

Just as the front runners in the race to the bar and the club deck chairs were setting foot on the beach, the race officer saw an opportunity to turn the fortunes of the day around and called the fleet back to the race area.

The breeze did the decent thing and kept steady as crews turned around and got used to sailing downwind into a head sea and surfing upwind. Just as the fleet got back to where it had started an hour before, (a couple of miles from the sailing club), and had settled into this unconventional routine, the breeze decided to go for a wander and danced from side to side, teasing the race officer and taunting the sailors as the strength dropped too.

Eventually, 4 hours after leaving the shore in the morning a start got under way but the breeze had another trick up its sleeve. Seeing the pathfinder hobby horsing its way on port towards the expectant fleet that had lined up where they thought the line would be, the breeze went hard right leaving many with the prospect of being stranded to windward of the line. As they turned to head back the pathfinder decided that the potential head to head was a risk not worth taking, even with a guard boat and tacked off. Cue a general recall.

No doubt seeing that the fluctuating breeze was going to cause problems with a gate start the race officer went for a line start. Given that it was now 16.30 and we had yet to get a race in it was hardly surprising that a black flag was hoisted to discourage any monkey business this late in the day.

It didn't and a general recall followed with two boats slapped on the wrists, (James Downer 1321 and Nick Bonner 1344), as their names went up on the naughty step blackboard.

The next start did succeed in getting away for two laps of a modest sized course littered with snakes and ladders.

In the end it was Keith Bedborough who got the best out of a long day and a short race with a convincing win while the race committee also scored with a race on the board, our third of the event so far.

But the fun hadn't finished as the breaking swell on the beach made for a challenging and spectacular return to base. With boats leaping out through the surf it was all-hands on the beach as crews helped each other to get ashore safely.

Volvo Noble Marine RS400 Nationals day 3 - photo © LBP Photography

That, at least, got everyone's vote.

A wonderful trip to the Mounts for a private view of the castle and wine on the terrace with spectacular views rounded off a crazy day.

Wednesday's conditions look like a return to more saucy conditions.

Results after Day 3: