Isle of Sheppey Round the Island Race - Preview
by Dan Corpe 29 Aug 2016 11:45 BST
3 September 2016
Isle of Sheppey Round the Island Race © IOSSC
The IOS Round the Island Race is a long established, long distance event designed to test sailing skills and endurance over a 40-mile course. Sailed clockwise around the island, starting and finishing at IOS Sailing Club, the race includes tidal sea, river & estuary sailing.
The event is the longest dinghy and board race in Europe — it should not be confused with so-called 24 hour races, which allow for a change of helm and crew.
The race is open to all classes of dinghy, catamaran and sailboard but any dinghy or catamaran that does not have an RYA Portsmouth Yardstick number should make contact with the IOS Sailing Club before the day of the event.
The Course
The race starts and finishes at Sheerness and is a clockwise circumnavigation of the island. Firstly by sea to Leysdown and around the NE tip of the Island, Shellness, and then into the Swale estuary. The Swale gradually narrows into the river, with the lifting road bridge at Kingsferry acting as an obstacle at its narrowest point. Larger dinghies and multihulls have to be stopped, heeled over and walked under the inner span of the bridge. The course continues up the Swale, through the ancient port of Queenborough and into the mouth of the Medway, before finally rounding Garrison Point to the open sea and the short distance back to the Club.
Course Records:
- Multihull: 1hr 52mins Stuart Gummer/Ryan Crawford (Hobie Wild Cat), 2010
- Monohull: 2hrs 17mins Neil Ashby/Sam Proctor (RS800), 2010
- Sailboard: 2hrs 42mins David Clay, 2010
Typical passage times are 3 - 10 hours.
Requirements
Every boat should be capable of completing the course in whatever conditions are encountered. Particular note should be made of the possibility of being reliant upon your own resources for a protracted period, even returning after dark or in fog.
All boats buoyancy arrangements must be in thoroughly efficient working order. Safety boats are instructed that, if necessary, crews are to taken off, and boats left to be towed in later. It is therefore advised that all boats carry an anchor.
iossc.co.uk/island-race