Junior Offshore Group C-Data Cowes - Dielette Race
by Pandie Bronsdon 30 May 2018 15:53 BST
26-27 May 2018
JOG C-Data Cowes Dielette Race © Pandie Bronsdon
Seventeen yachts started the C-Data JOG Cowes Dielette via Guernsey race over the late May Bank Holiday, eager to visit a newish (to JOG) destination and take part in a slightly longer than usual Cat 3 race. Unfortunately the Weather Gods weren't keen on that idea and with lights airs forecast on Friday evening followed by 25kn+ NE'ly beat on Saturday afternoon the Race Committee made the late - but good - call to shorten the course direct to Dielette leaving "Casquets and all outlying rocks to port".
The fleet set off towards the Needles in tail end of the day's sea breeze, which died as most boats were approaching Hurst Narrows and the Shingles. This lead to a few nervous moments as people either drifted across the bank on the tide, listening to the waves breaking, or came closer than comfortable to Bridge. Or both for some! However there were no major dramas and with heart rates returning to normal eventually everyone managed to get away. Kites of various shapes went up soon afterwards and pretty much stayed set for the next 12 hours or so across a very flat and grey English Channel. Visibility was down to around 0.5 mile at times so few ships were 'seen', other than on AIS or as they loomed out of the murk at close range.
The breeze by mid morning Saturday had moved E/NE and was building to around 20 knots with an increased but not uncomfortable sea state. Some of the early classes had already seen hail and thunder storms by this point, perhaps the precursor to the storms that his Southern England later than night, and everyone had some rain to keep them amused.
Hardening up round the Casquets led to some interesting kite drops in both the confused seas and the by now quite constant 20+knot breeze and a number of boats reported multiple changes down their sail wardrobes, ending up with working jibs and 2nd reefs as gusts in excess of 30 knots were seen. This continued well into Dielette for the later finishers, only abating when enclosed within the harbour walls.
The first finishers were through the line just after 14:00, and the last class six yacht safely tied up by 19:00, just in time for the usual JOG post race celebrations and socialising.
No race back from this one so the return trip, under engine for almost everyone in a mirror flat sea, was a fair bit quicker than the race out.
Overall Results:
Class 6
1st - Shreeva
2nd - Ariane
3rd - Dogmatix
Class 5
1st - Xara
2nd - Longe Pierre
3rd - Shades of Blue
Class 4
1st - Arcsine
2nd - Bigfoot
3rd – Fury
Class 3
1st - J-Fever
2nd - Prime Suspect
3rd - Merlin
Double handed (all classes combined)
1st - Arcsine
2nd - Bigfoot
3rd - Fury
Next JOG Race: Osmotech Cowes – Alderney. Friday June 15th, first start 18:00
Entry Forms, full race programme & crew available/boats looking for crew information all now available online at www.jog.org.uk