Poole Yacht Racing Association fleet at the Round the Island Race
by Mike Fox 12 Jul 19:20 BST
6-8 July 2018
Poole Yacht Racing Association members in the Round the Island Race 2018 © Mike Fox
To and From the Island – A View from 'Fraid S'eau'- (Class 3)
A strong fleet of over 20 boats gathered in Poole Bay for the feeder race to Cowes for the Cloudy Bay Round the Island Race with four classes represented, but with no wind our committee boat 'Esprit' required the fleet to motor in convoy towards the Island.
Shortly some breeze was located and we were under starters orders. In Class 3 the start was a tight shy reach with 'Wasp' gaining the windward advantage closely pursued by QT, Shebeen and 'Fraid S' eau.
Classes 1&2 were underway 5 minutes later and soon caught the slower Class3 & 4's.
The breeze held and it was a starboard pole all the way to North Head kite where some dropped the kite but Shebeen and 'Fraid S'eau flattened the sail and gained some distance through Hurst to Yarmouth.
The race continued under spinnaker all the way to the Gurnard finishing line with a few some electing to gybe downwind but the more direct line proved the better tactic in the strong flood tide.
Round the Island Race this year has been quoted as "probably one of the most challenging". Indeed, it proved to be tricky particularly the later starters with light winds and foul tide from Hurst to The Needles - and a few 'holes' to fall into! However, the PYRA fleet overcame the odds and most finished with good results.
In ISC divisions Ian Aitken in particular wining Class ISC 7C in his MG27 'Minstral' second in Group and fifth overall in ISC. In addition, as part of a Poole YC team with fellow PYRA members in 7D Roger Bond in 'Fraid S'eau (second) and Ken Morgan in 'Shebeen' (sixth), the team achieved second in the Arun YC Team Challenge Trophy; pipped again by the team from the Island Sailing Club by only a couple of points.
The return to Poole from Cowes was raced under little wind and a foul tide at Hurst. Congratulations to the skilful crew on Shebeen for avoiding parking on the Shingles and the only boat to finish at North Head!
Results are at www.pyra.org.uk/sailing/2018-results/2018-results-passage-series-a