RHKYC China Coast Regatta 2019 – day 1
by Guy Nowell 11 Oct 2019 16:52 BST
11-13 October 2019
China Coast Regatta 2019 © Guy Nowell / RHKYC
The weather forecast was enough to make you stay at home, but hope springs eternal in the veins of every sailor. Did you ever hear tell of a boat this didn’t go to the start line because the forecast was a bit soft and funky? You never know… It's usually northeasterlies at this time of year, and plenty of it, but Typhoon Hagidis up near Japan is messing with sailing regattas as well as the Rugby World Cup.
Well, it wasn’t great, but it wasn’t disastrous either, even if the puff never got over about 6-8 kts at any time during the day. That’s more than enough to get a boat race off the start line. RO Inge Strompf-Jepsen bravely opened the batting on time in marginal conditions, sending the two boats in the Premier Cruising division on an extended cruise (of course) from the west end of the Lamma Patch up to beyond Waglan and back again.
For the IRC 0, 1, 2 and 3 divisions it was windward/leeward racing all day. Race 1 went off clean and sweet, but race 2 was interrupted by an epic windshift from 320 to 240 degrees – the 0 division was nearing their first leeward mark when the race turned, in a heartbeat, into a soldier’s course, and the race was abandoned. At the same IRC 1 were just 22 seconds from the start gun when the AP went up.
This provided a good time for a lunchbreak while the RC rearranged the marks. The new course was sandwiched (just) in between the traffic separation lanes to the north and the commercial anchorage area at the other end. “We couldn’t make the course any longer – there just wasn’t any more room,” said ARO Lucy Sutro. 1.2 nm was enough, and racing proceeded without any further disturbance.
After racing, a few cold beers on the hardstanding back at Middle Island was just what the doctor ordered after what was an exceptionally hot day on the water. Three races on the card was a good way to start the regatta, especially when the forecasts are looking a bit sketchy. Watch this space.
Full results at https://www.chinacoastraceweek.com/results-ccr, and we look forward to seeing everyone back out on the water tomorrow.
Standing by on 72.