Another Skandia Cowes Week report from Dan Diegan Geoff Nelson. Good times!

Day three is forecast for Force 5 with gusts to Force 6. Fortunately, we don’t know what that means- we're American. Same as yesterday… a tacking duel up the beach (or “on” the beach if you are an unlucky 707 washed up there). Again… too many boats (17 Sonars and a fleet of 707’s) in way too shallow of water seeking some relief from the epic tides rushing in at 2-4 kts. It was super fun sailing 24’ leadmines like they were Sabots!!!! It is some of the best sailing I have done to date.

The runs were even more fun… 25kts+ of breeze making the Sonar seem much more like a planing dinghy. The stalwarts from San Diego stay just in front of the “B” fleet to be clear of the carnage we see behind us- 6 boats all calling for water it seems ages. On the second run, there is a puff that pulls the White Pig (our pet name for our beloved boat) out of the water for a full-on planing session… I wonder if that boat has ever gone that fast.

In a lull 1 mile before the 2nd leeward mark we get the kite down as two boats in front of us have barely escaped broaches/wipeouts. Simon in “Jenny” passes us because he keeps his kite up and we have to rehoist ours to stay competitive… then he blows out his spin halyard and we catch him right at the mark. Great one design racing! The beats are painful to say the least… waves over the bow every third time filling the boat with water and our #1 (Helen) getting soaked and #2(Tim) just about as bad- they keep us mostly dry in the back of the boat so we pity them later. We manage to get our upwind speed back from day two and are competitive again.

I think we got a 5th of like 17. Not bad.

The parties are more of the same… the vibe here is incredible… 8,500 like minded people all here for the same reason. Cool- I can’t describe it in words.

Side notes… The starts are all at the Royal Yacht Squadron with not the standard airhorns… or even better a shot gun… a goddam cannon goes off for every start! Badass!!!! I’m trying to figure out how to get one on the plane with me when I go home.

The courses are bonkers… they send you wherever they need to keep you out of the way of other classes. They could be anywhere on the Solent. You take a chart, and at 10 mins before the start, get your course, translate it into English (because they don’t get it either) and then scribble it on a map. Helen is our hero for this(Gsc in Geography) but as she is missing today this is what we get from Tim the Spinnaker Genius- looks like you can drink here at 14 years old! Works I guess. Seriously- he is hardcore... an 8 day 29er regatta and straight into this one and then teaching after that... I am impressed.

Day 4
Today is forecast to be a screamer…. About ½ the fleet doesn’t start but I think there are insurance reasons as I saw a notice at ISC saying that their insurance is void in over 22kts and the RC already has the “life jackets mandatory” flag out before the first race gets going. The RC switches it up on us and we get a downwind start… always fun in 2 kts of following current!!! 3 classes don’t even start today as well- I think a Dragon sank yesterday and they saved the crew but are still looking for the boat. Bugger. We start with an A-hole big-ass huge cruiser powerboat ON our start line who, when he realizes he is almost running over ½ the fleet with 15 seconds to go, reverses over the other ½ the fleet. Amazing. We did not have a great start but got quickly back into the fray. RC was looking at the weather and sent all the smaller boats on a really tricky course in the lee of the sland/storm so the weather, aside from being rainy, was not as windy or as choppy as the last few days. We pull a 6th…again just out of the “A” fleet but well ahead of the “B” fleet. The fleets that were sent west tell of 7-8’ seas and epic wind so I think RC did the right thing- get the little boats out of the storm.

Can I get a little political here? Too late… it’s on. Some noise may have been made of the RC here on other sites. I can’t stress enough that, as someone actually racing here… they are some of the best RC I have ever seen. PERIOD. The Laser SB3 class got two General Recalls and were banned from racing yesterday (day 3). They are one of like 38 classes that all start on the same lines as everyone else and are near first to start. Awesome class with an equally awesome showing (like 80 boats). I would love to be in one- no doubt. But you can’t fault RC for throwing them out when every GR causes hundreds of other boats to be in a holding pattern waiting to start… that’s BS. The RC always calls individuals for OCS (it happens in 50% of the fleets) but if they call a general, and the start is in 2kts of current against the line, then there is no reason to fault getting on with it. The compromise of having them start at 10:05 will give them plenty of time to get off the line and let the other classes not get held up interminably. Quit whining- this place ROCKS!!!!

OK… must get rest… we’re only ½ through!

Geoff Nelson
Sonar
Geronimo

08/02/06