IRC Solent Region Championship 2014 - Day one

by Lois Chell on 24 Jun 2014 IRC Solent Region Championship 2014 - Royal Southampton Yacht Club - Clarkson Cup, We left the marina and headed off down the Hamble with the kettle on and bacon warming through in the oven. It was time to catch up with friends we had not seen for a while and rig the boat.

Sadly, once in the vicinity of the Committee boat at Hill Head there was a definite lack of wind. AP was announced. The RSnYC were also hoping to start a passage race to Yarmouth and so there was quite a lot of chat on Ch 72 discussing race areas and wind projections. Some crew members took the opportunity to find a quiet spot for a nap.

Eventually the Committee laid 2 inflatable marks to Windward on a bearing of 240° .8nm and .6nm from the Committee boat. The Leeward mark was placed close to the Committee boat. Classes 1 and 2 were starting together and their course was the further Windward mark to Port, Leeward mark to Port x 3 and finish at the ODM. Classes 3 and 4 were also amalgamated and the course was the closer Windward mark to Port, Leeward mark to Port x 3 and finish at the ODM.

Whilst hoisting the kite for the second time the Race Committee announced the Race was to be shortened at the Leeward mark. We chose the right side of the course for the little wind available and hoped to be in the top three.

There was a long wait for all the fleet to finish the race and sadly two boats scored DNF due to the conditions and finishing more than 20 minutes after the winning yacht in their class. The Committee announced that they would make a decision regarding the afternoon at 14.30, and at that point they decided there would not be another race. All were welcomed back to the Club for Prize Giving at 1800.

As we headed up Southampton Water on our way back home, the wind increased to a strength that would have been Oh so welcome earlier in the day! C’est la vie!

Class Winners:

Event website

Class 1	Zero II	James Gair
Class 2	Malice	Huw Philips
Class 3	Aneet Djinn	Steve Bromley
Class 4	Crakajax	Richard & Ursula Hollis