Our new mainsail

Narrows squeak

We're now through Hurst narrows ! The wind dumped us just before it and we span around a couple of times, but th new wind - the forecast SW - finally kicked in and we're now tacking down the Needles channel to clear shingles and then westwards!
T

Fastnet is go!

We left Ocean Village for Cowes at about 0900 to pick up George from Cowes, where he'd been partying with his Cowes Week crew.We went through the Registration gate without problems. The IMOCA 60s clustered on the ODM ignoring the possible advantage offered by the Gurnard countercurrent. This set the scene for us in IRC3 and we took up a position at the inner end of the outer cluster.It was soon obvious that the island-side boats had the advantage so we hekd our port tack to join them. But we decided that there was little advantage in going too far in. We're now off Hamstead. Pointing at Yarmouth, towards the front of the pack.
Trev

Flying Formula now on Tracker Site

Flying Formula is now on the RORC Tracker site. She can be found under IRC 3. Just click on the name to see where she is. The race starts in a couple of hours (at midday today).

Nick

Tracker site - update

Unfortunately, RORC still haven't updated the competitor list on their Tracker site from 23/7 (date at top of the list). So Flying Formula isn't on it yet. Until they do, you won't be able to track us. When I spoke to them about it last weekend, they said they'd be doing it last Monday ....
Going down to Cowes now, to pick up the tracker and remind them again!!!
Trev

RORC tracker site problems - tips

Like me, a few other people have mentioned trouble with loading the "Race Player" in the RORC tracker site. It gets to the point of "loading data..." phase, then freezes. I've found that if you go back one page, delete your browsing history and then re-enter, it solves the problem. :-)

Wind in the Wallows????

Well, there were mutterings from our RORC Commodore that the qualifying races may not have given crews sufficient practice of what might be thrown at them in the big race. In the event, looking at the GRIBs, it looks like we've practiced exactly what will be needed! The forecasts are telling us its going to be a very light wind race, with a risk of getting becalmed at just about every critical point in the race - Portland, Lizard, Lands End and the Bishop Rock. We're going to have to be particularly careful if the wind turns fickle at Bishop Rock, if the tide's taking us towards it.
Ho hum...better make sure there's plenty of rope for the kedge....
The good news is that those FABULOUS people at MEC Sail have pulled out all the stops and converted our motor boat back into a yacht - a brand new mast, complete with a new mainsail - and a scrubbed bottom to suit - fantastic! Thanks such a lot, Maria and David.
We're now jumped through all the necessary registration hoops for the race - unlike most of the fleet, who are currently listed as "incomplete" - see "entry list .
Trev