Rock 'n roll to Le Havre

RORC Cervantes Trophy 2011

Crew: Trevor Drew, Nick Bowles, Alan Voysey, Andy Lapsley, Dan Groves, David Balding, Emily Shrosbree, Jane Harris, Jonathan Law, Mike Yogarajah.
It was with some trepidation that the crew assembled at Ocean Village on Friday afternoon, to prepare for the first race of the season, which, for some, was their first offshore race and for others, their first race ever!!
The forecast didn’t do much to allay any anxieties, with strong easterly winds on Saturday, building over the next few days. Accordingly, we made sure everything was ship-shape and set off for Cowes, where we were to spend the night, as we’ve all found it easier to get up at 6am than 4am. A modest libation and a meal at the Anchor was the scene for the major decision of the campaign – what names to give to the two watches. Given the day, it was a no-brainer – I led William Watch and Nick led Kate Watch!
The race course was straightforward, taking us out through the Needles, around the fairway buoy, then easterly beat to the Nab tower and straight to Le Havre. Saturday morning was much as forecast with strong easterlies. This presented two challenges to the relatively novice crew – a spinnaker start and a beat along the southern coast of the island. Given a large fleet of 110 boats, we decided to start on the outer end of the line, which was less populated. And, since the crew had hardly ever flown a spinnaker, we elected to start with the jib and put the spinnaker up later. This, and short confusion as to whether we were OCS, did not give us the best of starts!
But we settled down and led the back of the fleet to the Needles.
Again, with our precautionary approach in the F5-6 winds, we dropped the spinny off Yarmouth and rounded the Fairway buoy without problems and onto the long beat to the Nab against the building ebb. This was hard work, with only a couple of Challenger yachts for company, but we made reasonable time and were fortunate in completing the eastern half of the island on a single beat. We rounded the Nab with some relief, bringing the long beat to an end.
We made our way south, dodging a number of large ships in the process, on one occasion having to pass ahead of one and immediately duck behind another running in parallel. A spectacular thunderstorm announced our safe passage across the channel, but we nipped out under the clouds before the rain fell and the early morning found us off Le Havre. We had to tack a few times to make the finishing line, crossing at 06:34 on Sunday.
The forecast predicted even stronger winds on Monday, so we did a quick U-turn and headed home, filling ourselves with hot chilli and pasta – yum! The early part of the return journey was pretty benign (see pic), but it got windier and lumpier as we got closer to the British coast and, by all accounts, those who stayed in La Havre had a pretty hairy journey back.
Our placing, last in IRC2 and 90th IRC overall might seem a little disappointing, but given the crew’s lack of any spinnaker experience and the strong winds, also coming in only two hours after the leading First 40.7, I’m not disappointed. We came home safe and uninjured, and the race has given the crew a real sense of what they might experience in the Fastnet itself, also giving us something to build on in the future. Thanks to all the crew for their sterling efforts!
Trev

Cervantes Trophy is filled

We have a full crew list for the RORC Cervantes Trophy race to Le Havre:
Trevor Drew (Skipper); Nick Bowles (1st Mate); David Balding; Dan Groves; Jane Harris; Andy Lapsley; Jonathan Law; Alan Voysey; Michael Yogarajah; Emily Shrosbree.
The race starts on Saturday morning at 07:50 off Cowes - our boat, Blue Juice, is berthed in Ocean Village, Southampton, so we'll go to Cowes on Friday night (Note to self - buy nurofen).
I think Jonathan has volunteered to bring a cooked meal down, so we should be in fine fettle for the race the following morning.
The list of starters is not huge, with 109 boats currently registered - but a very good turnout for the first race of the season. And there are some big boys among them - including the fabulous Farr 52, "Bob" and all four Challenger yachts. Within our Class 2 fleet of 25 yachts, there are four other First 40.7s, along with three Reflex 38s and two Prima 38s - so there will be some pretty close racing. Can't wait!
Trev

Fastnet Campaign - Race training weekend

We all met up on the Friday night for an early start...well, almost! [Sorry ... Nick] This was the first opportunity for most of the crew to see the boat that we would be racing. We spent a couple of hours crawling over her, getting to know the nooks and crannies, as well as stowing gear and finding out what all the ropes do. And, of course, a nice meal. We spent the Saturday in the eastern Solent, learning the art of fast tacking and spinnaker launches and drops, along with practising knots and sail trimming. Mooring overnight in Cowes Yacht Haven, we enjoyed an excellent Thai meal, followed by a fair few beers in the Island Sailing Club. On Sunday, we went West, getting used to gybing and a lot more spinnaker work, also practicing man-overboard drill and even trying out the emergency tiller (it worked!). So, we're now all set for our first race to Le Havre!

Trev

And what lovely weather for a first sail of the year. Keep on hiking, guys!

Nick

Wet behind the ears?

Well, we completed our ISAF Offshore Safety course. The course was held over two days at Hamble School of Yachting and is a mixture of lectures and practicals on all aspects of yacht safety, emergency drills and survival techniques. We had lots of fun letting off flares and fire extinguishers, as well as “wet work” – involving towing each other up and down the swimming pool, inflating a liferaft, righting it and all piling in - a very efficient way for us all to get to know one another!
Although the ISAF requirements only require a third of the crew to do the course, it is CSORC policy for all to complete it. We are grateful to CSSA for providing a grant for half the cost, which is matched by CSORC, so the course was free to the crew.

Trev

Party!!

From the RORC Website:

In an effort to absorb the large waiting list for the Rolex Fastnet Race, the Royal Ocean Racing Club have decided to increase the number of places available to IRC yachts by removing the 'professionally' sailed classes from the 300 entry limit. The Volvo Ocean 70s, IMOCA 60s, Class 40s and Multihulls, who will race under their own class rules, will be counted over and above the previous 300 entry limit.
The Rolex Fastnet Race reached its entry limit 10 days after opening and over 130 boats are on the waiting list. "We were staggered at the speed with which people signed up," said RORC Commodore Andrew McIrvine. "We had to do something to satisfy the huge interest, and taking the non IRC yachts out of the total is a fair solution allowing more loyal RORC racers to get their boats into the race."Removing the non-IRC classes will add about 50 more places to the total. "We are delighted that the Volvo's and IMOCA's want to compete in the race and that the Class 40's are coming en-masse," said RORC Chief Executive, Eddie Warden Owen. "It shows the popularity of the Rolex Fastnet that these professionally sailed boats want to join the race. However without this initiative, they would be taking valuable places away from less experienced offshore racers who view this race as a great personal challenge - their 'Everest' of sailing."
Sutton Harbour increase berthing capacity
To cater for the number of boats arriving in Plymouth, Sutton Harbour Marina has increased the amount of space by making the whole of the berthing area adjacent to West Pier and the Barbican available to the Rolex Fastnet fleet. Sutton Harbour has also become the official berth provider for the race and Chief Executive Nigel Godfroy is pleased to be associated with the race. "Sutton Harbour Marina welcomes the return of this world famous race," said Nigel. "We are very proud of the quality of facilities we have here in Sutton Harbour and being selected as the official berthing provider for the Rolex Fastnet Race. We look forward to welcoming the extra large fleet in August this year."
To accommodate the increased number of entries, space has been booked in Queen Anne's Battery, adjacent to Sutton Harbour and in Plymouth Yacht Haven in the Cattewater, where a water taxi service will be set up to connect competitors with the race office based at Sutton Harbour. The 2011 Rolex Fastnet Race starts in Cowes, Isle of Wight on Sunday 14 August.

Looks like the party's just got bigger!

Trev

Fastnet 2011 Training Weekend is looming

It's two weeks until our first training session - two days studying for our ISAF certificates. This will be partly in the classroom, learning first aid, along with some practical bits like letting off flares and chopping up bits of shroud - or trying to, anyway. We'll also have a session in the pool, righting liferafts and trying to get in them. And, of course, it will be our first chance to get to know each other.

Meanwhile, Blue Juice, our First 40.7, chartered from those nice people at MECSail, is out of the water, having her bottom cleaned and some maintenance to the underwater bits. Then, the week after our shore training, we'll be out on the water for the first time, learning more about the boat and how to sail her.

Trev

RORC Rolex Fastnet 2011

The entry list for the Fastnet opened at midnight on 9th January. Our entry was in the following morning and by the 15th we had submitted crew details and all the other paperwork. We are provisionally accepted - provisional, that is, on our completing training and qualifying races. So, game on, as I believe they say these days. First stop, ISAF Offshore Safety Course.

From the RORC web site:

"Entry for one of the world's most popular yacht races opened at midnight on Sunday 9 January and by midday Monday, nearly 100 entries had signed up, with an unprecedented number doing so in the early hours of the morning. The trend continued over the next couple of days when the halfway mark of 150 boats was reached for the race which has a maximum entry of 300 boats. Within a week, 250 boats had entered!

"We expected an initial rush of interest because people were registering the details about their boat on our REMUS on-line entry system over Christmas," commented the RORC Racing Manager Ian Loffhagen. "However nothing had prepared us for this unprecedented amount of interest in the race. We are obviously delighted at how popular the race has become with entries from all over the world."

Of the high profile race boats entered, the two canting keel 100 footers, ICAP Leopard and Rambler 100 will be the ones battling to take line honours in the Race. Mike Slade's ICAP Leopard and George David's previous Rambler had a huge fight in the 2007 Rolex Fastnet Race, with Leopard taking the silverware. However, this year, George David has chartered the Juan K designed Speedboat, re-named Rambler 100, which will put Mike Slade under a lot of pressure.

There are 15 Class 40's entered so far and the next biggest classes are the Sigma 38 and First 40.7s, with 14 boats each and so far, 14 different countries will be represented in the 2011 Rolex Fastnet Race. "

The entry list has now apparently reached the limit of 300 boats!