A view from Carolanti…
Our race truly started when, having just cleaned our boat ashore at Stone, our freshly serviced motor gave a worrying bang and died with no sails rigged, still in the moorings against a foul tide. The sail situation was resolved in double quick time, and we were just about to launch the spinnaker when the GPS kicked into life and assured us we would reach Marconi SC at the 10 minute gun.
With a South Easterly wind and a Marconi line, the race start was a lot busier than usual. An exciting windward start ensued and the fleet left on the 10nm beat to the Knoll. We immediately found ourselves in Geronimo’s bad air and tacked back to the South Shore. Back on the starboard tack, we had a couple of satisfying “Starboard” calls, before the boats separated enough that things calmed down and we were able to get settled from our rather panicked preparations. We felt a little like an America’s Cup team when we switched from our “Stating Helm” to our “Race Helm”, even if the Starting helm was selected on the basis of the one who got their gloves on first.
We quickly found our friend Poohstick, and a tacking dual ensued as we made our way downriver. The two of us initially kept pace with Caroline, but as the estuary opened out and a steeper chop was encountered, she started to pull away as expected. Sometimes we were ahead of Poohstick, only to frustratingly lose it on the next tack.
We reached the Knoll first and set our spinnaker heading back west. We just missed the Eagle sandbank, by what must have been less than a foot of water as we headed to the Colne Bar for the spinnaker reach to the Inner Bench Head in the last of the ebbing tide. Following the close reach back to the Bench Head where Caroline bravely tried to hold her spinnaker, we once again turned for home with the kite up. Our shorter fractional rig started to hurt us and we were finally caught by Poohstick and Rascal was also hot on our heels.
We thought that we might have a chance to take what was to be second place again, when we managed to stay higher on the beam reach to the No1, whereas Poohstick found herself a way downwind. Much to our disappointment and seemingly against all odds, she managed to work her way back to the mark still stubbornly ahead.
As we passed Radio Caroline, Rascal sneaked past us going well and threatened our now third place as we made our way back to Stone.
We held on though and the three of us crossed the line less than two minutes sandwiching us.
A beautiful day’s close racing in the best racing area on the South and East Coast, with a decent breeze keeping us cool whilst landlubbers sweltered in their gardens. It doesn’t get much better.
Race report by
Steven Rolland, Stone SC
