Author: CCRC Editor

Members of Yacht Owners Associations are invited to a one-off race between members and their associations in the Solent on Saturday 9th May 2020.
This is intended to be a fun event to promote on-the-water competition and socialising between the participants and the Owners Associations.
Following the race, participants are invited to gather in Cowes Yacht Haven and attend a prize-giving dinner.
The event is organised by Chichester Cruiser Racing Club which has organised races for boats in the Chichester Harbour area for over 70 years.

Our thanks to our member presenters at the Winter Social which proved still more popular this year than last. Ross talked and showed a video about his Round The Island race where they did well to finish in such light airs; Richard and Pam talked through their escapade involving a lobster pot requiring a lifeboat off Cherbourg last summer; and Patrick and Amanda presented their cruise round Scotland, across the North Sea and down the coast of Norway. I think we all appreciated the presentations and range of topics.
We also talked through the CCRC programme for this 2020 focussing on some of the changes from the usual programme or innovations for this year. Then we all retired to the bar at Itchenor Sailing Club for some sociable drinks before the carvery roast dinner.

The CCRC Prize Giving Dinner Dance took place last Saturday at the Langstone Quays Hotel on Hayling Island.
At this black-tie “do” we started with a glass of bubbly and then a three course meal followed by the prize giving. Club trophies for 2019 were announced for all the winners for races, mini-series, season series, and other special sailing awards such as best performance in a race outside of the CCRC and long distance sailing.
A full list of who won what can be found on the CCRC web site at www.ccrc.co.uk/trophy-winners.
Then we were entertained by the “Simply Jazz Quartet” with some great music to which a number of us danced through until midnight. A great time was had by all.

CCRC’s visit to the RNLI college yesterday was a great success with all enjoying it tremendously, especially the rescue at the end.
Our guide showed us the extent of the RNLI site now which includes not just the college but also the new building where the all weather lifeboats are built. We saw the training pool which can simulate waves, rain and high winds for training with their ribs.
Finally we entered the simulator where our Commodore acted as lifeboat coxswain and Patrick Marshall as helm while other members acted as crew. We headed out from Dover to where a container ship had collided with a bulk carrier which was now on fire. We joined a rescue operation with a coast-guard cutter and helicopter to rescue those in the water. This was made more difficult as a squall came through but we recovered four survivors before heading back into Dover. Finally we had an excellent lunch overlooking Poole harbour.
We had a good time, learned much more about the RNLI and now appreciate their efforts even more.

Despite a forecast of high winds for the weekend there was a good turnout on the starting line for both CCRC fleets on Saturday. The dependable forecast allowed a long course including three beats, three runs and a fetch with many flying spinnakers or cruising chutes for the downwind legs. Even the forecasted rain held off until the evening apart from a few spots. A terrific day for an exciting race.
The evening saw us cross to Portsmouth from Gosport and head for the historic Royal Naval Club and Royal Albert Yacht Club for drinks and dinner where the race results were announced.
Sunday, with stronger winds forecast and some needing to get home early, saw only a few boats on the start line. A simple course of a beat and then long downwind run to Chi saw the fleet of four split with half using downwind sails and half not; half going between the forts and half going through the Dolphin passage. All participants were back well before lunch.

Saturday’s race saw a beautiful autumn day with a light breeze. After the rolling start and windward leg we headed out downwind and across the shipping lane towards the Isle of Wight for further race legs outside Bembridge. Unfortunately the wind got lighter meaning the race was shortened but still some were unable to finish against the strong tide.
Then it was over to Bembridge Sailing Club for an excellent dinner.

Sunday was the CCRC Barts Bash charity race and the wind was very mixed in strength and direction. Before the race start we had winds of 15 knots only for this drop to almost nothing just after the start; then, an hour later we had 17 knots again! We also had significant rainfall as a front came through. Our Barts Bash race was particularly taxing for each boats’ tactician (who was probably also navigator, helm and crew!) as the course consisted of a list of marks which could be rounded in almost any order and direction plus a mark which must be rounded fourth and another than must be rounded twice separately. Each boat seemed to reach a different conclusion as to the best tactic and sometimes met another at unexpected places. An interestingly different race and in aid of a good cause.

The weekend’s race presented more or a challenge than the previous week with strong winds having been forecast for some days. Saturday was a standard Bay race around the cans in Hayling Bay but the strong winds put off some of the smaller boats. It also meant a rolling start to avoid the Race Officer needing to anchor in the significant swell. Because of the reliable wind the Acting PRO set a fairly long course (11 miles) with some longer legs out towards the shipping lane plus some shorter legs close inshore. With gusts of up to 25 knots no downwind sails were used and some were reefing in and out depending on their heading. The warm temperature and bright blue sky made for an enjoyable but exhilarating sail.