J/122 JOOPSTER 2nd IRC 2
(Cowes, Isle of Wight, England)- The Morgan Cup Race started on the
early morning of Saturday 5th May in a cold, north-easterly wind. The
RORC, having been given permission by the RYA to trial new rules, could
set a course that uses virtual marks for the offshore course. This
exciting new development offers the Club a new versatility in course
setting and was being used for the first time in this race.
Under a greyish, overcast morning sky the first boats away were IRC 3
& 4. The tide was beginning to run west, favouring the Royal Yacht
Squadron end of the line. Although most boats were slightly line-shy,
most all boats quickly hoisted their kites and flew down the Solent.
The first leg took the fleet downwind to Anvil Point and the DZB Buoy.
The run was quick, seeing boat speeds exceeding 10 knots even for the
smaller boats. The slight differing angles between the wind and a fast
flowing tide posed a tactical challenge, keeping the navigators on their
toes working the angles.
This run, however, couldn't last forever. On the way back from DZB to a
virtual mark just south of Freshwater Bay, the competitors got a first
taste of what was waiting further ahead. A close reach spilled some cold
water over the deck, and wind over tide pounded the hulls.
One of the first victims to the weather became Nikki Curwen's J/105
VOADOR, who had to retire when they were still two-handed but only
three-footed (not having literary lost a foot, Nikki was relatively
relaxed about it). Nikki told us that she felt it best not to take any
risks with a leg injury in the dark and bailed out just short of
Waypoint 1.
After reaching Waypoint 1, the boats were sent south towards the
shipping lanes. To hold a kite, or not to hold a kite was the question
on that leg. One competitor jokingly asked following the race, "When
does the British winter actually end?!" There were lots of kites
blown-up and lots of gear failures across the fleet.
Said one of the sailors about the "virtual marks (waypoints), "It was
very entertaining approaching the second of the waypoints, watching the
yachts in front of them acting exactly as if they were rounding a
physical object but with nothing there. There were even some last minute
gybes as yachts realized the tide was carrying them past the point, if
only I had filmed it! Unfortunately we were very busy at the time!"
Had all competitors known what lay ahead of them now, we might have seen
a few more cancellations-- a tough and cold 30-mile beat to Owers Buoy
followed waypoint 2. With a tide of nearly 4 knots reported by some at
Owers, it became the deciding factor to which class took the overall
win. Luckily, as the pain dulls, we tend to quickly forget. So
Competitors will hopefully only remember an exciting course and a great
start to RORC's domestic offshore season; there is plenty to get excited
about with IRC 1, 2 and 3 being won by GBR Brewin Dolphin Commodores'
Cup trialists.
In the end, the J/122 JOOPSTER skippered by Neil Kipling got a 10th
overall IRC and 2nd IRC Class 2 just 8 minutes off the mark. Behind
them were the J/109 YEOMAN OF WIGHT sailed by David Aisher, attaining a
24th overall IRC and 4th in IRC Class 3. Finally, in the Double-handed
division, the J/105 DIABLO-J sailed by Nick Martin did well considering
the conditions and managed a 6th in class. For more RORC Morgan Cup sailing information