Prostate news report, June 2007
| ROUND
THE ISLAND RACE, COWES 2007
The Round the Island race on 23 June 2007 was a record success with the second highest number of entries in history, at 1,796.
By: Tim King |
 |
It was with some trepidation that, given my lack of experience in yacht racing, I responded to the Prostate Research Campaign UK’s appeal (as it was then known) in the last edition of UPDATE for a volunteer to represent it in the Round the Island Race aboard Sir Francis Chichester’s famous yacht, Gipsy Moth IV. Having expressed an interest, I was thrilled to receive a call from Danielle Bland from the charity saying that I had been nominated to sail aboard Gipsy Moth in this very prestigious event. I felt hugely honoured and privileged to be given the opportunity to sail on board a yacht which Richard, the Skipper, rightly describes as a “National Treasure”. He apologised that the sails were a bit stretched after Gipsy Moth’s recent 28,000 mile circumnavigation since being re-commissioned!
Race day dawned in the Isle of Wight to grey skies and a blustery wind. It was an early start and I and three other charity representatives were asked to be on board the yacht in Cowes by 05.45 hours, our Class (Classic Yachts) starting the race at 06.30 hours. The entry was, I believe, the largest ever this year with over 1,700 yachts competing. The numerous different classes had starts staggered between 05.00 and 06.40 hours.
The first leg was a westward beat against the wind to the Needles. The sight of such a large fleet under sail was truly awe-inspiring. Although Gipsy Moth IV is some 53 feet long and carries a large spread of sail, she was designed for single-handed sailing. In consequence, the cockpit (helming position) is small and the deck space aft, rather limited. The skipper and mate were professional sailors and the remaining four of us (including two ladies) were relative novices, so we all had our work cut out! However, we got into a good routine and managed the business of tacking, gybing, winching, sail hoisting and trimming, etc., as a reasonably efficient team. At times the yacht was heavily heeled to the wind and the sailing was exciting, invigorating and even adrenalin-pumping!
The second and third legs of the race to the west and east of the Island saw us on more comfortable points of sail and, with the wind more astern or abeam, we were able to hoist the cruising chute (a form of spinnaker) and relax a little. Then the sun came out and our very amiable skipper’s mate, Chris, went below to the galley and prepared us an excellent cooked breakfast!
The fourth and final leg of the race took us round the easternmost point of the Island off Bembridge and St Helens and then turn past the imposing eighteenth century forts, which guard the eastern end of the Solent, to proceed west up the Spithead Channel back towards Cowes. Here, the waters were more confined, the wind strengthened and the sailing became lively and congested! We found ourselves tacking back and forth against a strong headwind – along with hundreds of other boats - all seemingly getting in each other’s way! Progress was positively frenetic as, along with what seemed a huge armada of yachts large and small, we jockeyed for position and sailed for the finishing line.
We crossed the finish just after 4.00pm, having been sailing for a little over nine and a half hours. We were placed a creditable 19th in what was a large Class of yachts.