It was on the Friday that my skipper turned up with one of his crew members, to start to prepare me for the following days early start. Instrument covers off, wheel & winch covers off, main halyard attached and lazy Jack bag unzipped. Even to the point that the gas cylinder was switched to ensure no need to change it should it run out part way round. The only thing left to do in the morning would be to sort out slips and clear away the springs.
With more or less everything done in advance that could be, a visiting yacht was spotted coming in to Polly Agatha's space. So skipper & crew, leapt off me to go take their lines. Miss understanding the Belgian flag for the German one, the only English speaking person on board asked if it would be ok to stay there for the night with 3 other boats rafted, they could be seen to be heading in a line back up the Medina. My skipper climbed back on board and grabbed the hand held radio and called up the harbour master. They soon came down and explained that they should continue down river to the Folly Inn where there would be space. The Belgians where totally unaware that the busiest race in the world was about to occur. Once they were happy as where to go, skipper climbed back on board and used the VHF to forewarn the Folly berthing master of there impending guests.
Once happy that I was more or less ship shape and ready for the morning they checked the new cruising chute, a Gennekar G2, but clealry it wasn't the colour that is should've been ! With it re-packed they boarded the dinghy and disappeared in the afternoon sun.
From that point on, the Medina was getting busier by the hour and yachts were starting to raft. Rod the old live-a-board, who used to be at the end of my pontoon, had been shifted to make space and temporary re-located next to me. He had nearly set fire to his boat, dropping something on the batteries during a charging session I think he said ! Still he did look a bit be-draggled as he came out on deck covered in white powder.
At around 0630 on the Saturday my skipper was dropped off from the dinghy, climbed aboard and started my engine and fired up all the instruments. When he was satisfied everything was talking properly to each other, he set up the slip lines and took in the springs. More and more people arrived, until there was eight on board. Following a brief safety talk and everyone in their position, I was put in reverse until the bow came out. However the chap on the stern slip, was a tad slow or didn't appear to know what he was doing. Rather than pull the line in he waited till I had pulled it all off the pontoon and in to the water before retrieving it, despite the numerous instructions that were being hailed at him fro various points on my decks. As fenders and lines were stowed, my skipper had everyone wear their viking helmets ready for the start line and to give spectators something to giggle about.
This year, the tide was still going to be against us at the start. My skipper took me quite far east to hoist the sails and off to the far end of the start line, to keep the wind that otherwise could be shadowed by the island closer in. We were about two minutes behind our start time of 0740, but at least in reasonably clear water. Plan A was to take one long take up to the Needles, but the wind direction changed this. It was hoped to make the Needles by 1100 and this was easily achieved and I had passed Freshwater Bay by then. By this time with more sea room the fleet dispersed with two distinct split in tacticks. Some went out to get a more consistent wind angle, others kept in to keep out of the stronger ebbing tide. I was taken out.
The wind steadily built and once past St Catherine's point, close to where my crew abandoned the race last year due to no wind, 26 knots was blowing across my decks. The swell was coming from the starboard rear quarter, lifting that corner of my stern and trying to turn me round. Skipper was caught out by a gust and a large wave and couldn't stop me from turning head to wind. Many other boats were also broaching with a few popping their spinnakers too. Once a reef was ground in and my skipper happy he turned me round and headed back on course under much more civilised control.
One gybe later and I was pointing to the only mark on the course Bembridge Ledge Cardinal Buoy. Although to get a better wind angle I had to be pointed higher and my skipper was playing with the turning tide to push me back out again. Once round the mark Ryde Sands becomes an issue for me and so I was taken out to the port mark marking the edge of shallow water. Then it was a case of praying for the tide to assist, but this is the Solent and tides do strange things here, and tacking as least times as possible to get across the correct finish line.
It was a struggle getting across the southern finish line as the tide was pushing me away from the committee boat and the winds appeared to go light. But cross it we did in 9 hrs 50 minutes
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