Bobbing about in class 2 | Royal Air Force Yacht Club

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Bobbing about in class 2

(Bobbing about in the sunshine - a view from Class 2)

Well you could not wish for much more on the last weekend in September, we had warm sunshine, a sparkling sea, a series of races to enjoy and a good turnout. The Race Officer’s fairy godmother must have lost her shipping list because the only think she forgot to order was wind.

Saturday morning saw fleets 1 and 2 sailing gently out to Hill Head to meet up with their Committee boat and the XODs getting out towards Bald Head for their races run by Eddie Mays. It was Neap tides thankfully otherwise the weekend would have been abandoned. There were times though when even the weak neap tides would be too strong for some of the fleet even trying to cross the start line.

The IRC fleet got off to a reasonable start on Saturday and the mixed club class started shortly afterwards into a dying breeze towards a windward mark placed towards the shore at Hill Head which seemed to become further and further away as the wind faded. As the fleets clawed their way to the windward mark the light breeze along the shore and in less tide aided those that had the patience to inch their way inshore, while those of us who played with the early cats paws coming down Southampton water saw our initial euphoria turn to despair as the sea breeze failed to overcome the light Northerly gradient leaving only a glassy Solent. At times we would get excited when the wind temporarily reached 3 knots and the tiniest of bow waves could be created.

caption!-400 Some boats were even faced with the challenge of avoiding the ships in the North channel with no wind to manouvre with. Causing pirouettes and not a little radio traffic.

Transit times to the windward mark were measured for most in hours and minutes. While the next mark which was East Knoll took the fleet initially into the faltering sea breeze which lasted long enough to see the IRC boats around it against the tide and to the finish mark but left much of the club fleet struggling to make any progress, Whistler and Shropshire Lady were at East Knoll within throwing distance for more than half an hour before the committee boat called the 30 minute time gate from the first boats – Well done to Leda, Elva and Wild Urchin that seemed to have their own solar power and kept moving throughout the race. Shortly afterwards a decision was taken to abandon racing for the rest of the day. This gave us the opportunity to pack up and lead the fleet back to the Hamble and to the Bar for an early start to the evening’s celebrations.

We all got back to the club in time for a few beers in the sunshine and there were a few tired bodies who disappeared before the band had finished...The boys from Holland went off on their boat (The Itch) to Cowes to dance on tables.

Sunday morning looked like a repeat of our experiences on Sunday, although by 10am we were able to sail out to the line and had a reasonable start in almost 8 knots of wind.. which seemed to us like a luxury. Unfortunately the wind dropped shortly after the second start – how does it know? And we drifted around for one lap in the club boats although the IRC boats managed 2.

The third race was started pretty much immediately although half the club fleet, including us failed to cross the start line against the neap tide and retired. Even tacking close on the ODM we failed to cross the line and at the committee boat end the result was the same. There are only so many times you can enjoy ferry gliding along a start line! and we must hae tried for half an hour. Congratulations again to the great sailing of the boats that managed to "unstick themselves" to the crews and helms - David on Leda, Simon Tipper on Wild Urchin and Tim Sandford on Dehlerious who managed to drag their boats around the course. Koru-400

Race four was started after a long lunch break with the tantalising sea breeze struggling to manifest itself. The Club fleet managed a pretty close start and managed to get around the course in pretty much the best race of the weekend. The finish of class 2 was by now a foregone conclusion with David in Leda taking the line honours for a clean sweep with Dehlerious and Wild Urchin following on.

Congratulations to all who had the patience and fortitude to start and the stamina to keep at it, whether in the race crews or on the committee boat who must have shared the same frustrations throughout the weekend. We certainly look forward to next year.

kateandsimon