Cowes Week - wish I was doing!!

Racecruiser

Racecruiser

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Working and listening to Cowes Week Radio really makes me feel I want to be there!

Next year I'm going back for sure - looks like it's a highly successful event and the numbers are not down very much. Well done to the organisers and I bet they will find a title sponsor next year.

Expensive I know as others have already said and perhaps a bit too corporate but without that I reckon the spectacle and entries would be down.

What does the team think?
 
Cowes radio would not be the same without our DICK in his rib :p I thought he said he was retiring last year, but hes back for another year !
 
AIDY said:
Cowes radio would not be the same without our DICK in his rib :p I thought he said he was retiring last year, but hes back for another year !
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Dick's great and Simon ashore too - they seem to know all the boats and owners.

I remember seeing Dick cruising around the postponed boats off Cowes Green in 07 when I was last there and he gave us a mention - great job, headphones on and driving the RIB single-handed. I wonder how many would be required to do the job for the BBC or a mainstream commercial station!
 
I really can not decide whether I am missing it or not. I read how it is full of corporate charterers who never run ashore but at the same time my friends are there and the courses remain the best set in UK regattas...

Lets see how things look next year shall we?
 
Judders said:
.....the courses remain the best set in UK regattas...
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really?
I don't know which other regattas you have in mind, but Cowes courses are not always that great imho. The race committee have an impossible job of course, too many classes, loads of tide, a lot of pre-conceptions, fixed start times etc etc. I've enjoyed Cowes in the past, but I'm keeping out of it this year.
Chichester Fed Week next week!!! Hoping for some decent breeze but nohing silly please!
 
What's the issue with "Corporates" - aren't they just crews brought together by someone for the day, usually with a competent, professional skipper? I ask because I'll be one on Friday and won't consider myself any more or less worthy of participating than any other crew member on any other boat (except perhaps for the team shirt I'll be expected to wear)

Mark
 
Is this yur first corporate race Mark?

Hell, don't get me wrong, I am lucky that we charter Lutine to corporates for the week which is what pays for her being available for the Fastnet, Swan Euros and the like.

However, when during a race you are told by a port taking skipper that he can not gybe because his crew are not up to it (presumably pissed and lubberly) then it does rather detract from the quality of the racing.
 
Mulge said:
What's the issue with "Corporates" - aren't they just crews brought together by someone for the day, usually with a competent, professional skipper? I ask because I'll be one on Friday and won't consider myself any more or less worthy of participating than any other crew member on any other boat (except perhaps for the team shirt I'll be expected to wear)

Mark
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Fair point Mark - the corporate angle I take slight exception to is the corporate naming of boats and the opportunity some people take to push their enterprises when I would prefer to be away from the commercial world. Not that I feel strongly enough to really object!
 
Judders said:
For real sailors, tide is good. In the same way that real sailors can sail on any point of the wind.
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Sure, tide can make for interesting racing, but it can also make it difficult to set a good tactical course. I have sailed in some races at Cowes week where you get a short interesting beat, with the tide behind you, then spend two thirds of the racing time running down the shore against the tide, followed by a short beat across the tide, mostly dodging bigger/spectator boats.
If you have a reasonable knowledge of Cowes tides, there is often only one way to go, so there are less tactics and overtaking than in more 'straightforward' water.
My post was trying to say it's a hard place to set courses rather than deriding their efforts. People who choose to go know what to expect. If you want an even line and a true beat, then there are other regattas. Cowes has its niche as supreme provider of odd courses.


In the same way that real sailors can sail on any point of the wind

I consider myself a real sailor but can only go backwards when head to wind!
 
Popped over with SWMBO and kiddies on the ferry today :o It was a good atmosphere shore side... couldn't work out a blumin thing on the water as far as racing went, but the kids were impressed with the starting 'cannon' (can you tell I've never been in a race)
 
I have been organising drinks this evening and have had a number of Out of Office Replies along the lines of:-

"I am out of the office on holiday from the evening of Thursday 30th July 2009 returning on the morning of Monday 10th August 2009"

I have to confess to a fair amount of envy!


lw395 said:
I consider myself a real sailor but can only go backwards when head to wind!
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Fair one. I was being facecious (sic)
 
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