First time Round the Island

[bdh198]

Hi

We own a Hanse 370 and are keen to enter this year's Round the Island Race. We've never raced this boat before and it's more a case of entering the race for the fun of being involved rather than serious competition.

A question I have, which I would be extremely grateful for any opinions or comments on, is what rating system is best for us to go for - The ISCRS or a IRC Single Event Rating? I suspect the ISCRS will be easiest and simplest, but is there anything we should be aware of?

We've all been involved in the race before as crew on other boats, and some of us have quite a bit of experience of offshore racing, but none of us has ever entered our own boat. I would therefore appreciate any other suggestions or advice anyone thinks is useful for a first time racer with their own boat.

Thanks

 

[lw395]

I'd have a look and see which system other Hanse 370's have entered under.
It does not matter much TBH, but it's a bonus to race against similar boats.
If the choice makes a difference to start time, I've found the race more enjoyable starting earlier, in the later starts you are dodging a lot of people who are not really in their element racing shall we say...
I'd generally expect the competition to be tougher in IRC, but the main thing is to get around in a fair time and avoid any regrettable incidents.

 

[Tomaret]

I get the sense that for the majority this is their only race of the year and generally speaking the competitive spirit usually gives way to a great deal of commonsense to avoid any dramas, of which there are plenty, becoming crisies, especially for the later starting groups. Apologies to those who are starting at the back and take this all very seriously, but I think you know you are in a minority. It's very different from Cowes Week. As lw395 puts it, we are probably not in our element, even after 12 years.

I enter under the ISC rating system and end up starting with bigger boats in the White flag group, which may itself contain a message. I'm not sure why the rater thinks I'm so fast, and I certainly don't sail to the rating, but I have to be careful not to blame the boat for that!

It's a great weekend but Cowes is as busy before and after the race as the start line at the beginning. If you intend to moor in Cowes, and don't have your own berth you need to book quickly. When I booked earlier this week East Cowes needed time to check that they had space for a 31 footer. Last year I left it too late, so we stayed overnight before the race at Gunwharf (my home berth is at Wicor). It was less hectic, but lacked the post race atmosphere that for me is an important part of the experience. It will be interesting to see whether and where the Harbourmaster lays the moorings that used to be in the Roads, now that the new breakwater is in place. The number laid has been declining each year recently anyway.

If you go for it, my advice is aim to enjoy it. Although it may be offensive to the purists, part of the appeal is the sheer number of yachts taking part, and for that there simply aren't enough serious racers to do without the once a year crowd. I suspect many of the most serious racers stay away for that reason.

Mark

 

[Yacht Yogi]

I'd recommend you go with the ISCRS rating and fleet. The Hanse 370 in IRC will put you into the biggest and busiest fleet so you'll be on the start line with the Sigma38s, J-109, J-97 etc with both experienced regular racers and a whole load of day-charters. And if you're a bit slow off the line you'l get mown down by the next fleet following. For a first go at the RTI this is not where you want to be.

I'd also suggest sailing it from the Hamble and going for a pin-end start at Williams Shipping to avoid the Cowes entrance bloodbath; get clear air at the start (since you probably won't get to the front at the Cowes end of the line) and have the starboard tack advantage on the first leg of the race until the fleet spreads out a bit.

This is a great jamboree of sailing; you'll have a fantastic day. Even the die-hard racers are out for fun as they mostly treat it as a wives-and-girlfriends sailing day since it doesn't form a part of any of the major championships. Sure everybody wants to do well but they also expect to have to deal with meeting inexperienced or even just inconsiderate sailors. And everybody will welcome you into this friendly tradition.

 

[Jamesuk]

I would not get too carried away. I was on a boat that had to get a sail altered. It never flew properly but was rated for the class recommended for us. The sail was promptly put back to how it was £300 later. White class was the fun class but that was 2007