J-Class round the Island

Really disappointed that they changed the course today so they raced in the western Solent again with minimal notice rather than the eastern Solent as had been indicated for months, including, even this evening, on the J Class Association website.
Result was that after inviting 5 friends to join me for the "once in a lifetime" opportunity to see them, with us all taking the day off work, we left Gosport in good time to see them heading east only to learn of the change, motor-sailed to Cowes as fast as we could, missed the start and all we managed was a distant glimpse of the spinnakers as they approached the mark at Solent Bank.
Not impressed!
 
With a forecast of light winds, but mainly favorable tide, I would guess between 4 -6 hours to the Needles, ie somewhere between 14.40 & 16.40.

I too was most disappointed to find todays start line not as posted on the J Class website, nor did I hear any general announcements made on Ch 06 about the change. When I inquired by radio as to the location of the Start I was informed that it was "between the Committee Boat and the Orange Buoy".
Although true, hardly very helpful when expecting the start line in the Eastern Solent only to find it well west of the Beaulieu Entrance, and still 10nm from my location into a spring tide. Poor PR, RSYC, but when I did finally get there, a great spectacle.
They can hardly alter the Start tomorrow, can they?

Steve
Jan Van Gent.
 
whiteshythe said:
With a forecast of light winds, but mainly favorable tide, I would guess between 4 -6 hours to the Needles, ie somewhere between 14.40 & 16.40.
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Thanks for the replies - Lets hope the wind pipes up a bit! I need to be back up the Run into Christchurch soon after 3 or I'll be facing the combined might of a Spring ebb plus the Avon and Stour in spate!!
 
Saw them tacking east through binos from Stokes Bay. AIS was totally full & a massive fleet followed them. Best bit was as two of then very close on the same tack getting a few feet on each other before interestingly, the windward one tacked off towards IOW. When they needed to tack they did leaving the following fleet to scuttle out of their way. I guess there must have been support RIBs trying to keep spectator craft clear. Looked to be spreading out by the forts.
 
wooslehunter said:
Saw them tacking east through binos from Stokes Bay. AIS was totally full & a massive fleet followed them. Best bit was as two of then very close on the same tack getting a few feet on each other before interestingly, the windward one tacked off towards IOW. When they needed to tack they did leaving the following fleet to scuttle out of their way. I guess there must have been support RIBs trying to keep spectator craft clear. Looked to be spreading out by the forts.
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There were.

We were on a very powerful boat full of experienced yacht racers, probably a hundred years experience between us so we got pretty close without, we think, getting caught out because it was pretty obvious when they were going to tack, we had a good laugh at the expense of some of the ribs who seemed to get caught out over and over. Felt sorry the the marshall boats though.
 
It was such a lovely day for a change I went out on the offchance. Plenty of boats and even a helicopter waiting but had to scamper back at 1330 to beat the ebb in Mudeford Run.
wotnojs.jpg
 
jofb said:
Really disappointed that they changed the course today so they raced in the western Solent again with minimal notice rather than the eastern Solent as had been indicated for months, including, even this evening, on the J Class Association website.
Result was that after inviting 5 friends to join me for the "once in a lifetime" opportunity to see them, with us all taking the day off work, we left Gosport in good time to see them heading east only to learn of the change, motor-sailed to Cowes as fast as we could, missed the start and all we managed was a distant glimpse of the spinnakers as they approached the mark at Solent Bank.
Not impressed!
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They did that to me on friday. Website said eastern solent, watch from fort gilkicker, calshot etc, start at 11:10, monitor ch. 03 for course details. Anchored at gilkicker saw nothing. Due to wind (lack of) they changed to the western solent. Not a spectators sport then. Saw them Saturday coming in from the island race..... big aren't they.
 
For a moment I thought the foundations of the Spinnaker Tower had finally given up, then remembered Galadriels' post.

We saw the three, not close enough but they still towered over everything else.

Is the white one Velsheda ?

Grot pics I know but maybe this shows the scale of these boats...

BembridgeDad2012040.jpg


BembridgeDad2012051.jpg


BembridgeDad2012055.jpg
 
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We were around the back of the Wight and they came past us just W of Ventnor. Had them all to ourselves apart from a coupla photo boats. Lionheart favoured us by changing from a reacher to a kite as they went by. Pix when I'm back in front of real computer.
 
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