Round the Island race for idiots

[johnalison]

As you know, whole books are written about racing rules, and bid teams employ lawyers to assits them, but many of the rules really only apply to situations you won't or are unlikely to encounter. Many close-encounter situations involve rounding marks but a quick read-up and caution when sailing should get you through. The main area of concern will probably be the start, where special rules apply, so I would concentrate on getting this right. A practice race is a good idea, if only so that the attack of nerves you will suffer before the start doesn't come as a shock.

 

[Poey50]

There's only one rounding mark - off Bembridge - so as long as you don't try to cut inside within three lengths of the boat in front and give room to boats overlapped between you and the mark you'll be fine.

This is a good basic guide and good on the 'pinch points'.
http://www.jollyparrot.co.uk/blog/beginner’s-guide-to-round-the-island-race

The start can be a bit stressful as you deffo don't' want to be swept over the start line by the tide. A top tip is to make sure you know what the start line transit looks like and how close you are as much as you can. (You can't always keep it in sight as there are so many sails around.)

 

[DJE]

There will be boats on port tack who aren't looking under their genoas. They may well panic and fail to control their boats when you call starboard on them. If it is windy this can get very messy - guess how I know.

 

[lpdsn]

As you know, whole books are written about racing rules, and bid teams employ lawyers to assits them, but many of the rules really only apply to situations you won't or are unlikely to encounter. Many close-encounter situations involve rounding marks but a quick read-up and caution when sailing should get you through. The main area of concern will probably be the start, where special rules apply, so I would concentrate on getting this right. A practice race is a good idea, if only so that the attack of nerves you will suffer before the start doesn't come as a shock.

Lot's of close quarters racing in the RTIR with the busiest being off Ryde sands. When I did it normal routine ducking that with a good race crew would elicit barely a comment turned out to be a bit of a comedy of errors with a cruising helm and crew. At one stage they caused us to miss a gap and we ended up paralleling the course of the starboard tackers the wrong way past over a dozen boats to find the next gap. Well worth getting the crew up to speed so that they understand the difference between cracking sheets and losing half a boat length and a panic bearaway. (I'd told the skipper we needed to practice a bit )

The rules at the start are not too difficult unless you get into trying to peel your competitors off on the committee boat or barging in yourself (not recommended for a first race). Main thing to remember is that there's no proper course before the gun so if you get caught to windward of another boat they can take you right up to head to wind. Doubt it'll happen much in the ISC classes but best to warn the trimmer to ease the sheet in that situation so you're not unintentionally flicked onto port (that won't make your day better). The SIs will say what you have to do if you're shoved over the line (probably round the ends in such a big fleet I'd guess) but better to be 30 seconds late unless you think you have a reasonable chance of getting the trophy.

 

[flaming]

The SIs will say what you have to do if you're shoved over the line (probably round the ends in such a big fleet I'd guess) but better to be 30 seconds late unless you think you have a reasonable chance of getting the trophy.

In RTI it's a time penalty - i.e no returning just having 5% added to your time.

 

[HereBeDragons]

Hmm, you're more organised than me then.... I was looking at an 83m2 gennaker so it seems I was in the right ball park with that. Not sure I can justify the maintenance, three sails, £3k of new electronics AND the moving back costs all in one year, so I might have to prioritise a bit and spread it out. Boo.

Just checked that bowsprit and furler combination, that looks excellent, I could do with something like that too. Bang goes my budget!

 

[iLens]

I've done it five times in my own boat and once as "navigator" for someone who, as it turned out, very much wanted to win. I had great fun when the objective was to get round a) without hitting anyone and b) without being hit, but when racing, I hated it (and as the skipper was my boss, I also severely damaged by job prospects.)
The only caution I'd add is to watch the wind strength when flying the spinnaker. We found in the excitement of the race we kept it up far longer than we would if cruising, with a consequential problem trying to get it down (we nearly lost a crew member overboard).

 

[Iain C]

I'd agree with all of the above posts. It's more of a cruise in company than a serious race. I've done a lot of dinghy racing but very little yacht racing, apart from the RTIR for about the last 9 years, mainly in my Sabre 27 which is no racing machine!

Prestart is messy...stay well clear until it's your turn and be aware of the tide taking you W
Upwind off the start if you find yourself on port, don't be fixated ducking one boat, you might need to duck several after it. Sail properly...make sure people are ready to ease the sheets if you need to bear away in a hurry
If it is windy/choppy in the Needles channel, it may be really really bouncy round St. Kat's
As you are racing, you may be carrying more rag than cruising. Make sure you have someone on the main at all times. Upwind, look at the boat below you and be very wary about that boat spinning up in a gust if they have the main cleated with no-one trimming it...
It can get very windy as you make the turn at Bembridge and people are often caught short here
Don't go into the Seaview exclusion zone
Don't get caught out around Ryde...it gets very shallow very quickly
If the finish is upwind and breezy it can be carnage. Know the rules, your rights, and it can often be far less stressful picking a clear spot to finish rather than getting red mist and trying to beat that one boat you've been duelling with since Bembridge.
At the finish, as skipper (and at the start) make sure people know their jobs. Rather than all the crew screaming "there's a boat on stbd aaarrghhh" keep the comms useful and specific..."red boat, sail number ending in 56T, on stbd, could be close. Blue catamaran that was under our genny has now tacked so forget him". Rotate people if they are getting knackered grinding a winch after the 30th tack.
Consider putting someone on the bow as a spotter when it's busy.
Above all, enjoy...know the limits of your crew and boat and have fun. It's a fab day out and the race village is good fun afterwards.

 

[lw395]

I'd echo what IainC says above.
I'd add, on a beat, particularly up the Western Solent, look for gaps where you can make ground on port for a while without having to duck or tack.
And know what the tide is doing every hour.

 

[michael_w]

Do the Solent demolition derby on someone else's boat.

 

[captainhaddock]

Do the Solent demolition derby on someone else's boat.

I wish that i had known this advice before i made the mistake of using my previous boat in the race some years ago. We suffered 10 weeks without the boat whilst the hole in our port bow was being repaired. This hole was caused by a Cornish Shrimper's bowsprit penetrating it at speed whilst it was attempting to bear away from us about 15 minutes after the start. Knowing the COLREGS and racing rules won't help you to avoid this sort of incident in such a large fleet.

 

[HereBeDragons]

That was my main concern of it being such a busy race.

 

[lw395]

That was my main concern of it being such a busy race.

It can be a real concern. It's easy to say 'just give way to everything', but in doing so, you get in the way of other boats.
I've helmed that RTIR about 9 times, but I have been very grateful for the support of my team, who are mostly good helms in their own right.
Personally, i found that getting a bigger boat, an IRC rating and racing with the big boys was much calmer than mixing it with the clueless who start later.
It sort of hurts me to say that, because amateur racing has no future if we don't draw in the clueless and help them improve.

It's a big shame that it's RTIR or nothing, there are too few races appealing to the first timer.
Things like the JOG Cowes to Poole get a few dozen bots on a good year, yet it's similar distance, cheaper and less fraught.

 

[Cloona]

It can be a real concern. It's easy to say 'just give way to everything', but in doing so, you get in the way of other boats.
I've helmed that RTIR about 9 times, but I have been very grateful for the support of my team, who are mostly good helms in their own right.
Personally, i found that getting a bigger boat, an IRC rating and racing with the big boys was much calmer than mixing it with the clueless who start later.
It sort of hurts me to say that, because amateur racing has no future if we don't draw in the clueless and help them improve.

It's a big shame that it's RTIR or nothing, there are too few races appealing to the first timer.
Things like the JOG Cowes to Poole get a few dozen bots on a good year, yet it's similar distance, cheaper and less fraught.

as a clueless one I have enjoyed the race - several times and always in boats of less than 24ft - and have really particularly enjoyed watching the clued up ones in "a bigger boat, an IRC rating and racing with the big boys" doing their thing. ...sometimes its impressive sometimes it comedy.

Personally for little old me racing against Gypsy Moth IV was fantabulous

 

[lw395]

as a clueless one I have enjoyed the race - several times and always in boats of less than 24ft - and have really particularly enjoyed watching the clued up ones in "a bigger boat, an IRC rating and racing with the big boys" doing their thing. ...sometimes its impressive sometimes it comedy.

Personally for little old me racing against Gypsy Moth IV was fantabulous

Possibly in a 24ft boat, you're safely at the other side of the riff-raff in 28 to 35ft boats?
Don't get me wrong, it is a great day out, for yourself and a few mates, I just don't want to draw people into turning up and getting beaten about by rules conflicts and so forth.

 

[Iain C]

It's easy to say 'just give way to everything', but in doing so, you get in the way of other boats.

NEVER EVER do this. You won't be in the way, you'll be a complete liability. It's no different to randomly stopping in the middle of a fast A road or roundabout to let other traffic out...you'll just cause an accident.

Going upwind on port and crossing a stbd boat, I'll take a fairly square aim at pretty much hitting the other boat's transom, and once I've eyeballed the driver, made sure my helm is neutral and responsive, taken into account waves, dirty air, and any other factors, and ensured I have someone competent on my sheets, I'll gently bear away no more than is necessary to miss them by a small but sensible margin. Don't get me wrong, what might be inches in a dinghy is a much greater distance in a yacht, but if the other boat does something dumb like dump their sheets or bear away to go around my stern at the last second it will be carnage.

I'd also disagree about the "clueless starting later". The size of your boat bears no relation to the competency of the crew (look at WOXI's highly dubious tack in the Sydney Hobart). Sure, the "pro" boats with matching kit are unlikely to be sailed by total amateurs, however as a long term "purple flagger" starting very late, it always amazes me looking upwind at the bigger boats and seeing boat after boat spin out in the gusts as no-one is anywhere near the mainsheet...

 

[Cloona]

Possibly in a 24ft boat, you're safely at the other side of the riff-raff in 28 to 35ft boats?
Don't get me wrong, it is a great day out, for yourself and a few mates, I just don't want to draw people into turning up and getting beaten about by rules conflicts and so forth.

oh no - I was in the classic racers class with Gypsy Moth ...

 

[HereBeDragons]

Well, I've entered, it's official.

All I need now is a boat and some crew.

 

[CondorAA5A]

Well done you’ll have a great day out.

My advice is that you need a keen crew and it’s better to have everyone dedicated to a single role – so that they can concentrate on this alone and do it well and immediately, as when you need to manoeuvre you’ll often be pushing the helm over as you’re giving the instructions to tack etc, so crew need to understand things need to happen quickly. You definitively need a crew dedicated to the main, he or she can also help with spotting and advice for you. You also need to be able to gybe quickly and safely – but again if everyone has a single role to do it all works much better. And you need a practice with them before of course, along with finding the start line, getting the spinnaker up and down, or cruising chute etc.

It’s usually a long day – so pre-made sandwiches ready to grab are best – plus put a small bottle of water in your pocket and a snack as it’s often you/the helm that is forgotten.

There’s always dire warnings but in my experience doing it there’s usually only a couple of moments during the day when there may be some real stress in a crossing situation, plus the pre-start which is always a bit stressful. As others have said rounding Bembridge is often a pinch point, plus need to stand out from Ryde and the only other thing I’d mention is that rounding Needles you often find yourself rounding it much closer than you might have done so before…

It’s a great atmosphere in Cowes after the race, having a beer on board and watching all the other yachts return – you just need a berth of course!

 

[Iain C]

Well done you’ll have a great day out.

My advice is that you need a keen crew and it’s better to have everyone dedicated to a single role – so that they can concentrate on this alone and do it well and immediately...

I know that on big pro boats you have someone who just grinds, or someone who does the kicker, but on a small amateur boat but personally I think it's great to swap it around a bit. If all someone does for 9 hours is grind a winch it might get a bit dull (and knackering). Also bear in mind that on small boats, you will have more "jobs" than "crew spaces" so people need to be multi skilled. I'll also always offer everyone a drive assuming it's safe...you'll be amazed how much this can make a newbie's day if they've never done the race before!

Good excuse to post this from the 2015 race...judging by the hole we are making in the water I think it's safe to say she's at hull speed and cannae take any more cap'n!!