What the Round the Island is really about.....

[islandsailor]

Having read lots of posts on Round the Island and racing rules -

I would like to give my humble opinion of what it is really about.

I went round on Saturday on a 44ft Gib Sea - onboard we had 5 young people (all under 18, all of which steered, trimmed, navigated (supervised) for long periods of the race) most had only sailed a yacht once or twice before, we had four adults onboard all reasonable sailors

Our motto Safe then Happy then Fast.

We had a lovely day, 09.00 start, same strategy as the last 10 years find a little bit of clear water and wind and don't be on course side, becalmed just after the start and then a great sail down the Solent, always looking for clear air and water, no point being in the best position if you are in dirty wind.

Got round the Needles really easily, bit of fun to St Cat's with boats on Port but hey we gave them a wave and moved on no stress - and remember Safe Happy and then Fast. Great sail after Ventnor and we avoided the parking lot at Bembridge as the breeze had started to fill in further offshore. Lots of fun at Ryde we tacked out into clear water what we lost in a bit more foul tide we gained in not being in the chaos of shouting and screaming, (for the record we didn't shout starboard once, but made sure we got eye contact), when we were on port a little nod or wave to say "seen you and I am going to duck / or make it" always puts the other boat at ease.

Long beat up the Solent and we finished at 20.39. 403rd in IRC. Not bad for a scratch crew the majority of which were under 18.

More importantly we all had a great day and the young people had a experience they will never forget .The sense of achievement they got from finishing is difficult to describe.

My final thought - Round the Island is a race but it isn't a serious race, I race seriously - but not on RTI day its a day to enjoy yourself. It is a great institution - lets not ruin it by taking ourselves too seriously.

 

[Danny Jo]

Sounds like my sort of racing - please let me know if you have any spare slots next year!

 

[Helly]

That genuinely brought a little tear to my eye.

Thank you - it's people like you that make a difference.

 

[StephenSails]

What a brilliant view point, I totally agree.

 

[chippysmith]

Superb, think you got it spot on. What was boat name/sail no.

I was happy snapping all day and started/finished the same time as you! we were the ones trying to fly our spinny as a chute in a bid to cross the start line!!!

Might have some pictures for you

 

[islandsailor]

Thanks - Moonspray GBR9996

 

[lw395]

[ QUOTE ]

My final thought - Round the Island is a race but it isn't a serious race, I race seriously - but not on RTI day its a day to enjoy yourself. It is a great institution - lets not ruin it by taking ourselves too seriously.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's fine up to a point but when there are dozens of yachts converging on you in gusty F5 conditions, one would like them to be taking their responsibilities fairly seriously, otherwise sooner or later people are going to get seriously hurt.
Racing in close quarters in an 8ton yacht IS a serious business.
If people want a nice friendly, no-confrontation sail around the IoW, there are 364 other days in the year.

 

[AIDY]

Anyone see the spinny that said "Will you marry me, luv you loads MAX" i think it was on a sigma 38. there are pictures of the proposal on the beken website. looks like the lovely lady said yes ! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[Scotty_Tradewind]

We were in our first ever sailing 'race'. 5 of us from 24 yrs to 60's..
We started in the last division hence on this day benefitting from better wind and tide at the start than many others.
We read the books, took advice from forum members and boatyard 'experts', studied the tides, learnt the week previously how to fly a spinnaker and the morning of the race an hour before our start, actually succeeded for the first time in doing so.
We certainly did play safe, were happy and for us ... did go fast.
We took it seriously enough to get the boat emptied of about a ton of cruisers miscellaneous rubbish, even to the point of taking apart the steering vane and to have her bottom scrubbed.
We enjoyed our amateurish way of 'taking it seriously' and expect everyone to find there own comfort zone for doing things their way, but please islandsailor, don't be arrogant and criticize some for taking it extremely seriously, as that is surely why the event is such a success, there is something for everyone!?

Betty Dee T66.... started 09.10 finished 20.27 0/A 54th /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[ebbtide]

Re: What Round the Island is really NOT about.....

I'm all for the happy day afloat with some character-building thrown in but your attitude is approaching the irresponsible. The race must be taken seriously (certainly more seriously than those who motored home so as not to miss dinner!).
I'll never forget having to gybe all standing to avoid a yacht on port tack trying to T-bone us: at the helm was a woman with one hand on the wheel and the other clutching a glass of bubbly. Terrifying!

If you want to race around the Island do it with a few other club boats, not 1500 - please.

 

[dt4134]

I'm glad you had fun and it sounds like you were well prepared and organised even with a scratch crew.

The racing rules threads I've seen haven't been about anything subtle like the detailed rules around mark roundings but have been basic port/starboard or windward/leeward incidents, particularly where boats have considered an inability or unwillingness to manouvre promptly in a seamanlike manner has absolved them of responsibility.

OK, if you're racing very competitively most of the crew need to have a very good understanding of the rules so they can anticipate, but even in less serious IRC racing only one or two people on board are likely to have a good understanding.

My view is that even in the RTIR at least the skipper should have a moderate understanding of the main rules, just for safety.

One point I tried to make is that boats go out and mix it at close quarters with 1,700 boats when they wouldn't dare go out and mix it at close quarters with 20 or 30 boats the rest of the year.

Anyway, they all got away with it this year.

 

[lw395]

Re: What Round the Island is really NOT about.....

Malaprop, I think you have done my trick of replying to the wrong person. I agree with you!
It's a shame that the entry is not spread out among other races. There are races along the coast which would be just as fun, but with more space, less pressure, just doesn't have the popular image.

 

[wotayottie]

[ QUOTE ]
lets not ruin it by taking ourselves too seriously.

[/ QUOTE ]

The times I've said that in the bar after our club races - usually when threatened with a protest / making a cock up / not coming first / to the crew who came first. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Its a nice idea to make it a cruise but its not in my nature. As far as I'm concerned racing is all about winning and not winning is failure. Which makes me a serial failure. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[AIDY]

you only need 2 boats for a race /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[islandsailor]

[/ QUOTE ]That's fine up to a point but when there are dozens of yachts converging on you in gusty F5 conditions, one would like them to be taking their responsibilities fairly seriously, otherwise sooner or later people are going to get seriously hurt.
Racing in close quarters in an 8ton yacht IS a serious business.
If people want a nice friendly, no-confrontation sail around the IoW, there are 364 other days in the year.

[/ QUOTE ]

we took our responsibilities very seriously, I think the fact that safe and happy came before fast makes that point, and we wanted to race but within the spirit that this is the RTIR not the America's Cup

 

[flaming]

At the end of the day, it's called the Round the Island RACE.

And at the sharp end of each IRC class is a hard fought affair between boats that race each other week after week, and relish the chance for a race over a longer, somewhat iconic, course.

If you want to take it easy, that is of course your choice, and given the make up of your crew, probably a good one.
However, that does not excuse you, or any other competitor, your responsibilities under the RRS. And I'm not talking about the more complicated rules, but the real basics.

If you don't want to be subject to those rules you should not be entering an event with the word "race" in the title. A cruise in company would be better suited.

 

[islandsailor]

and on our boat we had a very good understanding of the rules the the four adults onboard extensive racing experience (JOG, RORC, Fastnet etc), sometimes you are better finding clear wind and water than fighting for the right bit of water and than rather than the entire crew screaming starboard it is better for you to catch the eye of the boat on port and make sure they have seen you, likewise when on port a little wave or nod to say "i have got you" goes a long way

 

[ozzyb]

We did RTI for the first time, really enjoyed it and will be coming back. I'm not a yacht club racer but I am competitive and have raced in other sports.

One thing I tried to instil in my crew whilst training was that there would be lots of boats around us sometimes very close, with possibly 4 types of entrant:

Professionals, who know their stuff and we won't see them because their gone
Good club racers, who know their stuff
Competitive amateurs having fun, who may not know their stuff.
Racers?? who think they know their stuff, using bulling and general gorilla tactics

You have to be aware of all types.

We saw them /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[islandsailor]

I am in no way suggesting that it is acceptable to race and not understand the rules in fact the opposite.

And we wanted to race (and we finished in a respectable mid fleet position)

What I am saying that there is a difference between the Hamble Spring Series and The Round the Island Race and when you enter the RTIR you accept that.

And the sharp end of IRC get that racing in the JOG / RORC races of which I have done many.

For the record I have a good knowledge of the racing rules.

 

[flaming]

I'd agree, there is a difference. It tends to be warmer!

Whilst there are obviously a lot of people for whom the RTI is a once a year "Jolly", there are also a lot of people for whom it is on a list of "stuff I want to win my class in".

I actually resent the implied acusation that because I took the race seriously and raced hard in, an ultimately fruitless, pursuit of a class win, I've somehow missed the point of the race.

We all know that you have to be more aware during RTI, and unlike "normal" racing it is not safe to assume that the other boat knows the rules, but that in no way stops us racing the boat as close to it's full potential as we are able.