RTIR as seen from Juno

This was my first Round the Island Race. Alarms were set at 0400hrs so that we could reach Cowes in time for our start at 0550hrs. All unnecessary gear had been stowed in the boots of various cars the night before and by 0415hrs all shore lines were removed and we left the pontoon.  At that time of the morning the River Hamble was filled with yachts making the rush hour on the M25 appear as if it was a country lane.  As we motored around the Bramble bank we could see nearly as many yachts coming out of Cowes with all the boats not yet started gathering in 2 waiting areas just to the east of the precautionary area.

Our start was a bit chaotic as we couldn't see where the line was.  I think we were a little late reaching the line but as soon as the gun went the spinnaker was hoisted and we set off with the other 173 boats in our class towards the Needles.  The run to the Needles was very quick with about 3 knots of tide pushing us forwards.

As we approached Yarmouth the wind headed us and so we hoisted the asymetric spinnaker and dropped the symetrical immediately afterwards.  Of course the wind then freed again and so for the last two hundred yards or so we rehoisted the symetrical spinnaker for the run in to the needles.

At the Needles the fleet bunched as those that had rounded it were now punching into the tide.  We went round the outside of the bend and appeared to pass a number of boats who were close inshore, out of the tide but also out of the wind.

Now began the long leg to Bembridge Ledge buoy.  The first part to St Catherines was a 2 sail reach but once past St Catherines we came close hauled.  The wind alos started to build and was gusting to 17 or 18 knots.

At this point I think we made a bad mistake.  We sailed a little bit too freeafter Dunose Point to try and get some boat speed but then found we had to put a tack in which i think cost us a lot of time.

Of course we reached Bembridge Ledge at the end of the ebb and, as we turned westwards again back to the finish line, the tide turned as well. We had to fight against it into the solent, going to the south of No Man's Land fort and skirting around Ryde Sands (not over them) and then into Osbourne Bay.  We crossed the finishing line just after 1356hrs. Crew on board were skipper Charle Whittam, Rhian Deakin, Kate Newman, Don Shankley, Mark Van Miltenburg and myself.  Pictures were taken by Rhian and Mark