January's Fast Cruise was held on another weekend of very big tides. Saturday's tidal range at Portsmouth was 4.3m (The mean spring range is 3.9m). However, with the start just before HW meant that most of the race was completed before the tide had time to build and with the wind coming from slightly west of north at between 10 to 15 knots all yachts managed to complete the course without too much difficulty.Ten yachts took part which is a good number for a January event, especially with a northerly obliging by adding a wind chill factor to the already low temperatures. I must also welcome new club members Julie and Chris Overall in their Hanse 400, Oxygen, to the Fast Cruise fleet.

This Fast Cruise was also a new experience for me. I was crewing on a yacht that was seriously equipped for cruising, rather than the racing yacht I am used to. Instead of carrying many different size jibs and spinnakers the weight was made up with luxuries such as electric kettles, toasters, fan heaters, hot water bottles and a well stocked cocktail cabinet. When I was asked to put water in the tank and I asked "how much; 2 minutes ought to be more than enough?" I received some very strange looks.

Once again the start line was just to the east of the forts between Horse Elbow and Cambrian Wreck buoys with the first mark, Warner, on the southern side of the big ship channel. As always seems to happen a very large container ship passed, outward bound, through the forts just at the start time.  Most skippers decided to use the 10 minute start window to their full advantage and wait until the ship had passed but two yachts provided a bit of entertainment for the rest of the fleet by sailing across its bow and receiving five short blasts for their trouble.

After Warner the course took us to Browndown which was a beat of over 5 miles. We then went back to the southern side of the solent to Peel Bank via NE Ryde Middle. Although on paper this looked like the wind would be fairly free, the tide had begun to flow quite strongly westwards and the effect of the tide generated wind meant that it was too shy to carry spinnakers or cruising chutes. We then went further west, still on the island side to Norris, yet again a beat, before turning back to South Ryde Middle. Although the wind was free enough for a spinnaker, it was a very short length and no boats used their spinnaker.

We then turned north to East Bramble which was followed by two times round a triangle of E Bramble, Hill Head and East Knoll.  On the easterly leg between E Knoll and E Bramble A Day at the Races tried to use their spinnaker but had to sail a much lower course than the rest of the fleet and I think it cost them dearly. It's unusual to see Barrie make a tactical error like that!

The final leg of the course took us to the finish at Bald Head, just to the south of the entrance to the Hamble. A total distance of 19.5 miles which all boats completed by 15:30hrs.

Port Hamble took care to put our boats close together and ensured that all berths were facing into the tide which was beginning to ebb quite strongly by the time we arrived. As usual, a pontoon party was held at 16:30hrs and thanks must go to Mike Gorvett for allowing us to take shelter from the northerly wind on board Arvika.

This was followed by dinner in Banana Wharf, only a few short steps from the pontoon where around forty club members ate, drank and were merry. A very good turn out for January.

 

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