Day One Report

Cowes Classics Week – Day one of Cowes Classics Week got off to a cracking start yesterday with a 25 knot rain squall running up the Solent, but this then settled down to a 15 to 20 knot South Westerly enabling two races for the classic dayboats and one longer race for the classic yachts.

The largest class, the X One Designs, had one windward leeward race out by Hill Head followed by a round the cans race culminating in a long beat to ‘Cowes Harbour’ racing mark inshore of the Gurnard navigation buoy and a sparkling run in a building breeze to finish at ‘Donna’ off Cowes Green. John Tremlett helming Astralita X91 had a second and a first winning the day followed by Paul Woodman in Lone Star and Jonathan Clark in Tortoise X165 (see picture above).

In the Daring metre boats Giles Peckham, last year’s winner in Dauntless had a second and a third followed by Graham Wilkinson in Doublet and Malcolm Lofts in Streak. The Darings had two windward leeward races at the eastern end of the Bramble Bank along with the Mermaids who were won by Richard Rivlin in Bluebell.

On Circuit 2 in the area of the Contessa 32 racing mark on the bank the Swallows did not race as they were sailing over from Itchenor but the Flying Fifteens, 1922 Classic Mermaids and the Squibs all had two good windward leeward races. The 1922 Classic Mermaids are racing for the Anniversary Bowl for the overall week but the day was won by Cynthia helmed by Michael Randall.

The classic yachts had lively race in the eastern Solent with lots of mark rounding which the competitors enjoyed finishing on the Royal London line at Cowes. Division 1 was won by the 1937 Johan Anker designed flush decker Bojar owned by Mark Dowie followed by Fenton Burgin’s 6mR Sioma and Lawrence Winde’s S&S Sunmaid V.

Division 2 was won by Chris Savage’s Chameleon of Cowes, a Morris 36, Division 3 by Richard Hollis’ H boat Warrior and the Old Gaffers racing as one fleet were won by Andrew Hitt’s Plymouth Hooker Spinaway X followed by Richard Haines’ 1898 Essex Oyster Smack Alberta flying a topsail despite the strong wind (see picture below).

Competitors enjoyed tea and cake at the RLYC clubhouse after racing kindly sponsored by Evelyn Partners and day prize giving took place later on the Trinity Landing in front of the magnificent Motor Yacht Lillian sponsored by North Sails with Cowes Lifeboats bringing along Atlantic and D class boats and giving an interesting talk.