Yacht Pursuit

Report on Eddystone Pursuit Race 11th July 2009

The forecast on Friday was grim:  gusting 47 knots and rough, with gale force 8 expected in the afternoon.  We all agreed to meet on the quay early on Saturday…..

Royal Western had contacted the Met Office, which extrapolated a forecast for our projected area (13 miles out to Hands Deep Buoy).  It wasn’t so bad, so we decided to give it a go, especially as Shaun from BrAMs had come down with a poster to see us off.

Start conditions were remarkably quiet (but boy, were we good – over the line with the gun…ish), then it kicked up a bit (see video), after that there was not opportunity to take photos.  Special mention to Nick Osmaston, who helmed us through the majority of the race.

We completed the course, having texted in our position at 1700 (c. 1 mile south of breakwater), and got back in for liquid refreshment, shower and supper at the Royal Western.  If you go to www.eddystonepursuit.org (listed as 2008) you will see the full results. (At present the results list is being reviewed again, but I don’t believe it will affect us). Of the 89 starters, 39 either did not start or retired.  Our final adjusted position was 44th, which I believe takes us into the top 50%.  The Committee remarked that it had been a very marginal decision to send us out, and a fellow committee member who sailed round said that conditions were ‘atrocious’.

Our other team members did not fare so well.  The smallest boat, Avena Sahama, did not start.  Tiki One (single-handed) was going well until her mainsheet track sliders sheered in a gust and left the main flailing – Alf had to jury rig and make his way back, but still managed a sailed place.

Altogether, we raised over £700 as a team, earning bonuses of c. £105 on top of our sponsorship.