2009 Stralsund ISO Europeans - An alternative view...

My spin for the regatta report is somewhat different as we did rather less competitive sailing than anyone else. However as editor-in-chief Colin, you may use all, some, or none from the following observations.

Sunday, arrived early dog-tired, no inclination for boat assembly. Amazed to meet Mike Preater for the first time, must remember not to moan any more about my right knee which is showing first signs of arthiritis.

Read more: 2009 Stralsund ISO Europeans - An alternative view...

2009 ISO Inlands (3rd & 4th October)

3rd October was blowing the proverbial old boots. F5 - gusting 7!! It was looking promising for a seriously good blast - if not much racing.

After a lot of debate and hanging around Race Officer, Bob Joce, moved the race course to the East side of QMSC. Would anyone venture out? A few Buzz's staggered off the shore and wobbled out to the start line. After quite a wait to get everyone somewhere near the start line, the right way up, they did get away. Well done guys!!

Read more: 2009 ISO Inlands (3rd & 4th October)

2009 Nationals Lee on Solent Report

ISO Nationals Lee on Solent 4th – 6th September 2009 Our first ever Iso Nationals started as you would expect, blowing 30 knots plus, nothing new, after all Lee on Solent is only 5 miles away from Calshot, towards Portsmouth. At least that was only on Friday, the practice day. Nobody went out.

Saturday was less windy about 15 knots but the skies were a bit grey, after a short delay the first race got under way. A very well mannered start saw the fleet off to the first mark.

Read more: 2009 Nationals Lee on Solent Report

ISO Open - Calshot SC (11th & 12th June 2009)

The day started off grey cold and 18- 20 knots of wind.

As we started to rig up our boats, the rain started, not heavy but the sort of rain that you don't realise you are wet until you take your shirt off.

After a briefing and some coffee we set off, we left Colin behind, he was not happy with how his mast was looking, something about it looking inverted. I don't think he wanted to go and get wet, because by now it was raining properly, nice big drops.

The first race started well, by the first mark Lyndon was in the lead followed by my self and my stand in crew Ben. Mike and Josh close behind. Colin smugly watching from the Club House.

As you all know there is no excuse for bad preparation, so how did this happen?
  1. We all know that the pole is meant to come out as the kite goes up. It does not happen if you forget to have it as part of the system.
  2. The kite sheets are meant to be out side of the shrouds, it is not fast to have them in side.
  3. Oh, we have already said about Colin's mast inverting problems.

The race Officer took pity on us all and finished the race after 2 laps.
1st Dave
2nd Lyndon
3rd Mike

Before race 2 there was much re-rigging of boats, drinking of coffee and eating lunch.

Race 2 was another close battle up the beat from the start. Once again Lyndon was first around the wind ward mark, followed by Colin, then us and then Mike.

The run was fun with a good 1 meter plus swell and 20 - 25 knots of wind by now and still raining.

On lap 2 we passed both Colin and Lyndon who were still upside down after a capsize on the first lap. We gave them a wave as we went passed, they looked quite happy sat on there upturned boats.

The nasty race Officer made us do 3 laps this time, but it was fun.

1st Dave
2nd Mike
DNF   Colin, Lyndon

That evening we were all chauffeured to the pub by Roger and Pam, so we could have a hot meal and a couple of drinks, then talk of the days racing.

The Sunday was warm and sunny but with 30 knots of wind.

We all found mast head floats, to try and stop us all having the same trouble as Lyndon the day before. No-one likes to see boats and masts getting damaged.

With some of the boats going of to do the Euro Cup in a couple of weeks, there was concern if we should race, Ben and I went out for a test sail. We went out for a short run and came back as it was getting a bit too much to race in. So that was the end of the weekend for us all.

Only 2 of the 15 or so Club boats finished the race, I think that we made the right decision.

I would like to thank the Club for the friendly welcome, Ben for his efforts in keeping me up-right and also to Mike and Josh  who showed the others how to do it.

In the 3 years of running ISO Opens at Calshot, we have had 2 days of sailing, it has to get better soon or we shall have to give up and get a fleet of Optimists or take up wind, or kite surfing.

Next year........................................

ISO Open Essex YC (9th & 10th May 2009)

Over the weekend of the 9/10th of May the Essex Yacht Club in sunny Leigh on Sea hosted its first ISO open meeting for nearly 15 years. Along with 6 local boats and 2 visiting we raced a total of 4 windward/leeward races in varied but generally light conditions.

Race 1 saw local magician George Chambers and son Jeff take an early lead and held on to the end challenged only by travellers Ceilidh Higgs and Alex Benfield in 568. Moving into race 2 the haze cleared and as the sun warmed the Essex countryside the weightier teams hoped for a much needed sea breeze to get us on the wire.....In fact the opposite happened after starting in a dying F2 all but 2 of the fleet were 'parked up' at the top mark in zero wind and the early ebb. As we bobbed around for 20mins it was newcomer Cass Monk who picked up the first line of breeze and swiftly moved from last to first....where he would have remained had he not forgotten to gybe off towards the bottom mark! The final leg of the race proved very exciting with Team Harniman 1178 just holding off challenges from Adam Smith/ Brian Harris (913) & George/Jeff (1167). A very tight finish with the whole fleet finishing within 70sec of each other and recorded gaps of 1 second between some boats!

Day 2 brought more sunshine and also the appearance of ISO maestro Bob Ladell with newly recruited EYC crew, in a flukey breeze Bob showed the fleet the way and took victory in race 3. For the final race of the weekend the sea breeze arrived and a great racing followed; plenty of position changes,dumped kites and a few capsizes. After 3 very close (and for some wet laps) race 4 was taken by the Harnimans....this meant that after countback the winners of the whole event were Nigel and Steve Harniman 1178 (EYC), 2nd George Chambers 1167 (EYC) and 3rd Alex and Ceilidh 568 (HerneBay).

Thanks as always to race officers and support boat crews and also to the Essex yacht club, in particularly Bruce Bowler for organising a fantastic weekends racing. The Essex certainly enjoyed hosting this event and look forward to doing the same next season.

Overall Results Here