Wednesday 16 July 2014

JP Morgan Round the Island Race 2014 - 4th fastest time of the day

On Saturday 21st June we set off in our Formula 18 catamaran from Stokes Bay to "watch" the JP Morgan Round the Island Race.  There is no formal entry for small catamarans but two elected to round the island that day and compare their times with the official results:
* Will Sunnucks and Phil Sharp on an Edge
* Nathaniel Ward and Mark Greenaway in an Alado

The Edge rounded from start to finish in 9 hours 36 minutes, the fourth fastest time of the day.



The day started with a long paddle from Stokes Bay to the start line.  After 3 miles we accepted a tow from a kindly yacht and eventually started outside the North end of the official start line at 7.39am.  

The beat to the Needles was long and slow, with a strong tide pushing us along as much as the wind.  The F18 was slow in these conditions and we had great difficulty overtaking the quarter tonners.  We would get through, but with one bad tack they would be through us again.

It wasn't until St. Catherine's point that we started to pull away.  Once the spinnaker went up we were fast even though the wind was light.

After Bembridge ledge we caught up with the bigger yachts, easily overtaking them as they struggled with their kites on a close reach.  It was a particular pleasure to overtake Rebel, a Farr 45 skippered by Ben Ainslie.

Nathaniel Ward and Mark Greenaway also got round in good shape, but elected to come straight back to Stokes Bay rather than head for the finish line.

This was a great day's sailing, and the results are very similar to those achieved in Tornados in the past, and of course Simon Northrop's efforts in the Round Goodwins race.  Small cats can be faster and more seaworthy than many yachtsmen believe, and its good fun seeing all the technology on show out there.

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