Report from Richard Roscoe, Triohe (F 9AX, Multihull)

Starting close to the South Bramble buoy, under main and assymetric spinnaker, TRIOHE made short work of the leg to the forts, and was well up amongst the monohulls at Bembridge Ledge buoy. Immediately tacking inshore, we made a few hitches up the beach until laying the West Princessa Buoy. Again tacking to the beach, we worked our way to St. Cats. short tacking close inshore amongst the pack, and possibly causing some confusion as we sailed lower but faster than most. At St.Cats. we tacked onto port and sailed deliberately low and fast to the west. The visibility steadily deteriorated until we could not see the land or any competitors, and we made our last tack at Durlston Head. We saw very few navigation lights during the night, and finally arrived less than a mile to the east of the Casquets, which was rounded at 0200. The wind started to lighten on the leg to Les Hanois, which was rounded at about 0640. Unlike in previous years, we rounded in daylight and were able to sail close in round the rocks, but unfortunately were not able to bear away enough to set reaching sails. The wind progressively dropped during the morning, and finally departed altogether before midday, leaving the windex rotating at the masthead, and the mainsail battens refusing to be tacked. Having no smokers on board, it fell to the skipper to puff on a cigarette, while the smoke went straight up and he remembered why he had given up smoking at the age of 14. Finding himself of little or no vakue at this point, the skipper decided to turn in, and no sooner than he was well asleep, a light breeze arrived from the east, and lasted until the finishing line was crossed at 1446. Having seen hardly any yachts since St. Cats, it was the usual worry of not knowing whether you are in the pound seats or down the pan, so we were pleasantly surprised to find that only 10 boats out of the entire fleet of 200 plus had better elapsed times than us, in a race almost entirely to windward.

With a crew of four and only carrying working sails, we were all able to get over four hours sleep, and did not even get woken up to move to a windward berth. No sitting on the rail getting cold and trying to keep awake is a definite plus for a multihull crew.

TRIOHE is a customised Farrier folding trimaran, 32ft overall with a beam of 24ft reducing to 9ft-9ins when folded, and displacing about 2 tons.

Report from Peter Jones, X Celsis (X119, IRC 1)

Start 1120 on RYS line at Cowes, 8 on board, in good position at South end of the line, spinnaker up with complicated gybe to get North of Snowdon held us toward the back of our starting group. Passed NML fort to port making good headway and continued to Bembridge making ground by keeping inshore. “Rock Hopped” with several companions behind El Syd to Dunnose then made for the open sea and took foul tide for 4 hours before a good Westerly passage for whole tide. Two more tacks and on track for Casquets tidal gate. Caught this in good time and made Les Hanois around noon seemingly in good shape. Hot sausages and mustard for lunch followed by pork pies with more mustard. Crew in good shape and cheerful at apparent good position. (later found 12 boats DNF, probably missed tide down Guernsey).

Day of disaster in little or no wind when many smaller boats caught up and passed on way past SW Minquiers on way to finish. Stirling crew concentration kept on through night aided by sweet and sour chicken sauce on a bed of pasta! Diced at finish with small fleet crossing at Banchenou. 0750 hours. 21st in IRC 1.

Several regular opponents behind or DNF, so a fair result overall.

Turned for home immediately after finish. Tied up in Hamble 0900 hrs, all safe, Only damage was the skipper’s gout!