East Coast Race

"If you can get out of the Wallet, you're quids in"

The crews of 26 yachts had an early alarm call on Saturday 1st July and were on the start line for a 7am departure in one mass start for the RORC East Coast / EAORA Sunk Race from West Mersea. In a light mainly easterly breeze, and warm and sunny conditions, the shorter course of 86 miles was set, taking the boats past NE Gunfleet to the Sunk Light Float, then down to Long Sand Head buoy in the Thames Estuary before crossing the North Sea to finish at Ostend. The wind increased to 9 – 10 knots max. during the race, but died away after dusk, leaving the smaller boats creeping slowly to the finish line.

The critical part of the passage was along the deep water channel called the Wallet, inside Gunfleet Sand, to the Sunk. Carrying the tide was favourite – those that did were quids in.

Formidable 3, Piet Vroon's Lutra 56, finished at 17:00 and his crew described the race as "very comfortable", close hauled or close reaching throughout with no spinnaker work. J'ouvert, Jonathan Webb's J-120, hoisted an asymmetric after rounding the Sunk buoy but found themselves being taken too far south, and had to harden up again under white sails.

Second boat home, Gironde, Paul Wood's IMX40, came in at nail-biting 19:18, saving her time by less than two minutes to win IRC 1 and IRC overall. The crew said they'd had a nice sail, a bit cold for shorts in the middle of the North Sea. They had tried setting a spinnaker after Sunk but took it down after 200 yards.

Innspirit, Alan Bartlett's Humphreys 11m, were first boat home in IRC 2 but second on corrected time, and said they'd had their best ever race to Ostend, with only 5 crew instead of their usual 9 including a rusty navigator. We hope that referred to his skills not his skin. Jaguar of Burnham, Alan Lower's J-109 said they'd had a "just glorious" sail.

During the evening, more and more boats arrived, and the bar at the Royal North Sea Yacht Club became very crowded until the staff flaked out at 2am, just as the last boat, Sherpa, finished.

Thanks from the RORC finish team to Mike Wallis and Brian Bolton from EAORA, on Mike's yacht Last Diamond. Particular thanks are also due to Robert, the Marina Master.