HWS Day 2 – 16 Oct 2011 – Report from Pavlova III

A very well managed race day by the HRSC. The officers were patient with the wind and then set a good course for our one race. Mefisto took another early exit home, just as the start line was laid, so we all remain rather perplexed as we all remain keen to race against the Cowes Week champion.  

It was good to see Lord Denning at the helm of Team Light and they made the perfect start, powering over the top of Pavlova III and into the lead. The left side gave better tide angles, but the wind was snaking to the right, so it split the fleet in the early stages, with With Alacrity and Pavlova III soon in last and second to last positions on the left. Persephone went right and looked well ahead of the fleet, but by the first mark the wind had swung back again and Pavlova III went round in a relieved 4^th. . Not sure what happened to Light, but the Diamonds in Rapscallion pushed up to their preferred first position and Nick was having a good race in Zanzara.  

Downwind needed good tactics for hot angles with the tide. The leeward mark was busy, with Pavlova III calling starboard and water on 20 boats as we rounded as second Sigma. Opportunists Mr & Mrs Choules with alacrity...claimed overlap and smashed their way through between the race mark and a J97. We did not want to get involved in the mess...but SOMEONE has to pay! With Alacrity hit the mark and did not re-round, so either the J97 had to lose a lodged protest, or retire, or With Alacrity will have officially claim redress ? I did not noticed how Persephone faired in the carnage, as we had refocused on our upwind leg.

The second windward leg was shorter and paid to go right for more tide with the wind still un-stable and swinging up the solent in bands of pressure. Pavlova III got the second downwind leg wrong by going left. With Alacrity and Zanzara went right, giving them a faster drive and sliding across the tide into the leeward mark. Pavlova III was not thinking. We knew the wind showed 30 degrees backed, but assumed the same tracks as the previous downwind leg and paid the price by losing two positions.

Positions were fixed for the final windward leg, but we still felt the pressure of Persephone and Gambit close behind and Pavlova III finished a frustrating 4^th. Well done to Rapscallion for a well raced victory and also to Jorrit and Team Gambit for their progressive 6^th place.