On the water was defiantly the place to be on an oppressively hot day. However many more members apricate the premier Westmacott class and 6 boats turned out for the two race day. I guess that will be one way to win a fleet at Cowes week and avoid being X’ed at the same time. Intelligence has reported that a man dressed in bright yellow was seen checking the sail trim of Solent Sunbeam and even more worrying, a certain loud class director was crewing an XOD around Chichester Harbour. With 2022 Cowes week now a distant memory it was now that the 2023 campaigns began! Rumors are swirling that members of the class have been trying out other dayboat classes. Race Report 13th August 2022 - HOT HOT HOT, RACE, RACE Thanks to Carole, Duncan, Liz, good to have something a bit different! And thanks to Vicky and Chris of course. A very honourable mention for Z76 too… at the back but staying in touch with the fleet on a tricky race. Z54 in control, Z67 being harassed a bit by Z57 but not enough, and once round PSC it was a run back to the line, 1st 54, 2nd Z67 and 3rd 57 with the rest of the fleet following. Unusually again for a beat to PSC, tight in on the wall was the place to be. At SS Z67 had closed on 54 due to a bit of unnecessary gybing by the latter as it softened at the end of the run, but 54 was still in control and on the first tack into the wall left 67 in her dirty breeze to get a little more comfortable again (yes Munch I was watching you.!). Then the longer run with KB to port down to SS. Plenty of close action elsewhere in the fleet and Z70 and Z53 were fighting it out as well (so I’m told!). Z67 made a small gain, and Z57 was making her way up the fleet, attempting a bold early tack for BT which failed to deliver. Into the wall, tight on the concrete (no fishermen to upset today). Janet and Z57 were also making their way back though the pack. Downhill to KB, Z54 extended, Z67 in 2nd, while a bit of a knot with a spinnaker saw Z75 drop back. Z54 first round BT with a gap to the chasing pack of 67, 75 and 77. With control established 54 covered the others and extended, until the lay line to BT and out to the mark. In an attempt to break the deadlock Z54 pushed out a bit further just before Fort Monkton, Z77 held Z67 out, and when they both tacked back a small lift took Z54 into the wall ahead to claim the inside berth. 54,75 and 67 swapped places for a tack or 6, while 77 managed to get into the mix as well. At the front however, whoever got the inside berth crossed the others on the way out, and then lost out as the situation reversed. There seemed no doubt that in close was the place to be and the rest of the fleet followed.
67 and 75 reached the hard stuff first, 54 behind having had to put in the tack onto port, and 77 not far behind all of them. Unusually at that point there was wind into the wall and in on the concrete seemed to be the right place to be. The fleet headed for the delights of Gosport and the Haslar Wall. 75 and 67 had to wait their turn, while 57 did just get across the front, but in a bit of a rush, such that a sharp bear away and return was needed as she was called OCS Not surprising therefore that at least 3 boats lined up for a port tack start, and not without a little sense of mischief Z54 timed a starboard tack down the line with a minute to go, arriving with right of way at the end seconds after the gun. If you took a starboard tack down the line from Sapristi and concentrated hard, you could just clear the outer distance mark by a boat length. It was, it has to be said, a slightly Port biased start line. Course 4, an interesting little variation with a beat to BT, KB, BT, KB, SS, and then a quick PSC to SS to finish off before the ever earlier sunset arrived. With Z74 as the OOD it was good too to see Carole join Duncan and Liz afloat to run the race.
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