West Country Boat Repairs RS2000 Millennium Series round 5 at Chichester Yacht Club

West Country Boat Repairs RS2000 Millennium Series round 5 at Chichester © Mark Green

"There's nothing - absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing as messing about in boats." - Kenneth Grahame, Wind in the Willows.

At the one-day open meeting at CYC on 18th July, there was a LOT of messing about in boats. Was it worth it? Read on...

The previous week had been very windy at times and on the day before the open meeting the sea breeze had kicked in to give champagne sailing conditions! Things were looking good for a cracking sail! However, on the Saturday morning with a 7-17 knot north-easterly breeze forecast the signs were not good. No fluffy clouds building and the wind indicators staunchly pointing north-east. With a 2pm start due to the tide, there was time enough for it to build, or so everyone thought!

Thirteen competitors (unlucky for some?) launched in a gentle north-easterly and headed for the start. And that's when the fun? started. After a short delay due to the wind swinging to the south/south-east and some rapid mark moving, the fleet got away. Rob and Gemma Burridge started at the committee boat end and managed to get to the windward mark without putting in a tack.

The rest of the fleet, some 20 yards down the line, found different wind! Rob and Gemma were first to the windward mark and were surprised to see that the rest of the fleet behind them were hoisting spinnakers to get to the same mark. A battle at the front between Rob and Gemma, Katie and Simon Horsfield and Tristan and Sam Pascoe ensued in the lightest and flukiest of breezes until the Race Officer put everyone out of their misery and abandoned the first race.

West Country Boat Repairs RS2000 Millennium Series round 5 at Chichester - photo © Mark Green

There was a long, long wait whilst the Race Officer prayed for some consistent wind and the competitors watched the boats at Dell Quay sailing in a lovely north-easterly breeze whilst down the fairway towards Itchenor, yachts were sailing in a lovely south-easterly. In the basin the wind couldn't make up its mind which way to blow and even if it was going to blow.

Whilst the fleet waited, Ben and Tristan Pascoe abandoned their dinghies and went for a swim, probably the most exercise anyone had all day! During this time the Race Officer did attempt some starts but these were abandoned during the start sequence as the wind died.

As the tide started to ebb, the Race Officer attempted to get the fleet away but with so little wind and a huge tide, it was no surprise that there were two general recalls and it was only when the black flag appeared on the third start that the fleet got away. Positions were reversed from the first race in that the rest of the fleet got to the top mark in more or less one tack whilst Rob and Gemma had different wind and watched everyone disappear until they were in last place.

Katie and Simon led the fleet until a small zephyr of wind took Tristan and Sam past them towards the end of the race to win with Katie and Simon second. To everyone's surprise, including Rob and Gemma, they took third spot.

West Country Boat Repairs RS2000 Millennium Series round 5 at Chichester - photo © Mark Green

Two races were needed according to the SIs to constitute a series, and in desperation, the Race Officer sent the fleet off again, to drift slowly with the tide towards the windward mark, until after about fifteen minutes when no one had moved very far, the race was abandoned...

The prizes were presented on the results of the one race sailed but the event will not count towards the West Country Boat Repairs Millennium Series.

Thanks to the Race Officer and the support boat teams, it was a thankless task which they carried out with good grace!

Overall Results: