CHANNEL ISLES #3, 17th October, 2004

It was not the best day we have seen. A light wind and heavy rain greeted the racers

Sunday morning. To every ones surprise there were eight crews assembled and the

starting area was quite busy. The light wind played games with us before settling in from

the north. FANDANGO was the first to raise the spinnaker and the rest of us followed

slowly expecting the wind to veer at any time.

A few luffing matches took place and at one point I thought FINAL DASH and

FANDANGO were going to try the wind on the far side of Burial Island. Not much

happened before the Sisters but low, fast moving cloud coming over Scott Point

suggested that the rain may well prove the least of our problems. In some ways we were

let down as the spinnaker run to the Deep Ridge buoy was quite gentle. The ebb tide

was setting quite hard at Batt Rock so it was important to stay well above the course line.

ALACRITY was first to round the buoy with FINAL DASH very close behind. The return

had us beating into the strong ebb and speed over the ground fell dramatically.

Fortunately the wind increased to reflect what the clouds had been indicating and progress

was made past the Channel Islands. FANDANGO put a reef in the main and together

with ELECTRA and FINAL DASH was in hot pursuit of ALACRITY.

The long starboard tack from the Channel Islands was a great ride but came to an end at

the Sisters, and tacking up the harbour could clearly hold pitfalls for any boat caught on

the wrong side of a shift. In the event ALACRITY was able to hold off the challengers but

had to make a tack off the breakwater to do so. The finish times show how close it all was.

I should mention that it was still raining hard but by now it was blowing as well.

Results time on time.

BOAT	SKIPPER	RTG	FINISH	CORRECTED	POINTS
ALACRITY	JONES	144	12 51 19	2 47 42	100
ELECTRA	KIBBLE	141	12 53 30	2 50 37	88
JEEKERS!	SLADENDEW	198	13 10 00	2 52 00	75
FANDANGO	PHILLIP-ART	138	12 55 12	2 53 04	63
WESTWIND	ANDERSEN	154	12 59 30	2 53 07	50
SOUL DANCER	SIMPSON	193*	13 10 50	2 53 59	38
AQUILA MIA	DASHWOOD	165*	13 07 02	2 57 28	25
FINAL DASH	WOOD	110	12 53 07	2 58 36	13

* Indicates NFS.

Bob Jones

ALACRITY