Cowes Week 2026 - Weds 5th - Day 5

With an occluded front coming through mid morning the wind was due to build from 18-20 knot range up into 30 gusts.  This is far too strong for Aquila so we decided to bale out just prior to the race committee cancelling our class due to safety reasons.

Once your clear and away from a crowded start line, it’s ok as you have room to manoeuvre but with a 3 knot tide running against you, strong winds and many boats, it’s dangerous.

being as there is nothing to report,  I thought I would give you a quick lesson in starting a race, so go and get your pens and paper and I shall begin.  Ready?

It all starts with the warning gun at 5 mins to the start of the race.  At this point your class flag is shown on the line so you can see it’s your start, assuming you know your class flag.  This is followed 1 minute later by the Preparatory Flag, a plain dark blue flag that indicates you have 4 minutes to the start and your engine must be off.

Your now sailing in anger and jostling for the best spot on the line to achieve your goals going over the line.

With 1 minute to go, the Preparatory flag is withdrawn.  Most of the fleet will be aiming to be on starboard (wind coming over the right hand side of the boat) as you have rights over a port tack boat and they must give way.  The boats all gather in a headlong rush for the line and the race is go at the sound of a gun or hooter.  You know it’s the start because the class flags are withdrawn at that point.

As mentioned in previous days wittering, do not be over the line or OCS as you have to turn and go back through the line to try and start again.  Easier said than done !  If your in a fleet of racing yachts all going in one direction, you can’t just turn away as you will automatically be the give way boat.  You’re trapped and the race has gone in the first 10 seconds.  No chocolate Hob Nobs for you tonight, just a plain Rich Tea at best.

We went and sat on the line and watched to days mad starts and the beat up (nautical chit chat for the upwind leg) the beach at Cowes which is the area of water with less tide than in the main channel.  This is hectic stuff and as described yesterday, exactly what we avoided.  We saw 2 collisions ands several very near misses with shouts of “Starboard” and “Water” (I’m running out of depth so demand to tack now) coming thick and fast through the wind.

Here Enders the lesson.  I’m off to a big fat fry up and an afternoon snooze.