As good as it gets.......... (Cowes Week)

Member Name: Ben Carter

Product:	Cowes Week
Date:	18/06/01 (21 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: informative

Disadvantages: Short

For anyone who was fortunate enough to be involved in this years Hoya "Round the Island" race then this will be old hat, but for everyone else - WOW!!

This year saw 1,735 boats entered into the 8 hour race around the Isle of Wight. With extremely choppy seas and a strong South Westrely gale, this made for a real heart stopping days sailing.

The first leg saw all the boats battleing for the best wind and channel up towards the infamous "Needles". Hundreds and hundreds of boats were narrowly missing each other everywhere youy looked. At this early point tempers ran astry as stressful skippers saw there £ 50,000 yachts coming within inches of hitting others from every grid of the map.

The second leg, once past the Needles was when the fore sail was unleashed as it was time to sail as close to the wind as possible and torpedo down the straight as far as St Katherines Point. At an average 6.5 knotts and with 1.5 - 2 metre waves crashing the bow every 2 minutes, this saw the wheat seperated from the chaff, as many people started vomiting over board.

After passing St Katherines and coming up to Bembridge things started to calm down and the real sailing had been done, this sail however was one of the most amazing ever and I suggest that that you make your application for next years race NOW!!!

Summary: