Farr 45's at play.. http://www.yachtinguniverse.com/Sailing%20Videos/needlesprang.htm |
D'OH!!!! |
That one not going much Farrther then! |
Many boats made the same error of hitting the wreck in this years Round The Islsnd . We chartered a boat and had a most enjoyable weekend @ £250 a head inc everything apart from beer . There were 1579 boats nearly as crowded on the line as a Merlin event! Worth a dabble if you fancy it next year. |
"Oh dear!" |
I suspect there is a little bit more work to do when back at base than just sanding down the leading edge of the keel |
Navigation classes! |
The number of people who've hit that bloody wreck over the years you'd have though the ISC would have cottened on to the idea of putting a tempory bouy on it or shock Horror Trinity house a Green one!OR even competitors being a wee bit careful! Bob Fisher hit it one year and very nearly sank then he hit Bembridge ledge the next year or was it the other way round. Anyway he only need St Catherines and Gurnard Ledge to make set. |
But then again the ISC forgot to renew their Drinks Licence one year just before Cowes Week so bouys might be a bot too much. |
I reckon that the ISC consider rounding the needles to be safer without a turn mark. Given that a large proportion of the fleet give the wreck and rocks tons of sea room because they don't know where they are helps spread the boats out.If a buoy is laid then everyone will just point straight to it. It's bad enough at the Bembridge ledge buoy which is about 35 miles from the start! |
I am pretty sure that Bob has the complete set plus the Shrape at East Cowes. I know because I was with him for two of them. |
A buoy on the wreck was tried for a few years.it was laid I believe by Harry spencer on behalf of the ISC. It worked OK one year, then went walkabout in another and was then given up on.They looked into removing the boilers etc but this has so far not proved feasable. Basically we should all know about the wreck & the rock just off the needles in the same way we should know about Gurnard Ledge,hamstead,Black rock,Chale,St Cats,etc,etc Those of us that hit them do so knowing the risk & take it as that. The majority of others are what are known as '17 week wonders'(or yachtmasters)as they would have you believe. So you should enjoy the event for what it is a technical race for some,a cruise in company for the majority. |