The East Coast Race

Having spent weeks scrutinising old programmes, then writing a new one for the anniversary (which was full of typos when I saw it printed, for which I must apologise) actually seeing the boats I had researched milling around behind the start line was a wonderful sight.

Course 7, up the Blackwater to Thurslet and back via some of the West Mersea Yacht Club racing buoys, was chosen due to the wind strength and direction, but the deeper draft vessels like Pioneer and Witch objected. They would run aground if they tried to follow the course which turned at the Inner Bench Head buoy. After some discussion the course was modified to turn at Bench Head instead, a mile further out into the Blackwater.

Robinetta's start was less than dignified. The very light winds meant we had the kedge ready, but it did not come to that, as the tide was trying to push us over the line in the right direction. Knowing that all the boats were bound to come past us I was determined to get over the line as soon as possible, and not fall victim to having Robinetta's wind stolen. Because of that I kept her very close to the start line, at the far end of the line away from Bateman's tower. All the other boats were well behind the line, and Julian kept saying we were over it. I didn't think so, but wasn't sure, so turned away to try and sail up the line. Because of the wind direction I ended up sailing very slowly up river, with my back to the line.

I could see the tower perfectly, so when I saw the puff of smoke from the cannon at 0900 I turned back to the line and was over it in the right direction by the time I heard the bang. They could see the truth from Bateman's though, and when I asked they promised I had been on the correct side of the line when the cannon fired, and had been first over the line, but I had been sailing backwards at the time....

As usual in light winds our good start have us a good view of the fleet sailing past us, but we kept going with the ebb tide which gradually carried us down the Colne, while pushing us slightly towards Colne Bar. This was a good thing, because as the tide turned it began to carry everyone up the Blackwater instead. The extra distance from Inner Bench Head to Bench head meant that the slower boats had the tide against them before they reached the mark and boats which tried to aim directly for Bench Head ended up having to tack towards it.

Julian had programmed the GPS to show our required track to the buoy, and I did my best to stay on it, even though it looked as though we were pointing very high, and our tactics worked; we sneaked round Bench Head without needing to tack for it, and gybed our sails round to run up the Blackwater with the tide just as the wind died.

The next hour was quite relaxing in a frustrating way. The only two gaffers behind us retired as they could not make Bench Head against the tide, and the slower bermudans, who started later than us, also fell by the way side. We had very little to do apart from watch the boats ahead get further away, and listen to the chatter on the race channel.

The decision was made to change the race finish. The first suggestion was to end it at Thurslet, but it was decided to get everyone to pass WMYC 5 to port, then head for a finish line between WMYC1 and Tempus Mike McCarthy's new motor boat which had been acting as race watchdog. The decision made the wind rose a little, just enough to let us sail rather than drift, and suddenly we were back in the thick of the race.

The faster boats had to beat against the tide to get back to no 5 buoy, and once they rounded it their track was directly across where we had to go. They were on starboard tack at this point, while we were on port, so the rules were clear, but once we were across that line of boats we had to find a way round a suddenly crowded shallows as we rejoined the tail end of the fleet. I had to do proper race tactics! I cut cross Swallowtail forcing him to tack(Robinetta was on starboard tack), then got pushed down river of the buoy when my wind was stolen by a larger boat.

It was annoying to have to go around for another go at passing the buoy, and seeing the other boats getting ahead again. Julian was sure I was not going to make it this time either, but we did, with at least a metre to spare...

Otter stayed on the Bradwell side of the river, tacking in the shallows there, but I decided to go straight across to the Mersea Flats where the finish buoy waited. The wind was getting up and shifting, beginning to raise a swell, we were sailing well, and we had Otter to race against. Exciting stuff!

We crossed the finish line 9 seconds behind Otter, to win Old Harry, awarded to the last boat to finish the race within the time limit. It was 1445, and the time limit was 1500.

The wind settled down and we had a brisk sail back to Brightlingsea, tacking out a couple of times to make sure we did not touch the sand on the Mersea Flats. I was probably being over cautious since we were near high tide, and Otter certainly did not bother, but if felt good to be sailing at a decent speed, and I did not want to have to keep checking the depth gage.

We moored up in good time to get to the Smack Dock for beer and cider. Lovely stuff!