RTI 2019 - HOEOCA Results

The sun shone brightly but the winds were very variable during the day, dying on the approach to The Needles and round the back of the island. It was a very slow race and more boats than normal retired as they wouldn't have been able to complete the course by the 10.30pm deadline. Of  the 1,161 boats that started only 285 finished - could be a record.

The race started slighter later than usual and it was a Spinnaker start...

All or Nothing, skippered by Chris Blackburn, was the fastest of the HOEOCA-interest boats and managed to complete the race. They were in regular text contact with Mojac's restaurant where they arrived rather late for an excellent meal. They finished a few seconds before 9.45pm and came 5th out of 20 in IRC2 2C and 97th out of 285 finishers overall.

Sea Myth, skippered by Mike Veal, had a good start, were overtaking boats on the first downwind leg and were on a good course to round The Needles. Then the wind died and they found themselves being swept towards the Shingles Bank by the tide. Prudence, aka the engine, prevailed and so they had to retire. A good day in Cowes was had by all by all accounts.

There were five club members on Reach4The Wind, including skipper Keith Harding. After a cracking first Spinnaker leg and a good rounding of The Needles (very close in) the wind dropped then finally died. No amount of coaxing would get the the boat to sail towards Bembridge and very reluctantly they retired around 7.15pm when there was no possibility of finishing the race within the allotted time. They too were in regular contact with Mojac's...

John Eveson and Roger Shinton entered their boats Moody Blue and Starstreak but again both had to retire.

Simon Dipple was also on the water, not on AON but skippering the Bavaria 41 Maris Equi. They carried on valiantly and completed the course. However they got in about ten minutes after the 10.30pm deadline and officially 'did not finish' so didn't get placed.