S T E L L A
Class Association
Anyway, we spilled the wind from the main and got her up again
and trundled off managing 10knots through the water. Seemingly only
seconds later we broached again and then a third time. The fourth time
it was fairly normal and I started to enjoy myself – at least I wasn’t sat
out on the rail getting wet. The fifth broach was not good as there was a
bang and that was the end of the spinnaker. Fortunately it was the old
kite but even so I felt for the skipper. We got the old one up just as we
came across the outfalls in the Solent and that’s where the sea really got
up. I was stood in the companion way looking back wondering when we were
going to loose the rig just as our stern wave caught us up and lapped over
the aft deck and ran the full length or side decks. Our wake was a truly
awesome sight. We were leaving the wake of a forty foot motor boat – a
great sight. We were punching a lot of tide and so we headed away from the
island to the other side of the Solent to get into the shallows and out of
the tide. Flying along at eight knots with only a few feet of water under
you is some experience and not one I’d be in a great rush to repeat
however we were racing and this was the race we wanted more than anything.
The skipper was going for it at all costs and his vessel was well beyond
the speeds she was designed for. It’s a testament to the late designer and
to the crack helm that we didn’t just win our class but we won the Round
the Island Race overall and by an extraordinary six minutes.
According to the organisers it was small boat racing conditions. I’m not
too sure about that but certainly it was testament to what a small boat
can achieve against much bigger opposition.
Friday was another round the cans race in the Solent and due to Clarion of
White blowing out her headsail on the round the island, we managed to
pinch Adrian from her crew. Again the team didn’t put a foot wrong and
we sailed a tight race winning by around four minutes on corrected time.
That was the end of the racing and we headed in pleased that we had made a
good account of ourselves. Then it was back to the house for showers and
on with the blazers for the prize giving in the Royal Yacht Squadron. The
food came and then so did the prizes. The Skipper spent a lot of time
collecting various trophies and glassware that evening and we were lucky
to be sharing a table with the Clarion of White crew. We felt for them as
the blown headsail really ruined their event. That said their spirits
remained high and they couldn’t have been more supportive of us. With the
table full of trophies we really let our hair down and partied late into
the night. Even a run in with the local hooligans couldn’t dampen our
spirits.
The next day was a long one. We motored Estrella back across the Solent
and up the Hamble back to where she was launched the previous week.
Nothing much was said on the trip back but through the
hangover we were all quietly pleased with what we achieved. The drive back
involved lots of coffee and food. The boat was put back in the marina and
then we headed off past Bag Puss' home and then on into Wivenhoe. Back to
the office for a few beers then bed. The next day involved more
celebration partying with the Wivenhoe lot that ended early hours of
Monday morning. A few hours later I was up for work…..struggling to say
the very least!