There was no disputing who was the champion team of this year’s competition. The Metropolitan Police team sailing Sunsail 4017, skippered by Andy Robinson, and with helmsman Graham Cook, dominated the racing by winning 4 out of the 5 races, and came 2^nd in the other race. The windy conditions suited them down to the ground (or should that be water), and they romped home ahead of the fleet in most cases, aiding by some slick spinnaker handling on the Friday. Equally consistent, but not quite as successful, was another Metpol team led by Mason King in Sunsail 4021. They managed to win the first race, but had to be satisfied with 2^nd place in the other 4 races, and therefore took second place overall. They also used their spinnaker well on the Friday. Third overall was the Sussex Police team led by Steve Rigby in Sunsail 4033. They had two 3^rd places, one 4^th and a 5^th. They ended up with the same number of points as team Roger Glass (Metpol) in Sunsail 4040, but won the tiebreak with that extra 3^rd place. Fourth place overall went to Roger Glass’ team with one 3^rd place and three 4^th places.

This year the MPSC Offshore Championships was sailed in Benetau F40 (42 feet) yachts owned by Sunsail of Port Solent. These boats were bigger and faster than the Sunsail Jeanau 37s used previously. They presented a learning curve for many of the skippers and crews that have taken part in this competition before. The windy weather on both days provided an even bigger challenge, and only the bravest and more experienced crews dared to use the spinnaker. It was so windy on the Thursday that the two cadet crews were not allowed to compete due to Health and Safety rules.

The high winds not only provided a challenge for the competitors, but also for the Committee boat crew. The wind over tide conditions on the Thursday caused a very choppy sea state. That in turn provided the race management team some tricky anchoring problems. In spite of using all the chain that Sovereign had in its anchor locker, the anchor refuse to bite in many cases, and it took extra time to set up the start and finish lines. During race 2, whilst anchored just off the racing mark Hamble Yacht Services, the continuous snubbing of the anchor chain by the waves ripped the chain completely of the windlass and it disappeared below the waves, leaving Sovereign drifting at the mercy of wind and waves. With the race under way, it was essential that the race officer be in a position to finish the race as designated. So it was then panic stations to get out the reserve anchor (a Bruce anchor with a short chain) and make it serviceable. Much to the relief of the race officer, Dave Nicholls, it was made to work in those very windy condition by adding two rope warps to the short length of chain. But it did make for some very hard work for John Irvine who had to pull it all up by hand every time the committee moved to a new position. That Bruce anchor was used successfully for the rest of the competition.

The strong chilly winds blew consistently from the west on both days, with 20 to 30 knots on the Thursday, and 16 to 24 knots on the Friday. Rain squalls with thick black clouds and rainbow edges accompanied the winds on Thursday, but mercifully most of them either passed over the Isle of Wight or over the mainland. Hardly any rain fell on the Metpol/Sunsail fleet.

 

The course for race 1 was:-

Start between the committee boat and Browndown.

1. West Ryde Middle to port.

2. South Ryde Middle to port.

3. Browndown to port.

4. West Ryde Middle to port.

5. Browndown to port.

6. Finish at West Ryde Middle (unless shortened).

Only eleven of the yachts came to the start for race 1 with mainsails well-reefed for the lumpy conditions. The unfortunate London Fire & Rescue team in Sunsail 32 had trouble with their foresail and had to return to Port Solent for repair. At 09:30 the fleet got away to a clean start, but with several yachts well out of position, becoming late starters. The yachts had a 3-mile beat up to the windward mark, and then a run back to Browndown, via South Ryde Middle. The boats became well spread out with individual battles going on along the way. After two circuits of the course the race officer decided to shorten the race at West Ryde Middle. First over the finish line was team Mason King in Sunsail 4021, only 15 seconds ahead of team Andy Robinson in Sunsail 4017. Just 31 seconds later the Sussex Police, in Sunsail 4033, crossed the line in 3^rd place. Roger Glass’ team in Sunsail 4040 was 4^th.

The course for race 2 :-

Start between the committee boat and Hamble Yacht Services.

1. Royal Thames to port.

2. Prince Consort to port.

3. Hamble Yacht Services.

4. Royal Thames to port.

5. Hamble Yacht Services to port.

6. Finish at Royal Thames (unless shortened).

The fleet was much more competitive for the start of race 2, with team Mason King, on Sunsail 4021, chancing a port-end start and getting away with it. But in spite of that, at the end of the first circuit of the course it was Team Andy Robinson (Sunsail 4017) who had a 32 second lead over their Metpol rivals in Sunsail 4021. Close behind them came Sunsail 4033, Sunsail 4040, Sunsail 4025 and Sunsail 4014. After two circuits of the course and 2 hours and 13 minutes of racing the race officer shortened at Hamble Yacht Services. Team Andy Robinson and team Mason King finished just one minute apart, over four minutes ahead of the 3^rd team of Roger Glass. They in turn, finished a minute and a half ahead of Stephen Rigby and his team.

The course for race 3:-

Start between the committee boat and Hamble Yacht Services.

1. East Knoll to port.

2. Hamble Yacht Services to port.

3. East Knoll to port.

4. Flying Fish to starboard.

5. Air Canada to port.

6. Finish at Seafarers Ale (the old Gales HSB) unless shortened

The start of race 3 was enlivened by a tremendous squall that almost flattened the waves during the starting sequence. However, with most of the fleet already bearing down on the start line, the race officer kept his nerve and carried on with the start procedure, starting the race on time. There was a clean start in spite of the extra windy conditions, and the fleet got away well on a good beat towards the windward mark. For this race, the tidal conditions made the water less choppy. Race 3 ran its full course, and after one hour and 25 minutes racing team Andy Robinson crossed the finish line 100 seconds ahead of team Mason King. The Sussex team in Sunsail 4033 finished 6 minutes later. Then there was a 30 second gap before Henry Scutt and his team from Warwickshire crossed the line. Team Roger Glass finished 5^th. As each yacht finished it was able to bear away towards Cowes for some R&R, and eventually make its way up to the Folly Inn on the Medina River for the evening social, where a good time was had by all.

Friday dawned bright and windy, but the winds were not as strong as on Thursday. The day was full of promise for a good day’s racing. Dave Nicholls in Sovereign led the MPSC/Sunsail fleet out of the shelter of the Medina into Cowes Roads and then bore right past Old Castle Point into Osborne Bay. There was about 20 knots of wind from the west. He chose to set up a start line for race 4 at Mackley Construction, and announced the course as :-

1. West Ryde Middle to port.

2. Mackley Construction to port.

3. West Ryde Middle to port.

4. North East Ryde Middle to port.

5. Finishing at Mackley Construction.

14 of the 15 yacht fleet, including Sunsail 4015 and Sunsail 4016 manned by Met Police Cadets, came to the start line and got away to a clean start, beating across The Solent towards the windward mark at West Ryde Middle. There was close racing between the bulk of the fleet, and for the first time spinnakers blossomed on two of the yachts (Sunsail 4021 and 4017). It was team Mason King that led the fleet at the end of the first circuit, with two other Metpol teams – Andy Robinson and Roger Glass – in close pursuit. By the end of the second circuit it was team Andy Robinson in the lead, with teams Mason King, Roger Glass and Ian Mill in his wake. After 90 minutes of racing it was team Andy Robinson that crossed the line first, just over one minute ahead of team Mason King. Third to finish was Ian Mill in Sunsail 4012, who had managed to overtake team Roger Glass, who finished 4^th. They were only 20 seconds apart. 25 seconds later Sunsail 4033 (Stephen Rigby from Sussex) crossed the line in 5^th place. The closest finish was between Sunsail 4014 (James Mudd of the South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue) and 4003 (Stan Thingsaker of Hertfordshire Police) who finished only 2 seconds apart in 7^th and 8^th places.

The 5^th race was also started in Osborne Bay at Mackley Construction. The course was :-

1. West Ryde Middle to port.

2. Norris to port.

3. NE Ryde Middle to port.

4. W Ryde Middle to port.

5. Mackley Construction to port.

6. W Ryde Middle to port.

7. Finish at Mackley Construction (unless shortened).

This was the only race in this event where 15 yachts took part. They all got away to a clean start at 11:33 and beat across to the windward mark. On the run back to Mackley Construction it was the usual bunch of yachts heading the fleet, with team Andy Robinson as the vanguard, followed by Sunsails 4021, 4040, 4033 and 4012. As the race went on, Sunsail 4017, with the aid of some skilful spinnaker handling pulled further and further ahead. The race officer shortened this race at Mackley Construction after 90 minutes, and it was inevitably team Andy Robinson that was first to cross the finish line, almost 4 minutes ahead of the rest of the fleet. Sunsail 4021 finished in 2^nd place 50 seconds ahead of Sunsail 4012. Sunsail 4040, with their spinnaker flying well, finished just over a minute later in 4^th place. Sunsail 4033 finished 5^th. The Metpol Cadets in Sunsail 4016 and Sunsail 4015 finished in a very commendable 7^th and 9^th place respectively. The closest finish was between team Claire Johnston (Metpol) and team Alan Woolfe (Herts Fire & Rescue) who were just 6 seconds apart in 10^th and 11^th places. At the end of this race the whole fleet continued their run eastwards towards Portsmouth and Port Solent. The 2011 championships were over.

L.G.

 

 

 

 

 The Metropolitan Police Sailing Club were the hosts for the Police Sport UK Offshore Sailing Championships in May, 2011.

The contact for the 2011 PSUK event was John Oldham
Tel: 0208-785-8964
Mob: 0788-411-7730

See the PSUK National Offshore Championships page on this website for details from the Event.